Any IT Guys/Girls Here?

[Will]

They definitely need a server. Would be a lot easier doing that from the start.

 

[nodle]

As Adam said you are going to be responsible to make everything is working properly. Guess who they are going to call when they have problems? You. If they have data loss in the future because there is no backup, who are they going to blame? You. It's not just setting it up. It's also maintaining it. You will be responsible for everything you touch.

 

[DRE]

What are the desktops being used for? If its basic word/internet/email/etc then just get a bunch of entry level Dell machines, nothing too fancy.

Printer wise get a networked printer, if she hasn't got wired ethernet in the building you need to sort out something there. Wireless will be 'ok' if its a small building, homeplugs are even an option.

Could do with a bit more background on the building and usage to make some decent recommendations however.

Personally I'd insist on a server, even if it was only a low-powered compact one, anything is better than piggybacking off a desktop.

You've also got other considerations such as backups. Try selling the server to her as a way of backing up all the machines and make it clear that without it, WHEN a drive fails, they WILL loose all their data.


I do have to agree with Adam above as well. Why are you taking on something like this if you know nothing about it? Experience with computers != an IT 'expert' (or in this case an IT consultant)

It's basically related to this thread. I started out helping her set up a site for her new business. Her site is like an about us and contact info home page for a veteran's halfway house that requires a form that needs to be filled out. I'm going to do that with wordpress. Then she started asking me about her office set up and I was giving her answers on what I thought would be the best set up for her (cause I network 4 PCs, 3 Laptops, 3 printers, 1 tablet, phones, 3 gaming systems in my own home). Anyway she's backed by the state of florida. I initially asked her to get an IT guy from employflorida.com but then I thought about it and realized my best friend will be working at her new business and was like oh snap I get to work with my best friend if I take her up on the offer so here I am coming up with a list of stuff to buy for the office set up she wants. None of them are super computer savvy which is why she did not want the server set up but like Brandon said I should probably strongly suggest it. I mostly made this thread wondering what software and hardware I should mostly stick with so she doesn't buy any equipment and software that will suck later on.

 

[AdamD]

No ship Sherlock. Isn't that what I just said in my first post?

Have to agree with Adam Howard on this one, you don't seem to know much at all about IT, so you're definitely in over your head
To be honest you should probably be honest and say you're in over your head and you didn't realize how complex it would be.

 

[Jeremy]

Just because your best friend is working there isn't a reason to take an IT job when you aren't an IT professional.

 

[DRE]

The more y'all say 'don't do it', the more I want to do it. Please stop. I'm hard-headed.

 

[Will]

The more y'all say 'don't do it', the more I want to do it. Please stop. I'm hard-headed.

So you're definitely going to do this either way? lol

 

[Adam Howard]

cause I network 4 PCs, 3 Laptops, 3 printers, 1 tablet, phones, 3 gaming systems in my own home

Anyone who actually takes the time to read the instructions that comes with all those, can do that themselves.

That does not make you an IT.

The problem now is if you continue down this path and fail, you also hurt their company. And how many people work for this start up company who will be dependent on it for their source of income?

 

[Kevin]

The more y'all say 'don't do it', the more I want to do it. Please stop. I'm hard-headed.

Whether you do it because your friend works there or because you just want to be stand-off'ish because of the reactions in this thread, just remember that your actions will have very real consequences for the people involved with the halfway house if you fail.

There is a time when all "professionals", in whatever field they may be in, need to take that jump and do their first real job but if you are getting paid for this as a contractor, as opposed to just volunteering your time for a good cause, then in all honesty it does not sound like this is the job to take on as that first jump.

 

[DRE]

Then, just out of curiousity, how did you find yourself in a position of being offered such a job let alone accepting it?

My best friend and her were talking about the business they were setting up and she suggested me to make the site. When I finally met her she started grilling me with questions and talking about her office set up requirements then she offered it.

 

[DRE]

So you're definitely going to do this either way? lol

All I was looking for is pretty much what Chris Deeming, nodle and Brandon Sheeley posted. After looking at their posts... if the list of stuff to buy and requirements got really extensive, I probably would've thought twice.

 

[DRE]

Anyone who actually takes the time to read the instructions that comes with all those, can do that themselves.

That does not make you an IT.

The problem now is if you continue down this path and fail, you also hurt their company. And how many people work for this start up company who will be dependent on it for their source of income?

I told them they should do it themselves and that they can do all of that stuff themselves. My main thing will be to create a lil folder on her main desktop that will have the instructions on how to do everything.

 

[Will]

All I was looking for is pretty much what Chris Deeming, nodle and Brandon Sheeley posted. After looking at their posts... if the list of stuff to buy and requirements got really extensive, I probably would've thought twice.

Oh ok. Yeah, their posts were correct. And besides all the equipment needed, you also need the knowledge to do it.

 

[Chris D]

Important thing to remember: Deciding what to buy and buying it is the easy bit.

Eventually the stuff will arrive and if it's you that's got to put it together. That's not an easy thing to do if you don't know what you're doing.

Especially if you have no idea how to set up a DNS server. Active Directory. Group Policy. DHCP. Exchange Server with Hub Transport, Client Access and Mailbox roles... If none of this means anything to you, you aren't going to find the next step easy.

 

[DRE]

This lady does not want a server.

She made a face... I have never seen before on an Asian woman, her eyes went wide like oh HEEEEECK NO

 

[Biker]

Especially if you have no idea how to set up a DNS server. Active Directory. Group Policy. DHCP. Exchange Server with Hub Transport, Client Access and Mailbox roles... If none of this means anything to you, you aren't going to find the next step easy.

And then there's profiles and whether you allow roaming profiles or not. If roaming profiles are allowed, how is email going to be handled on each workstation. Will Exchange be set up with web access as well?

Is there an AUP in place? How will it be enforced?

The list is endless.

 

[Paul B]

You would be doing this person a favour if you walked away and told them to get someone else.

 

[DRE]

I think I should at least try it out for a month or so.

 

[Brandon Sheley]

This lady does not want a server.

She made a face... I have never seen before on an Asian woman, her eyes went wide like oh HEEEEECK NO

in that case..

You would be doing this person a favour if you walked away and told them to get someone else.

this ^

save yourself the headaches now

I think I should at least try it out for a month or so.

It'll take 1 to 2 weeks getting the hardware and everything setup.
I'd step out if it were me in your position.. IT isn't all about reddit and cats, although that is a lot of it.

 

[Biker]

This lady does not want a server.

She made a face... I have never seen before on an Asian woman, her eyes went wide like oh HEEEEECK NO

What the lady wants and what the lady doesn't realize she needs are two different things. Trying to make a workstation act like a server does not work. Period.