preliminary questions/advice on data center scenario

sorry for the cross post here but I think the input I seek would come
partially from each group.

the main question is, out of typical windows network infrastructures (I'll
list my specifics below), what parts can be hosted out of a data center?

Are people successfully hosting 'everything' out of a data center these
days?

very quick rundown of my scenario: small company, one site, that is
potentially going to open 6 or more new locations within 1 year.
Infrastructure includes 2003 AD, Exchange 2003, Server 2003 file/print
services, and a production application that utilizes SQL Server 2000 for
data. Those are the main backend components.

At a very minimum I plan to host the production application out of a data
center and use terminal services with citrix xen app (formerly presentation
server) to deliver the app from a central location to each site. But I also
want to investigate what other portions of the IT puzzle I may host
centrally in a data center?

The concept I am going for here is to invest in the data center for
reliabiltiy, uptime garauntees, DR, BCP, etc... and to keep each actual
business site's IT to a bare minimum. I would invest in redundant internet
connectivity at each site as well. There will be only a small number of
users at each site (about a dozen) and 80% of them will only be using the
one production application, with the remaining 20% needing typical services
like email, and file sharing services.

I'm even thinking of linux on the desktop just runing firefox to access the
citrix infrastructure...

just starting to look into this. Any input on the topic is welcome. Any
pointers to good resources or case studies of similar setups would be great
too. With this upcoming expansion also comes a new 99.999% up time
requirement. I know I can't provide that out of current 'headquarters' so a
real data center is what I need. So I'm now beginning the process of
figuring out how to implement a setup that provides the uptime garauntees,
as well as provides for continued expansion as painlessly as possible. The 6
new sites are just the begginning.

In news:(E-Mail Removed),
David <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> sorry for the cross post here but I think the input I seek would come
> partially from each group.
>
> the main question is, out of typical windows network infrastructures
> (I'll list my specifics below), what parts can be hosted out of a
> data center?
> Are people successfully hosting 'everything' out of a data center
> these days?
>
> very quick rundown of my scenario: small company, one site, that is
> potentially going to open 6 or more new locations within 1 year.
> Infrastructure includes 2003 AD, Exchange 2003, Server 2003 file/print
> services, and a production application that utilizes SQL Server 2000
> for data. Those are the main backend components.
>
> At a very minimum I plan to host the production application out of a
> data center and use terminal services with citrix xen app (formerly
> presentation server) to deliver the app from a central location to
> each site. But I also want to investigate what other portions of the
> IT puzzle I may host centrally in a data center?
>
> The concept I am going for here is to invest in the data center for
> reliabiltiy, uptime garauntees, DR, BCP, etc... and to keep each
> actual business site's IT to a bare minimum. I would invest in
> redundant internet connectivity at each site as well. There will be
> only a small number of users at each site (about a dozen) and 80% of
> them will only be using the one production application, with the
> remaining 20% needing typical services like email, and file sharing
> services.
> I'm even thinking of linux on the desktop just runing firefox to
> access the citrix infrastructure...
>
> just starting to look into this. Any input on the topic is welcome.
> Any pointers to good resources or case studies of similar setups
> would be great too. With this upcoming expansion also comes a new
> 99.999% up time requirement. I know I can't provide that out of
> current 'headquarters' so a real data center is what I need. So I'm
> now beginning the process of figuring out how to implement a setup
> that provides the uptime garauntees, as well as provides for
> continued expansion as painlessly as possible. The 6 new sites are
> just the begginning.

We do it all the time for our customers. Our company is a combined
hosting/solutions firm that hosts many customers' Exchange services offering
antivirus and antispam services, backup/DR, and many more. Email
connectivity is with using Outlook RPC/HTTPS (Ex2003) or Outlook Anwhere
(Ex2007) Citirx is also used by many such as what you are planning. It's a
big cost savings for them to have it hosted centrally especially at a site
with redundant power and Internet connectivity, etc.

I think you are on the right track.

(I am not soliciting - just pointing out the benefits of such a scenario for
smaller companies to curb IT resources and costs).

--
Regards,
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT,
MVP Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, you may want to contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please
check http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations

thanks for the reply Ace. Maybe you could shed some light on a couple grey
areas for me.

1. file & print services. At this point I only know citrix from a conceptual
level and see the xen app server could virtualize our production
applicatioin and deliver via a browser. But how do conventional file and
print sharing services fit in here?

2. can I truly get away with only an internet connection at each site and
have everything delivered from the data center? (exchange, sql 2000 app,
file shares, MS Office applications etc..)

I'm thinking I would at least need a local print server at each location?

thanks again. I should sound a lot less clueless about this after a few days
of research


"Ace Fekay [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> In news:(E-Mail Removed),
> David <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
>> sorry for the cross post here but I think the input I seek would come
>> partially from each group.
>>
>> the main question is, out of typical windows network infrastructures
>> (I'll list my specifics below), what parts can be hosted out of a
>> data center?
>> Are people successfully hosting 'everything' out of a data center
>> these days?
>>
>> very quick rundown of my scenario: small company, one site, that is
>> potentially going to open 6 or more new locations within 1 year.
>> Infrastructure includes 2003 AD, Exchange 2003, Server 2003 file/print
>> services, and a production application that utilizes SQL Server 2000
>> for data. Those are the main backend components.
>>
>> At a very minimum I plan to host the production application out of a
>> data center and use terminal services with citrix xen app (formerly
>> presentation server) to deliver the app from a central location to
>> each site. But I also want to investigate what other portions of the
>> IT puzzle I may host centrally in a data center?
>>
>> The concept I am going for here is to invest in the data center for
>> reliabiltiy, uptime garauntees, DR, BCP, etc... and to keep each
>> actual business site's IT to a bare minimum. I would invest in
>> redundant internet connectivity at each site as well. There will be
>> only a small number of users at each site (about a dozen) and 80% of
>> them will only be using the one production application, with the
>> remaining 20% needing typical services like email, and file sharing
>> services.
>> I'm even thinking of linux on the desktop just runing firefox to
>> access the citrix infrastructure...
>>
>> just starting to look into this. Any input on the topic is welcome.
>> Any pointers to good resources or case studies of similar setups
>> would be great too. With this upcoming expansion also comes a new
>> 99.999% up time requirement. I know I can't provide that out of
>> current 'headquarters' so a real data center is what I need. So I'm
>> now beginning the process of figuring out how to implement a setup
>> that provides the uptime garauntees, as well as provides for
>> continued expansion as painlessly as possible. The 6 new sites are
>> just the begginning.
>
> We do it all the time for our customers. Our company is a combined
> hosting/solutions firm that hosts many customers' Exchange services
> offering antivirus and antispam services, backup/DR, and many more. Email
> connectivity is with using Outlook RPC/HTTPS (Ex2003) or Outlook Anwhere
> (Ex2007) Citirx is also used by many such as what you are planning. It's a
> big cost savings for them to have it hosted centrally especially at a site
> with redundant power and Internet connectivity, etc.
>
> I think you are on the right track.
>
> (I am not soliciting - just pointing out the benefits of such a scenario
> for smaller companies to curb IT resources and costs).
>
> --
> Regards,
> Ace
>
> This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
> confers no rights.
>
> Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT,
> MVP Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
> Microsoft Certified Trainer
>
> For urgent issues, you may want to contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please
> check http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.
>
> Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations
>

In news:O%23h$%(E-Mail Removed),
David <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> thanks for the reply Ace. Maybe you could shed some light on a couple
> grey areas for me.
>
> 1. file & print services. At this point I only know citrix from a
> conceptual level and see the xen app server could virtualize our
> production applicatioin and deliver via a browser. But how do
> conventional file and print sharing services fit in here?

I'm not a Citrix person, we have a staff Citrix person that handes that end.
But going into the Citrix web access you have the ability to trasfer files
back and forth. Printing will be local at the client site.You would have to
get someone more familiar with the product to give you specifics.

>
> 2. can I truly get away with only an internet connection at each site
> and have everything delivered from the data center? (exchange, sql
> 2000 app, file shares, MS Office applications etc..)

Yep, pretty much.


>
> I'm thinking I would at least need a local print server at each
> location?

Yes

>
> thanks again. I should sound a lot less clueless about this after a
> few days of research

You're on the right track.

Ace