Networks

Ask something
Discussion Locked

server in a p2p environment

0 helpful
7 replies

by mikelazz

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
We would like to implement an centralized server solution in 4 satellite offices that are currently set up as 4 seperate peer 2 peer workgroups. A Windows 2000 server will be placed in one location and three other offices will be connecting to the main offce for file storage. Almost all of the clients are Windows 98SE. Given that they are in individual workgroups, what is the best way to have them access shares on this new server.

7 replies

by naterice

You can do this in one of three ways. I'll explain them to you in the order of the most time consuming.

1) Create accounts on the server and sycronize the passwords with every user out there. Meaning, create a local user account on the server with the same name that the user logs into the 98 machines. Then set the password the same. Then add all those users to a group and grant the group permissions to whatever you want them to have permissions to.

2) Create 1 generic account and have all the users log in with that same account. Grant the user permissions to whatever.

3) Enable the guest account and allow the "Everyone" group rights to whatever share you make available. Please note that the "everyone" group really is EVERYONE though. Meaning non authenticated users will have rights to access your computer.

Good luck.

by cg it

IMO you would be better served to go the route of a domain at the one office that will house the server [have the W98 clients join the domain] then setup RRAS. Have the computers in remote offices connect as RRAS clients. This is a far more secure way of ensuring only authorized and authenticated users have access to data. .

by razz2

Well, you mentioned a 2000 server so lets use it correctly.

Setup the server in one office as an Actice Directory Domain Controller. CG IT nailed that one. I would change one thing though. RRAS would work but I would recommend a Branch Office VPN system. This can be implemented more easily and with less setup/ maintenance issues. Setting up an RRAS server would require (since it is a WAN connection point) proper attention to monitoring, patches etc. While you should be doing anyway, why leave the security to often late coming Microsoft patches. Put (or you may already have) firewalls in each office that support hardware VPN. That way the tunnels would always be live and the connection would be transparent to the users.

I will say it before someone else does... A real firewall in the line of Sonicwall, Watchguard, or Cisco would be best. That said, what is in the offices now? If as many small companies do, you are using Cable/DSL routers then at least upgrade them to a better small business one such as the Linksys RV0xx series. They support 30+ ipsec tunnels.

Good Luck,

razz

This discussion is closed to new replies.