[dba-Tech] Optimal use of multiple ancient boxes

As a member of all the dba lists, I'm all too aware that I'm not the
sharpest knife in the drawer :) So in that spirit, I'd like to poll the
members on this question:

Given X PCs (in my case 3), none SOTA (state of the art), how should I
be thinking of distributing tasks and resources (and also users) across
them? So far my tendency has been to put the fancy stuff (such as dvd+cd
burner) on the fastest box, my development machine. But I'm beginning to
think that this is stupid; that I should move the burner to one of the
slow boxes (they're all quick enough to run wxp), so that I'm not
wasting cycles on my development box doing things like backing up data
to the dvd or violating various music copyrights :) The old boxes don't
do much more than sit there, most of the time. They both run different
versions of Linux as well as wxp, but I only play around with Linux, I'm
far from expert in its use -- it's just a learning experience for me.

I should mention that I also have a pretty ancient Compaq server, with
RAID and twin 400-Mz CPUs, that runs Win Advanced Server 2k. Mostly it
runs nothing but SQL Server 2000 and the 2005 beta. It has mere 18GB
hard disks and that's not likely to change, given the cost of replacing
5 drives.

1. I'd like to add Terminal Services to the server so I can demonstrate
to clients how that works when running an Access app.
2. I want to set up an ftp server (now that I finally understand how to
make it work behind a firewall! Like I said, not the sharpest knife).
Should I put it on the server? There aren't a lot of free GB there, but
I could easily point the server to look for its files on another machine
where there is a big disk available. The ftp server is not really for
public consumption; more like various clients, project collaborators,
colleagues and friends -- passworded entry, no anonymous login, users
profiled to grant and deny various directories -- that sort of thing.
3. My three boxes are located in a U-shape so that I just spin 90
degrees and address each one. I try to install apps "chronologically"
according to the abilities of the boxes, i.e., the oldest apps run on
the slowest box (Access 97 is installed only on the oldest box) and
conversely. Some necessary things are installed on every box (i.e.,
Office).
4. I built this "notwork" up step by step, with virtually no knowledge
of how to set up a network. The result, as you might guess, sucks. I
could bore you further with the details, but instead I'd rather ask how
I get from this mess to where I want to be:

	a) any user can use any machine, and get her/his profile,
directory access, Outlook.pst, etc.
	b) currently it's all screwed up; from one particular box I can
see everything I need to see. Every other box sees parts of the
configuration, and none sees all. I think there is a wizard that will
let me copy the good config to all the other boxes, but I forget what
it's called.
	c) should the server contain the instances of software such as
Office, so that I update only one instance and every user hits that
single instance using a shortcut? I.e., shortcut to
\\server\folder\msaccess.exe "MDB2hit". I confess that I have no idea
how this stuff is done. I have worked in places where it was already
working when I got there, so I didn't learn the details. What I knew was
that I could log on from any workstation and get my Office menu, my
Outlook file, my database tools and so on. Didn't matter which station I
used. I entered my uid and pswd and that was that. That's what I want to
build here at home. I realize that there's an issue lurking within: what
happens when I open Outlook from Station A, don't close it, and then
open it from Station B? I don't know. Maybe the rule is that I have to
close station A before opening B. In the ideal world, I wouldn't have to
think about this -- each station's instance would automatically refresh.

5. I screwed everything up in the various chronological installations.
When Setup asked me for a domain name, I thought that it meant I needed
to have an existing URL. On another box it's registered under WorkGroup.
I want to blow all these definitions away and create domain "D" and then
place all the boxes in said domain, so that any user can logon to any
box and see her stuff, according to her profile (i.e. users Arthur and
Audra administrators and can do anything, while users Howard and Denny
are mere lUsers and cannot shoot themselves in the foot).

How can I get from here to there? Do I have to nuke everything and
everyone and rebuild from scratch? 

Any advice from gurus who can turn "notworks" into "networks" profoundly
appreciated.
Arthur