[dba-Tech] XP net management

Stuart McLachlan stuart at lexacorp.com.pg
Mon Aug 4 18:03:18 CDT 2003


On 4 Aug 2003 at 11:12, Arthur Fuller wrote:

> I readily admit that I know next to nothing about LANs; I usually leave all
> that to the network guys and then come in and work my magic :-) But on the
> home front there are no network guys, I'm it, and then my ignorance is a
> problem!
>  
> I have 4 boxes and a Compaq Proliant dual-CPU server. 

Is it configured as a domain server or you in workgroup mode?

>2 of the boxes boot
> wxp. One box boots w2k. One box boots either wxp or mandrake 9.1 depending
> upon my mood. Plus I have a 5-port mini switch
>  
First problem. XP can cause all sorts of strange effects in mixed 
networks.

> Every single box save the server sees different things. I have no idea how
> to control what is visible to whom. I've tried creating shares and adding
> network places and yada^3 with decidedly mixed results.
>  

How are the network protocols set up? Are they all using TCP/IP with 
compatible IP addresses and masks?

If in workgroup mode, are all PCs in the same workgroup?

Are you using any other network protocol on any of the other machines 
(like NetBEUI)?

> What I want to achieve:
>  
> As admin I can see everything everywhere.

You need to use admin shares.  Look at "Special shared folders" in 
the main Windows help.

> As user A on box A, you can see only one dir on B and all the shared stuff
> on Server.
> As user C on box C, you see what A sees only relative to your box.
> As user D on any box, you can see some dirs on A and B and Server.
> Eventually I want the world to see one specific directory in IIS.
> I want to be able to hit my instance of SQL2K remotely, using a known port +
> uid + pswd. I can hit two clients' databases in this way but the network
> guys set it up so I don't know the details. I want to open port #### and
> forward incoming to server and let sql security take care of it after that,
> so I can hit it from anywhere should I need to -- and all this freedom at
> the expense of random probers.
>  
> Ideally, within my LAN I'd like to make the box you log onto irrelevant, so
> that anywhere you log on you can see your instance of Outlook, your
> MyFavorites, MyDocuments and MyFiles plus selected server locations
> (depending upon the rights Admin assigns you).
>  

You can only do these sorts of things  if you are using your server 
as a domain controller,  set up share permissions based on domain 
logins and use "roaming profiles" (look them up in the main Windows 
Help)

You will stilll have some problems  with applications  if they rely  
on the Registry for user settings. 

For Outlook, are they stand alone installations?  How do you send/ 
receive mail.  

You would probably need Exchange Server if you want to access your 
email from anywhere on the network.  - Alternatively switch to a 
better email solution such as Mercury + Pegasus Mail :-)

> I know it can be done because I've worked at several institutions where it
> has been done, but I never asked the network guys exactly what steps are
> required to create this situation.
>  
> That sounds like a whole bookful of information, but I'm hoping one of you
> brilliant folks will give me a simple step-by-step recipe.
>  
Answer the above , and it will be easier to come up with suitable 
directions.


-- 
Lexacorp Ltd
http://www.lexacorp.com.pg
Information Technology Consultancy, Software Development,System Support.





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