MIS420-Chapter 8 Planning Your Servers

To Dedicate or Not to Dedicate

• network software uses up RAM
• your work is suspended when your computer is accessed
• less privacy
• computer must always be up
• computer can be "damaged" by others

How Much Disk Space?

What to Put on a File Server

• The network OS (win '95 = 70MB)
• shared data files
• Private data files (create a subdirectory for each user)
• Shared programs (requires a network version)
• Spool files for print servers

Planning Your Network Drive Mapping

• be consistent
• use drive letters high enough to avoid conflicts
• Novell usually begins with F
• don't use DriveSpace

Use a Separate Print Server (or a JetDirect card)

Buying a Server Computer

• use a small-cheap monitor
• use a fast processor and lots of RAM
• buy the biggest disk drive you can afford
• Buy with a tower case

Keeping the Power ON

• use a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) or SPS(stand-by power supply) for each server
• NT can be set up to monitor the UPS and shut down the computer automatically

Location, Location, Location