Backup Server 1

[cammy]

Hi

I currently have a HP ML310 server 2.0 GHz, 1 Gb RAM, 2 x 36 Gig SCSI HD's mirrored, HP C1537A DDS3 SCSI tape device and SBS 2000 running Exchange, ISA and a database application as well as being a file server.

This is the only server we have and in the event of it failing I need something in place until I rebuild it (which could take a while).

In a small company ~20 employees, what is the usual setup of servers that people with experience of small businesses have come across? Is it normal to only have one server running everything?

Ideally, I would like to have a second server which would be available should the current server die. I am unsure as to what the licensing situation would be in this case. I do not want to have to buy a second load of CALs for a server which is not in use and is acting only as a backup.

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks

Cam

 

[jkupski]

First off, you don't need additional CALs for your backup server. Secondly, if your SBS server is covered by software assurance, you don't even need to buy another SBS server license--a cold-backup server is allowed by the license (though this goes away if SA lapses.)

As for your question about small businesses, in my experience they buy as little as they can (unless the owner/partners are technology junkies, in which case they buy lots of stuff--usually the wrong stuff, which they don't need.) Not unusual to see a single server running everything. Not unusual to see that single server be a 5 year old PC with no RAID, no tape backup, etc, either.

SBS seems to be a good solution (assuming you're a microsoft shop.) Given that your hardware seems to be more than up to the task, I wouldn't worry about only having a single server.

 

[jkupski]

Note about the above: I am certainly not advocating anyone run their business on a machine with no redundancy--just that I've seen companies do so (and in some cases go under shortly thereafter when a hard drive failure takes out years of data.)

 

[cammy]

Thanks for your reply.

It's good news that you don't have to buy additional cals for a backup server. Another server of similar spec to the one we currently have would do the job for us. I will investigate software assurance to see if it would be worthwhile or if you have to buy it at the same time as the software. The copy of SBS we have is OEM and therefore would die with the server.

All I need to do is look for the best deal on a server.....and navigate through the hardware jargon that HP and the likes seem to enjoy putting on their website.

Cheers

Cam