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    So I have somehow been given the task or looking after a small business network and all IT "things". I mainly have experience with DCs and managing them as other people have always handled the other servers/roles etc. So managing Exchange servers and all that stuff is pretty new to me and is pretty overwhelming.

    I don't have any formal qualifications which the business new before asking me to manage their network.

    The previous network admin did not give me a handover at all. I have no idea why the business is setup the way it is or what their reasoning was behind it. I did find an old network document from 2015 from the old admin outlining their view for the future. This included all the servers and their roles. I have since found the server roles have changed and were never updated.

    What I do know, there are 2 physical (Host) servers with 5 virtual servers. (For a business with 3 full-time employees, it is also a not-for-profit business). SVR1 - Print and VPN(Some reason VPN has stopped working but no issues are reported). SVR2 - File. SVR3 - (Unknow) SVR4 - Physcial (Host) DC. SVR5 - Physical (Host) DC. SVR6 - Backup (Doesn't actually backup to this server, it just runs the Backup Program that sends data to another computer to store on an external HDD...this has also stopped working for unknown reasons) REMOTE SVR - Exchange Server. (After SSL cert renewal, I have lost the ability to use ECP and OWN and still have not been able to gain access again).

    My question/s. Does a really small business need all of these servers? I was told to transition from a Exchange Server to cloud based?

    What is the easiest way to setup automatic backups? Currently only the File Server and Exchange servers are set to backup to the external HDD.

    If you were to setup a small business with 3 full-time employees that handle mainly word processing and publications that also has a internet cafe...what would you suggest to be ideal?

    Any help is good help. I am only managing this network as there are no other people with any remote understanding of a network in a town of less than 1000 people. I am also saving them a lot of money as I pretty much don't charge for my time.

    Thank you heaps@

    Tuesday, June 26, 2018 12:47 AM

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    Well try this www.office365.com

    sign up and register it, then there will be a step by step basis to guide you thru.

    Guowen Su
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    Wednesday, June 27, 2018 1:46 AM
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    Hi 

    It really depends on what services your business needs. All that hardware for 3 employee's that "only" use Office sounds a bit over kill.

    For business that small, I would be recommending a transition to Office365 as it handles your emails and file storage without the need for any servers on prem.

    I imagine you have other client-server applications running?

    Thursday, July 5, 2018 10:11 AM