Small Bidness Computer Questions

[Shane2943]

So I might be helping an office by installing their computers and whatnot. Have a couple questions for you folks:

1) This office will have 6 computers and 1 server running MS Server 2008. The computers will connect to shared files on the server via mapped network drives on the PCs. Do each of these machines (or users) need CALs? This server is pretty much a file server for the rest of the network. Various programs on the PCs will access databases stored on the server in the shared locations.

2) They will need MS Office (just Word, Excel, Outlook mostly) on at least 3 of the PCs and maybe even all of them (excluding the server). What is the best way to purchase Office for them? Office 2010 would be fine if it's still available.

3) They will use local backup drives to save server data to them, as well as an off-site network solution. They will have 3 external HDDs which they will rotate out and keep 2 off-site. What would be the safest backup option, in your opinion, to these drives? A sync-style backup where there is one instance of the backup on the external drive(s), but it is made up to date with each sync? Or multiple backup instances on the external drive(s) that overwrite after a given number of instances?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[SiempreTuna]

CALs are pretty complicated. Depending on how the computers will be used, you might be able to get away with fewer user-based CALs, but most likely you'll need one for each machine (see here for more information).

You can often find 5 license Office installations on ebay .. slightly risky, but if stick to a seller with lots of sales and a good rep, should be OK. Just be sure they accept returns

Re backups: I would generally go for a weekly full backup with daily incrementals. The full backups, I would keep for at least 2 or 3 months, plus maybe keep one from around the end of the month for even longer. It can take some time for users to realise they deleted something they actually need. Some tax-related things, for example, they may only need once a year ..

 

[Shane2943]

CALs are pretty complicated. Depending on how the computers will be used, you might be able to get away with fewer user-based CALs, but most likely you'll need one for each machine (see here for more information).

Ok, thank you. Silly that people have to give MS money just to connect to a server. Probably another reason why Linux rules the server world.

You can often find 5 license Office installations on ebay .. slightly risky, but if stick to a seller with lots of sales and a good rep, should be OK. Just be sure they accept returns

Will check it out. Gracias.

Re backups: I would generally go for a weekly full backup with daily incrementals. The full backups, I would keep for at least 2 or 3 months, plus maybe keep one from around the end of the month for even longer. It can take some time for users to realise they deleted something they actually need. Some tax-related things, for example, they may only need once a year ..

Good deal. Do you have recommendations as to a backup program to use? Something simple as the office will be responsible for their backups, I wont be able to go there to back up their stuff.