Basic computer network setup

[Rudra]

Hi there,

As my business runs out of my house, what I've done (I'm a Network Engineer by day and a small business owner by night ) is I got a NAS (Network Attached Storage) and put 2 hard drives in it. The hard drives mirror each other so in the event 1 fails I have the other, benefit of this is when I do replace the failed hard drive the existing hard drive will mirror to the new one.

I find it is a great way to store files and be sure of having backups. You can always take one of the hard drives out and take it home with you if you want an off-site backup.


Cheers
Rudra Radasandaran
Director
Audiovibes
rudra.radasandaran@audiovibes.com.au
www.audiovibes.com.au

Music. Anywhere. Anytime.

[IT Advocate]

Hi AgentMail, there is some great advice in this post, some not so great.

What you want is Log Me In Hamachi VPN @ $254 per year.

You basically install the little app onto each computer to join the VPN and its done! It bypasses routers and most firewalls, negating VPN IP issues. LogMeIn is secure and well respected.

Simply set up a share on one of your computers (the best one). Plug in a USB drive & run daily backup's to it. Have a couple of these drives and take them offsite, rotating them weekly.

Windows 7 has a great backup and restore interface built in. If your using XP, try something like Acronis True Image Home @ $99. It's a set and forget type application which will image your entire computers drive, or just files you select.

This option would cost $99 for Acronis + 2 x WD Elements Desktop @ $65 each. Total $164.

As mentioned previously you will need to keep the file serving computer on all the time for remote access.

There are NAS boxes that are internet accessible, such as the QNAP TS 210 @ $261 + 2x HDD @$55 each + you will still need offsite backup drives @ $65 for USB HDD = $436

Qnap has MyCloudNAS is a service which allows you to connect to your NAS remotely from anywhere.

This NAS has dual drives which can be set in RAID 1 mirror, this is not a backup, it only protects against single drive failure. If drv 1 corrupts it will instantly clone corruption to Drv2. Also if NAS gets stolen or hardware fails, its all gone, hence offsite usb drive needed. Pulling a drive from the RAID 1 array as previously suggested is NOT a good idea.

Added: FYI Myob over VPN will be a terrible experience. MYOB barely likes working over a local network. To do this, you will have to remote desktop into the computer where the MYOB data file lives.

[IT Advocate]

Just had a friend remind me about Microsoft Live Mesh. It won't work on XP though, and doesn't fix your MYOB problem.

What you can do in Windows Live Mesh 2011

Keep your documents, photos, and other files up to date on all your computers, whether PC or Mac.* When you sync a folder, your latest files are right at hand even if you're working offline at the moment. You can also sync folders on SkyDrive synced storage, so you can go to the Windows Live Devices website to access them on the web from any computer. To get started, see How do I sync a folder?

Connect to your computers remotely. Leave your PC online and run its programs or get to all its files from another computer. This is handy for "emergencies" when you might be at work and need a file from home. For more information about remote connections, see What are remote connections?

Sync your program settings between computers. Keep your Internet Explorer favorites and Microsoft Office settings up to date on all your PCs. For more information and to get started, see How do I sync program settings between computers?

[AgentMail]

Again,

Thanks for your input, and I think this is all very useful information, as many of us small business owners branch into multiple PC's and how to access that information.

MYOB is not a deal breaker, as my wife pointed out - Get out of one chair, walk over to other computer and complete tasks

But I am a stickler for efficiency and wanted to work better than that. I thought perhaps having a central folder which is accessible by two (or more) computers, which then holds the MYOB data file, and our ACT! file for CRM contacts would allow us to share access. I know, of course that we could not be in the file at the same time, and this can be easily managed, and our overall file size is relatively small, and could easily be backed up on a removable hard drive.

[IT Advocate]

If this is all you want, then then its very easy.

I thought perhaps having a central folder which is accessible by two (or more) computers, which then holds the MYOB data file, and our ACT! file for CRM contacts would allow us to share access.

The more complex part came when you said there has to be access from home to the same documents & databases.

If your two work computers are already on a network (hooked up to your ADSL router), then just share a folder on 1 pc. Map it as a network drive on the other. 2 minutes and your done.

[Roberto Gerola]

Hi.

You could buy a simple NAS like this :
Western Digital My Book World Edition 1 TB Network Attached Storage
and connect it to your office network.

Then you can create a VPN between your home and your office. This
would require to have fixed IP addresses on both sides and, of course, two ADSL routers that permit to create a VPN, for example : http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=564

Roberto
--
http://speedtech.it

[davdee]

Hi Agentmail.
Lots of good suggestions here; but most rely on a good stable network connection. You need to have a PlanB to get you by in the event of a network connection issue.

This may be having an additional phone line/adsl in your office so you can continue to run even if the main line goes. A small business can be paralysed with no internet connection.

I have an adsl I use for most things but I have a NextG wireless unit as a spare (and which I use when I am away from my main connection)

Best regards

[OzFitzy]

You don't mention whether all your PCs are running the same operating system but you can find that XP computers can appear invisible to Windows 7 computers on your network. You can connect them but it's not as easy as it should be - perhaps Micro$oft wanted to force you to upgrade.

With regard to backup the suggestion of "Dropbox" is reasonable as it does house your backed up files off site. That's a definite plus.

The downside is that the "A" in "ADSL" (broadband) is for "Asymmetrical" meaning that your upstream speed (to upload) is very slow compared to your download speed. Like if you have a 20MB service, you upload is probably 1MB and an 8MB service might only have a 384kb upload speed. Large files can be slow especially if you just want to back up and go home.

I have two D-Link NAS devices (running RAID1 which mirrors the two disks within the NAS) and the other NAS is offsite across a wireless bridge to my home (800metres away) so that I have backups at both places and use the free Microsoft "SynToy 2.1" software which will sync the two devices.

[prolancer]

None of what is is proposed so far is considering the security of your data. I would think twice of placing my accounts on a cloud drive like Dropbox (goo gle "huge blunder dropbox" for recent stories of how sensitive data was exposed by none other but dropbox).

It looks like your business is growing. You should consider setting up a proper server (Windows or Linux) with proper security policies at one site and VPN connections between sites or VPN clients on your laptops. The cost of the setup will be around $1000, however the security or information that you will get will be priceless.

Emil
--

[OzFitzy]

Another hint to achieve off-site backup.

You could backup to "Weekday Folders" on a USB Ram Drive that you carry on your key-ring and take it home with you.

But a number of Modem/Routers nowadays have a USB port for a USB printer or WebCam or a USB Ram Drive.

If you have such a router with USB port at your home, you can make the RAM Drive accessible over the internet and backup from your office to the USB drive at home. Much better than leaving your backups on the premises, and probably better than having one on your key-ring so that staff can back up for you if you are absent.

Cheers