Am getting a new (small) server and will be loading up WIndows Server for the first time. Have about 20 Workstations on the network and 2 network printers. In addition to the server software, do I have to load any client software on the workstations? Or...do I just get a 20 user sever software package for the 1 physical server? (if so....when I add users later....do I just purchase more clients and load something in the server itself?) AND....lastly...for the network printer...do I also need to purchase and load software on the server in order to manage / share those ? I've done plenty of peer to peer stuff....but this will be the first time working with Windows Server. Any help with just what software needs to be purchased would be greatly appreciated. Thanks > PLEASE HELP OTHERS - Report back what did/didn't work for those referencing this thread.<

You purchase products by the way you need to use them. For example, what are you using the server for? What and now do you want the workstations to be used for and how secure do you want them to be? Playing to the angels Les Paul (1915-2009)

The server will be used for: Serving a SQL app. A print server A mail server I would like to have a fairly high degree of control of which users have access to what. For example.....would like to have shared folders that only certain users can access. Need users to log in whenever they turn their computers on...and their log in determines what they can access, where they can print, etc. Thanks very much. > PLEASE HELP OTHERS - Report back what did/didn't work for those referencing this thread.<

I'd get the trial's and set them up before I bought anything. The are free and most for for a few months. See vmware for virtual installs and microsoft for regular installs. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/... Lists the common features of each product. I'd bet the standard edition may suite you fine. Also see the Small business server, may not work for you if you grow too much. Not sure we can fully explain all the uses of a 2003 server. It took me months to do the books. (I wasn't in a hurry though) It could cost quite a bit if you do mess up how you want to use this stuff. You almost need to know about each of the topics here too. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsser... So I'm kind of thinking you may wish to setup an Active Directory to help control your system. Not for sure needed and this is where the costs start to rise. You can do most of what you want without what is called CALs. If you want you might be able to do without them. See the MS site for how they are used. When you install your server you have your choice as to how you want to use them. Some choices can be changed later and some can not. I don't get the client deal though. If you have a domain and you use cals you can install programs on the server to be used as terminal server. You can't just use any old program as such exactly. You install in terminal server mode. The printer is about the most easy if you have a normal type of company sized printer. There are wizards for how the use for each task in 2003 mostly. You almost need to take some training or get someone trained to help on this. What you have is pretty complex and to make the best use of it would require it be setup and monitored a bit. All the information you could possibly want is on the MS site (somewhere) They have technet, tutorials, video, hands on and more. You could spend months there on that stuff alone. There might be some good examples of typical setups on the MS site too. Playing to the angels Les Paul (1915-2009)

Thanks very much... Those links are very helpful. Looking through the different versions of Windows Server....I could not tell about controlling access to network printers. If there are 3 printers plugged directly in to routers (true network printers).....can access to them be controlled (via Active Directory) in any of the versions? Thanks > PLEASE HELP OTHERS - Report back what did/didn't work for those referencing this thread.<