Community Hall computer room

[size13]

The local community hall are having a computer room built to house 10 pc's with access to the Internet via BB to be used for teaching and to provide net access.

I've told them they need:

10 pc's (1 pc must be able to power 2 monitors)
1 printer
1 projector
1 network switch
1 router (if one is not supplied by BB co)

Dell and the guy from the local college insist that they need a server with I think is :silly:

They will not be hosting anything, or running a mail server. I said they just need to designate one PC ti run the projector and the printer.

Can anybody justify why you would need a server?
Dell actually told him that you need to buy a specific server and a desktop pc would be no good.

[BliarOut]

Only if you wanted to run AD and GPO's to lock the PC's down...

Cue lots more questions

[BaconBonce]

I suppose it depends on what the teaching needs are.

Will the students need the ability to save their work and access it from any of the PC's in future etc?

[size13]

BlairOut: No, and I know what you mean!
BaconBonce: I doubt it

Thanks

>> Edited by size13 on Wednesday 6th July 17:17

[agent006]

size13 said:

Dell actually told him that you need to buy a specific server and a desktop pc would be no good.

That's only bacause dell will only supply Windows Server with one of their servers, not with a desktop.

For a 10 user business, then a server would be a definite. For your setup, then so long as the printer has a network connection you'll be ok without.

[gh0st]

BliarOut said:

Only if you wanted to run AD and GPO's to lock the PC's down... Cue lots more questions

You can lock one PC down from the local PO's and export them to the others. Failing that just go round with the checklist with all the admin options and do each PC individually. Wont take long being only 10.

No I cant see the justification for a server - they are trying to flog their latest dodgy poweredges by the sound of it

[malman]

If the printer is shared off one of the PC's then XP will only allow up to 10 file/print connections so should be ok for what you want but it would be a pain to maintain the user accounts on each PC. If you use a printer with a built in print server or a something like a JetDirect 170x then all the account woes go away as its not shared off a PC.

[size13]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Re user accounts - can system policies be set up on XP home edition? I guess there will be no individual user accounts.

Re printer sharing - I've suggested getting a print server.

ta

>> Edited by size13 on Friday 8th July 15:23

[Muncher]

A server may not be a bad idea, so all data can be stored on that one so people can logon to any PC to access their work. It doesn't need to be a "real" server, just one PC with enough storage to hold it all.

[aldi]

No group policies on XP home, also can't join a domain and cant fiddle around directly with users, groups & permissions except via the limited control pannel applet. Also causes Hodgkiss' desease, and attracts enemy radar.