advice on a peer-preasured tech (to 2000 or to 2003)

[jameson]

Hi all, I need some advice, some honest advice...
I have some local buddies in the same field as I am in, and they are
all looloo for server 2003....
They tell me how easy it is to install and how fun it is and how easy
to manage it is... this gets me all giddy and (naturally) I want my
network to be up to date and up to snuff....

now, my situation...
I work for a school (Kindergarten through 12th grade), we have about
250 computers... It isnt a huge network, but I am the only computer
guy and I am quite proud of my little network. Luckily I dont teach...
I'd never make it.
We have 6 servers; one is a 2000 server that simply houses 1 or 2
applications utilized by the elementary section of the school. The
other 5 are NT 4.0 sp6a; One is a big fat-daddy database server that
houses the grades and that kind of important stuff, one is another
database server that is also a print server and a BDC, one is a PDC,
one is an exchange server and yet another is an email filtering
server.
I have contacted 2 companies that support our 2 database software...
neither of them are supporting thier product on server 2003 (not to
say they wont work on 2003 of course) so that is a slight blow to my
fantasy of having server 2003 here.

So lemme ask ya, would a guy working for a small private school with
250 computers benifit from Server 2003? Grant it, the guys who talk it
up so much work for big banks and big real-estate firms or insurance
companies... but i can walk to any computer within 3 minutes if I had
to on my network. Am I better off just upgrading them to server 2000?
this brings up another issue... not that I call microsoft EVER for
support(thank God for newsgroups) but how much longer will MS be
supporting server 2000? Heck, I was gonna get my MCP on server 2000
this summer, NOW WHAT DO I DO???
I know, I am full of questions. If possible, lend me your advice on
the main question...
thanks so much in advance!
Jazz Mann

[Dan DeStefano]

this is a windows xp newsgroup, but:
yes, server2k3's management/recoverability/performance/security exceed w2k
and far exceed of nt4; and, since ms will be ceasing support of nt4 in part
by next jan and in whole by jan 2005, you should at least begin planning to
upgrade/consolidate at least your nt4 servers. however, this is not an easy
process (remember you will have to upgrade , especially for a single person.
when you are ready to upgrade you should bring in outside consultants and
the upgrade should be fully tested and piloted prior to deployment and a
comprehensive backout plan should be in place if the live upgrade fails. but
the major problem you may face is your 2 database applications'
compatibility with 2k3, which i gather are mission-critical apps.

about certification: if you have not yet embarked on the w2k track, i would
suggest instead pursuing 2k3 certification. last i heard ms will be
designating future certifications with the platform - nt4/2k/2k3 - and have
changed the process of upgrading from one to the other (though ms seems to
change their cert policies monthly), so it is probably worth it to pursue
certification in the latest technologies.

just my opinions

Dan DeStefano


the bottom line
"jameson" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi all, I need some advice, some honest advice...
> I have some local buddies in the same field as I am in, and they are
> all looloo for server 2003....
> They tell me how easy it is to install and how fun it is and how easy
> to manage it is... this gets me all giddy and (naturally) I want my
> network to be up to date and up to snuff....
>
> now, my situation...
> I work for a school (Kindergarten through 12th grade), we have about
> 250 computers... It isnt a huge network, but I am the only computer
> guy and I am quite proud of my little network. Luckily I dont teach...
> I'd never make it.
> We have 6 servers; one is a 2000 server that simply houses 1 or 2
> applications utilized by the elementary section of the school. The
> other 5 are NT 4.0 sp6a; One is a big fat-daddy database server that
> houses the grades and that kind of important stuff, one is another
> database server that is also a print server and a BDC, one is a PDC,
> one is an exchange server and yet another is an email filtering
> server.
> I have contacted 2 companies that support our 2 database software...
> neither of them are supporting thier product on server 2003 (not to
> say they wont work on 2003 of course) so that is a slight blow to my
> fantasy of having server 2003 here.
>
> So lemme ask ya, would a guy working for a small private school with
> 250 computers benifit from Server 2003? Grant it, the guys who talk it
> up so much work for big banks and big real-estate firms or insurance
> companies... but i can walk to any computer within 3 minutes if I had
> to on my network. Am I better off just upgrading them to server 2000?
> this brings up another issue... not that I call microsoft EVER for
> support(thank God for newsgroups) but how much longer will MS be
> supporting server 2000? Heck, I was gonna get my MCP on server 2000
> this summer, NOW WHAT DO I DO???
> I know, I am full of questions. If possible, lend me your advice on
> the main question...
> thanks so much in advance!
> Jazz Mann

[Bob S.]

Old saying..."A problem adequately stated is a problem well on its way to
being solved".

You haven't stated what the problem really is and if I was sitting on the
school board I'd be asking you some tough questions as to "Why ?". Chasing
the technology is not reason enough especially when the applications aren't
supported yet. Everyone wants to stay ahead of the curve and be using the
latest and greatest but you have to investigate why you really need it in
order to justify the expense and potential problems of the upgrade.

[jameson]

Thank you Bob...
I agree with your answer.. and the fact that enrollment for next year
is down, perhaps I do need to look at that aspect...
I do think I need to go windows 2000 on a few if not all the servers,
a license to support all 250 folks wont cost me much...
I do appreciate your answer very much, it puts things in the proper
perspective.
jazz mann

"Bob S." > wrote in message >...
> Old saying..."A problem adequately stated is a problem well on its way to
> being solved".
>
> You haven't stated what the problem really is and if I was sitting on the
> school board I'd be asking you some tough questions as to "Why ?". Chasing
> the technology is not reason enough especially when the applications aren't
> supported yet. Everyone wants to stay ahead of the curve and be using the
> latest and greatest but you have to investigate why you really need it in
> order to justify the expense and potential problems of the upgrade.