Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Network question for the network gurus

Here is my dilemma. I presently have six computers on a domain, a server and five clients. This group runs our practice management software (the PM domain). I then have about 14 computers on a P2P network, of which one of them is our AC server. All of the computers have AC installed on them (including the domain computers) and talk to each other through a network switch. I had AC and STI (our practice management software vender) get together and write a bridge to transmit demographic data from our practice management software to AC. I was informed that for this bridge to function optimally, the AC server should be joined to the PM domain. The question is, can the AC server become a member of the PM domain and still serve as the server for the P2P computers? Would it be easier to just close the practice and move to a warmer climate?

Yes, you could join the domain with the AC server and still use it as the server for any computer that can see it via the switch (which should be all of your clients). Why not connect all of the computers to the domain? It would be more efficient.

First of all Bert, congrats on breaking the 10K posting barrier. That's truly amazing. Second, the reason that I do not want to join all of the computers to the domain is because it is "scary". I know nothing about client/server configurations and if I did implement that, I would have to try to learn all that stuff, or hire an IT person. I have nothing against IT people, but right now, I can troubleshoot and fix 99% of the computer problems I encounter during the day. I probably could not do that with an entire office domain structure. I hate relying on others to try to fix important problems quickly. Another issue is our PC domain server. It is running Windows Server 2003, has 4G ram, a 160 GB RAID-1 Drive configuration, and it has hardware dated circa 2008. If the other office computers joined the domain, wouldn't it likely overtax that old server? If everything was on the same domain, could my AC server remain the AC server and the PM server remain the server for the practice management software? Also, wouldn't I have to buy a bunch of client licenses to allow the PM server to connect to all of the clients? Sorry for all of the questions, but this is unchartered territory for me.

Hi Ed,

I smiled as I read your post. I had been a card-carrying, charter member of the P2P group. We started this practice with AC in 2005, and stayed P2P until last summer. (Despite Bert's best efforts to convince me that the server was a way to go, and this was probably back around his post number 8000!)

For various reasons, security, backup, and speed among others, last summer I realized it was time to switch to server/client. I contacted Sandeep

Sandeep Luthra | sandeep@LTMedical.net
LT Medical | (760) 895-1390 Opt. 4
Get Help! | Join a Remote Session

And purchased a server from him, which he configured and shipped to me. I plugged it in, Sandeep remoted in and set up the network.

Since that time we have had absolutely zero problems. All the stuff that I used to have to fix no longer breaks. We have been thrilled.

I realize this post is as much a plug for Sandeep, as it is for a server/client system.

But, as I indicated, the reason I'm posting is that, one year ago, I could have written your post!

Good luck

Gene

Thanks. It shouldn't be scary. You already have five computers connected. What is the difference between one and fourteen? Just a greater amount of chances for a screw-up. But, you already have that anyway with P2P.

You already have it implemented. You would simply connect to the domain using System Properties and Change. Connecting a computer to the domain shouldn't tax it that much. How much RAM do you have on the AC server now? If everything were connected to the domain, you could use any computer to run AC. As far as CALs, it depends on how many users. Obviously if you added 14 computers, then you would have to buy CALS, which would be cost prohibitive. But, if you had only five users, you could go with user licenses. You probably are already using the licenses you have as client licenses.

Why do they say the bridge would work better if it were on the domain? But, simply connecting that one computer is likely fine.

By the way, the really good IT people will tell you they won't work on P2P. Too difficult. Why isn't AC on the server?

But, you are probably correct. No need to make a ton of changes.

Ed,

You are correct that your trusty 2003 server is due for replacement, for a number for reasons.

Utilizing all of the capabilities of an active domain can be daunting, but the basics are actually straightforward. It is actually very helpful to manage permissions in one location for your network.

As others have indicated, there are forms of MS servers that are more affordable for smaller businesses.

Another option is to make route entries in the domain, and map to the AC server via IP versus netBios/workgroup broadcast.

Of course if you want to save money, you can setup much the same using a Linux server, it will just take most time, which you may not want to invest.

There you go, scaring me again with terms like "route entries" and "netBios/workgroup broadcast" To respond to Bert, our Domain server has 4GB RAM, and the AC server has 8 GB RAM. Also, thanks for the confidence boost Gene, and also for your advice Indy. So... if I join just the AC server to the domain, once the AC server is logged on to the domain, all of the P2P computers should be able to connect to AC on that computer and function properly? Right now, we have 18 computers running Amazing Charts. We have 10 people who use AC. So if we had a straight server/client setup, we would need 10 user licenses, or 18 client licenses? What is the difference> I hate Bill Gates and Microsoft.

One additional thing, this is the actual communication that I received from STI (our PM vender) who is writing their portion of the bridge that receives data FROM Amazing Chart:


This is the reason why I am trying to connect the AC server to the domain. Thanks guys.

Ok, I did as you said Bert. I added the A/C serve onto the domain. I also checked online and added the A/C server into the list of computers within Windows Server 2003, per instructions at several tech sites. This went well without problems. Everything seems to work fine but there is a really weird thing going on. If on any of the computers, it go to network places and check the list of computers, I see the A/C computer listed under the domain, but it also is still listed under the workgroup. I can click on either one and access the files without difficulty. If I click on one of the icons, it says domain and of I click on the other it says workgroup. This still occurs even after all computers have been rebooted. I assume that this should not be happening. If I go to the A/C computer and click on computer properties, it shows that it is now a member of the domain. I don't understand... Any thoughts?

One of the things that happens with Windows workgroup is that the peer machines elects a machine that maintains the workgroup participants. The domain controller, on the other hand, will always maintain the domain members.

So, for the time being, the old participant registration will continue until it ages off.

Thanks Indy. As long as it works properly, I won't worry about it.

In time, it should disappear from the workgroup.