03 - Preparing to Implement Microsoft BackOfficeby Greg Sullivan and Don BenageYou have learned about the components and purpose of Microsoft BackOffice. Now it is time to get ready for implementation. Before you actually install Microsoft BackOffice in your organization, there is much to prepare. In this chapter, you learn the important pieces you must put into place before installing Microsoft BackOffice.
After you have read this chapter, you will know how to prepare your organization for a successful installation, and you will be ready to implement Microsoft BackOffice. There is no significance to the order in which these work steps are presented. All these issues need to be addressed, and the sequence is not important. In fact, several of these activities overlap each other chronologically. The intent is not to present a detailed work plan, but to identify all the areas that deserve attention. Following these guidelines will enhance the likelihood of a successful Microsoft BackOffice implementation.
The network cabling must extend to every desktop PC to which you desire to deliver data. The network cabling must also connect to the servers that will run server-based applications like the products that make up Microsoft BackOffice. Each PC and server must contain a network interface card (NIC) appropriate for the type of network you are using (for example, Ethernet or token ring). A representation of a typical network is shown in figure 3.1. It is important to note that this representation is logical in nature. The network is shown as a ring, even though most modern networks are physically wired in a star configuration, with a wire running from each workstation to a multiport hub of some type. In its simplest form, a network consists of network cabling and connectors, communications devices (such as routers and hubs) that propagate data over the cabling, server computers, and client PCs. Fig. 3.1 - The simplest client-server networks show server applications and client PCs attached to a circle, which logically indicates that the server computers and client computers are connected on a network.
Each network also requires a network operating system (NOS). The NOS is the software that enables the hardware to act as a network. The NOS for a Microsoft BackOffice network is Windows NT Server. It provides all the basic NOS services such as user authentication and controlling access to shared resources like files and printers. Windows NT Server includes a rich set of graphical administration tools that make it easy to manage your network.
Before you build a new network for Microsoft BackOffice, or prepare your existing network, there are some networking fundamentals to cover.
The basic building block of an enterprise network is the local area network (LAN). It is called "local" because all the PCs and servers are connected via the same physical cabling. The simple network shown in figure 3.1 is an example of a LAN. Many organizations have people located in geographically separate locations. In this situation it is not convenient, or even possible, to connect everyone to the same LAN cabling system. However, it is still desirable to allow computer systems at different locations to communicate with one another. The solution is to connect multiple LANs together to form a wide area network (WAN). Figure 3.2 shows a typical representation of a WAN. Fig. 3.2 - Wide area networks typically incorporate multiple local area networks, which are geographically separated into a single, larger network. The link that connects the LANs is some type of communication line. These lines are available in many forms from providers of communication transmission services, also known as carriers. In addition to the communication lines, which are typically leased, it is necessary to install equipment such as a router or bridge to physically connect a LAN to a communication line. The advantage of a wide area network is that users can interact with one another as if they were connected to the same physical cabling system, as shown in figure 3.3. The type of connection is usually transparent to a user connected to the network. In some cases, however, the communication lines that connect LANs do not operate at the same rate of speed as local cabling. In these situations, users may experience delays when interacting with a server application or client PC on another LAN connected to the WAN. Fig. 3.3 - For simplicity's sake, logical network representations often do not distinguish between the LAN and the WAN because this is usually transparent to the users. Figures 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 depict generic networks. The server applications shown in these figures are representations of logical processes that execute on server computers. A typical Microsoft BackOffice network is shown in figure 3.4. Fig. 3.4 - A Microsoft BackOffice network shows the various BackOffice products attached to the network as logical processes. In figure 3.4, each Microsoft BackOffice product is installed on a separate server computer. Even though in some situations it is possible to install multiple Microsoft BackOffice server applications on the same server, they are depicted as individual components in the network diagram. This helps to clarify the role of each server application. The Microsoft BackOffice network may also include a connection to an IBM mainframe or minicomputer through the services of Microsoft SNA Server. You may also notice that this network includes remote users that connect to the network through the services of Windows NT Remote Access Server (RAS). In this sense, your intranet also includes computers and users that access the network by dialing in from outside the physical location of the network.
The network in figure 3.4 did not depict a connection to the Internet. Microsoft BackOffice contains a product that allows you to connect your network to the Internet - the Microsoft Internet Information Server. An intranet connected to the Internet is shown in figure 3.5. Fig. 3.5 - A Microsoft BackOffice network (the intranet) can be connected to the Internet via Internet Information Server. To connect your network to the Internet, you must acquire the services of an Internet service provider. Most communities now have several companies that provide access to the Internet. These companies will place communications equipment on your premises and connect it to both your network and the Internet. The link to the Internet is made through another communication line, similar to the one you might use to create a wide area network. There are many ways in which to connect to the Internet. Your local Internet service provider will help you understand your options and the associated costs.
The two primary roles of the Internet are to:
Because Microsoft BackOffice also provides these basic capabilities on your own network, you can view your intranet as your own "private" Internet. As the Internet grows in popularity, the tools used to manage private networks begin to share many similarities with Internet tools; such is the case with some features of Microsoft BackOffice. The Internet enables people to communicate electronically using their computers. This communication exists in the form of e-mail. A user can type a message to anyone else connected to the Internet and send the message to him or her as long as the user knows the person's Internet e-mail address. This form of communication is quite convenient and has become widely accepted in a short period of time. Microsoft BackOffice supports e-mail on an intranet through the services of Microsoft Exchange Server. This product enables users on the network to electronically communicate with one another. The combination of Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Internet Information Server permits users to electronically communicate with not only those on the intranet, but also everyone on the global Internet. The Internet is also used to share information. An Internet user can publish any information for purposes of sharing it with other interested Internet users. The most popular vehicle for sharing published information is referred to as the Worldwide Web (WWW). Other methods are available as well, with equally colorful acronyms. Members of the Internet community have defined how information is to be formatted and placed on the Internet and how other users are to access it. After you have connected your network to the Internet, a server on your network can be configured as a WWW server, usually referred to simply as a Web server. You can place the information you want to share on this computer after formatting it using HyperText Markup Language (HTML). HTML is a collection of formatting codes created by the Internet community. A variety of utilities, including the Microsoft Word Internet Assistant, make it relatively painless to annotate documents with HTML codes.
Web servers publish HTML pages using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). If you set up your server properly, anyone on the Internet can locate your Web server and view the information. The capability to do this is provided by a software package called a browser, or Web browser. Browsers for the WWW are available from a number of vendors, including Microsoft. One of the features available to you with Microsoft Internet Information Server is this capability to publish information and share it with anyone on the Internet. At times, you may want to publish information only to those within your organization, but still leverage the power and flexibility of the Internet tools. Microsoft Internet Information Server provides the capability to publish internal information on a private WWW server. This example illustrates one reason why an intranet can be viewed as your private Internet. Because the WWW was originally intended for publication purposes, the information was primarily static. Information changed only when the author manually made changes to the published document on the Web server. The need for WWW information to be more dynamic has grown, however, because it is more meaningful to present information to users based on their input. This has resulted in more sophisticated Web server and browser products. Many organizations now use, or plan to use, the Internet to interact with their customers. One example of this type of interaction is referred to as electronic commerce. Supported by the capabilities of dynamic WWW information and sophisticated browsers, an organization can sell its products over the Internet. Electronic commerce is simply the act of allowing a customer connected to the Internet to conduct a secure financial transaction with the organization. For example, a customer can connect to a Web server and place an order for a product. This type of transaction can only be performed if the Web server is capable of dynamically interacting with the user.
If you want the plumbing to carry more water at a faster pace, then a larger pipe is needed. Similar logic applies in networking except that the pipe is not physically enlarged. Instead, a different kind of cable is used, or the communication equipment that transmits data over the cable is enhanced. Data traveling across the network is referred to as network traffic. The amount of data and the rate of speed with which it moves through the network cables is referred to as bandwidth. The more network traffic, or the faster the data must be transmitted, the more bandwidth the network requires.
Most networks today experience bandwidth limitations. This is due to the nature of the applications that run on the network. Applications based on the client-server process model are designed specifically to minimize the amount of data transmitted across the network. Therefore, as organizations make increasing use of the client-server model, network traffic is reduced. However, networks are still used for many tasks such as file transfer and disk backups, which are bandwidth-intensive. Consequently, management often overlooks the need to provide additional bandwidth.
It is almost impossible to overbuild your network with respect to bandwidth. If your organization is creating a network with an expected lifetime of over three years, any excess capacity will eventually be needed as new data types and applications are added to the network.
There is an administrative role for each server application installed on the network. Depending on the size of the organization and the extent of the applications being used, this does not always need to be filled by an additional person. A talented administrator may be able to handle more than one administrative role. This is especially true for Microsoft BackOffice because the server applications have so many operating similarities. Conversely, on a very large network with hundreds or thousands of workstations you will undoubtedly need multiple people in each role. The key issues are that the tasks and responsibilities associated with each product need to be identified and managed. Watch for signs that an administrator has too much to manage. Because there is usually overlap in responsibilities across server applications, the administrators should work together as a team. This also provides a built-in means for providing backup administrators. Each server application should have a primary administrator and a backup administrator, in case the primary administrator is unavailable in an emergency.
The roles and responsibilities for each member of a Microsoft BackOffice administration team are covered in detail in the respective product sections of this book. Following is a brief description of the administration requirements for each Microsoft BackOffice product and the highlights of administrator responsibilities.
The primary role of Windows NT Server is to act as the network operating system. The administrator in charge of the network operating system is usually referred to as a network (or LAN) administrator. In addition to managing the network operating system, this individual is typically responsible for the shared resources on the network, such as printers and disk drives on servers. In small organizations, the network administrator may also be responsible for all network connections and PCs that connect to the network.
The following list highlights roles and responsibilities of the network administrator:
In addition to the role of network administrator, Windows NT Server allows you the flexibility of assigning a limited set of administrative duties to individuals called operators. Operators are frequently chosen from among the personnel of a department to act as a pseudo administrator for the department. An operator cannot perform all the duties of a network administrator, but because they are usually more accessible to users, they can increase the effectiveness of the administrative team and the satisfaction level of the user community. The four types of operators are as follows:
The most commonly used are account and print operators. Account operators can assist users who have forgotten their password by giving them a new password. They can also perform other account related tasks such as changing a user's name (common after a marriage) or creating an account for a new user. An account operator cannot create or modify an administrator's account.
Print operators assist users having difficulty with documents that have been sent to a network printer. In administrative jargon, these are jobs in a print queue, and if a job experiences problems, it can create a log jam effect for all the print requests sent behind it. For example, if a user sends a print request formatted with the PostScript page description language to a non-PostScript printer, dozens of pages of gibberish are usually the result. If the user who sent the job has left for a meeting or lunch, only a print operator or administrator can pause the printer, delete the faulty job, and restart the printer.
The administrator responsible for Microsoft Internet Information Server is referred to as the Internet administrator. Because this often includes responsibility for the information, or content, placed on the Web server, the Internet administrator is sometimes referred to as the Webmaster. This job overlaps with the database administrator (DBA) in cases where dynamic WWW information is driven by Microsoft SQL Server databases.
The following list highlights roles and responsibilities of the Internet administrator:
As organizations become dependent on e-mail, this administrator bears the burden of keeping e-mail flowing all the time. Users expect their e-mail to be received and delivered in a timely fashion just as they are accustomed to reliable voice communications over the telephone. The Mail administrator may also lead the organization through an "e-mail culture" transition. Organizations are said to have an e-mail culture if its members rely heavily on electronic messaging.
The following list highlights roles and responsibilities of the Exchange administrator:
The administrator responsible for Microsoft SQL Server is referred to as the DBA. The DBA installs and operates Microsoft SQL Server. The DBA may also be responsible for managing the organization's data stored in SQL Server databases. In some cases, the DBA may also design the databases.
The following list highlights roles and responsibilities of the database administrator:
The administrator responsible for Microsoft SNA Server is referred to as the SNA Server administrator. The SNA Server administrator is responsible for providing host connectivity to client PCs on the network. The SNA Server administrator determines the maximum number of concurrent users and configures the environment to accommodate their simultaneous connection to the host.
The following list highlights roles and responsibilities of the SNA Server administrator:
The following list highlights roles and responsibilities of the SMS administrator:
The way in which each Microsoft BackOffice application uses computing resources may guide your decision-making process. For example, the questions of selecting appropriate equipment for a particular server-based task, sizing the server, and performance tuning are challenging issues. The guidelines contained in this section can help you make the best decisions. Finally, validating your decisions with tools like the Windows NT Performance Monitor, and then making adjustments as needed, is an important step in completing the process.
An exception to this guideline is Windows NT servers that act as domain controllers. These computers are responsible for validating logon requests. They typically have heavy demands placed on their network adapters and processors, especially during the periods when many users log on to the network, like early morning at a typical company. An appropriate choice for a domain controller, that was not also used for file and print services, might be a dual processor system with a high-speed network adapter. Current network hub technology can allow a server to have its own high-speed LAN segment to improve network throughput as well.
The type of demands depend on the type of Web server you create. A traditional publishing server primarily will tax the disk subsystem and networking components. If you are implementing a server for electronic commerce, and interacting with SQL Server, your processing requirements will increase. RAM used for caching information also plays an important role on Web servers.
You could say that it is easy to size a SQL Server - make it big and don't skimp on anything. If you must economize, the disk subsystem is probably the single element that has the biggest impact on performance. It is the area you should invest in first.
Of all the advice provided in this book, the discussion on hardware configuration may be the most controversial. Microsoft's own guidelines for the amount of RAM required for servers is frequently dismissed as too little. Certainly different hardware vendors have different opinions, and they may even produce charts and graphs proving they are right. The information presented in this section will help you determine the specific hardware components that are best for you. Hardware comes in many shapes and sizes, and it changes constantly. Microsoft includes a Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) in the Windows NT Server (and Workstation) box and provides regular updates to that list on CompuServe, the Microsoft Network on-line service (MSN), and the Microsoft Web server (www.microsoft.com). This is a good starting point when selecting server hardware. If a computer you are considering doesn't appear on this list, proceed with caution. It need not be completely ruled out, but you should at least ask the hardware vendor for assurances that it is indeed compatible with Windows NT Server. Literally thousands of computers will run Windows NT Server. After you have found a computer that supports Windows NT Server, you must decide what components and peripherals should be included. Microsoft includes a help file with BackOffice that provides detailed guidelines to assist in determining acceptable minimums for each product, given a user population of a certain size. The preceding discussion about resource utilization by Microsoft BackOffice products will help you intelligently configure a computer that goes well beyond a minimum configuration. After reviewing these materials, and your own requirements, you should be able to make sound judgments about hardware configurations. The only thing that prevents someone from producing a definitive chart showing exactly what is required is the subjective nature of performance. How fast is fast enough? This is the intangible that you must factor into your decision-making process that depends on the nature of your user community and the type of applications you will provide. Supporting traders on Wall Street is different from using Microsoft BackOffice to run a bait shop for fishermen. Both are important, but they imply a different level of service.
RISC processors, according to their vendors, provide greater price performance than those from Intel. These claims are difficult to substantiate, although there is evidence that for some types of processing you may be able to achieve superior performance using these devices. Windows NT Server supports three RISC processor types - MIPS, Alpha AXP, and PowerPC. Unfortunately, not all Microsoft BackOffice products are available for all processor types. If you want to use RISC processors, check with Microsoft or your software vendor to be certain that all BackOffice components you want to use are available for that processor.
The design of Windows NT Server is such that the operating system does not require extensive tuning, nor do applications need to be rewritten, to take advantage of multiple processors. You can usually just rerun the Setup program to add multiprocessor support, while maintaining all your other settings. Server-based, 32-bit applications written for Windows NT Server (including all Microsoft BackOffice components) generally employ multiple threads of execution. Windows NT automatically utilizes multiple processors to run these multithreaded applications. The Windows NT Server operating system is itself multithreaded and will benefit from the addition of multiple processors. If you want to start with a single processor server, you should at least explore the capability to add processors to the machine later. A computer that supports adding processors typically costs more initially. However, by offering you the capability to "snap in" additional power without having to build a new server, this option can save time and money in the long run.
Because Windows NT supports virtual memory, you will not generally run out of memory if you exceed the available amount. The operating system will use a paging file to move some of the contents of memory temporarily to disk and then swap it back in when needed. You want to avoid a situation where your server is swapping frequently. Monitoring the use of memory on a server using Performance Monitor (running on another Windows NT machine) is an excellent way to determine whether additional memory is needed on a particular server.
To minimize down time (when a server is unavailable) a number of hardware vendors offer hot swappable disk drives. This type of equipment allows you to remove and replace a disk drive while the computer is running. By itself, this technology does not provide any redundancy or backup capability. It simply reduces the amount of time the server is shut down and unavailable and can complement other technologies used for data management.
The use of shared laser printers was one of the initial advantages of networking, and it continues to be a widely used feature. It has become common to attach printers directly to the LAN cabling system rather than to a server. Print jobs are still typically sent to a print queue on a server, and then de-spooled to the network-attached printer. Many options are available for printers including support for color printing, duplexing (printing on both sides of the paper), and different sizes and types of paper. Making backups of your important information is a critical part of managing your computing resources. Tape backup units are the most practical means of backing up large amounts of information. Some promising new technologies offer large amounts of storage with long shelf life, but tape drives still offer the best balance of features, performance, and cost. If you plan to back up systems over the network, you should recognize the enormous impact this can have on bandwidth utilization and make every effort to accomplish this task during off-peak time periods. Finally, always provide an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for your servers. You can use a large UPS for multiple servers or provide each server with its own smaller unit. Windows NT Server supports the use of a UPS and even automatically warns users and shuts down the server when the backup power is about to be depleted. Of course, unless the user's computers are also provided with backup power supplies, they will have already failed. The primary benefit of a UPS for a server is to avoid power loss in the midst of disk write activity or other important tasks. By permitting an orderly shutdown of the server, all files will be closed and the integrity of data can be ensured. In addition, a good UPS prevents the server from rebooting during a brief power surge or outage. Sub-second power outages are annoying at home because you must reset all your digital clocks, microwaves, VCRs, and so on. They can cause your data to be lost; or even worse, may physically damage an active server.
Confining the server computers to a single location has other advantages, as well. At times when administrators require physical access to the servers, they will find them all conveniently located together. This also allows administrators to more conveniently control the server operating environment by adding features such as uninterruptible power supplies to all server computers at once. In organizations where distributed servers are required, it remains necessary to follow similar guidelines for server management. Server computers located in remote locations outside the main server facility should be placed in physical isolation as well.
A complete discussion of appropriate security measures for an organization using computer-based systems is beyond the scope of this book. However, the rudiments of such a policy are outlined in the following list to provide a basic policy upon which further development can be added. Here are some basic, concrete steps that can be taken to improve the security in your organization:
After you have established a security policy, review it carefully with key members of the organization before presenting it to the entire organization. A good security policy will be at least a little inconvenient for computer users. For most organizations, however, the threat of being victimized by industrial espionage, malicious hacking, or innocent yet destructive foolishness is real.
A brief description of each follows.
Imagine for a moment that your most important computer systems have crashed, or your entire premises have been destroyed in a fire. Where are your backups? How long will it take to get replacement equipment up and running and reload your backups. Do you have a written plan in place that everyone is aware of and can follow easily? What would you tell the top person in your organization if you were paid a visit immediately following such a disaster? Make a plan, write it down, stage a drill if possible, and be prepared!
The job of administering Microsoft SMS should be performed by trained system management experts with a background in computer systems and plenty of experience in network management. Assigning Microsoft SMS administration responsibilities to anyone else will, at a minimum, create the potential for problems and possibly even lead to a system disaster.
Because Microsoft SMS provides so much support in the implementation of the Microsoft BackOffice products, incorporating it into the network has an impact on all the other server product installations. Done correctly, Microsoft SMS will simplify implementation and administration of the other products. This is good news after you have borne the startup cost associated with a first-time installation of Microsoft SMS. For the most part, Microsoft SMS is a fairly complicated product to install and learn. However, it is possible to implement a limited Microsoft SMS installation that is administered by someone other than a trained professional. Beginners should have no problem implementing the inventory features of Microsoft SMS assuming that they possess adequate networking and general PC skills. At this level, Microsoft SMS still provides value to the organization. Finally, Microsoft SMS yields significant savings with regard to user support. System administrators can use Microsoft SMS to support users on the network by remotely observing, or controlling, the user's PC. This is a powerful feature of Microsoft SMS, which offers significant benefits to the organization.
Where and how can Microsoft BackOffice be purchased? Regardless of the size of your organization, you can only purchase Microsoft BackOffice from a Microsoft software reseller. Even large organizations that have corporate agreements in place with Microsoft must purchase Microsoft BackOffice from retail software outlets. Typically, however, you will not find Microsoft BackOffice on the shelves of your local software retail store. This product is targeted at a smaller market than the general public or the population of office PC users. Therefore, retailers are not willing to provide much shelf space for the package. You must ask for Microsoft BackOffice and, in some cases, it will need to be ordered. Microsoft BackOffice server products are licensed independently from the client software components that utilize the server services. This licensing model provides the flexibility to accommodate various uses and configurations in an Information Network. There are two simple guidelines to remember when licensing Microsoft BackOffice:
As shown in figure 3.6, Server Licenses are purchased for Microsoft BackOffice server applications and Client Access Licenses are purchased for the client PCs. Fig. 3.6 - Server applications are licensed separately from client PCs. Microsoft BackOffice networks may contain multiple servers of the same type, multiple servers of different types, or both. A network with varying numbers of the same type of Microsoft BackOffice server applications may be built by licensing Microsoft BackOffice as a whole, by licensing individual server application licenses, or both. In some cases it is advantageous to purchase the entire Microsoft BackOffice package even though all the products will not be installed. Such is the case when using Microsoft SMS and Microsoft SQL Server. The combined license for both of these products is currently more expensive than the single license for Microsoft BackOffice. In addition to providing some financial advantage by licensing all the products together for less than the combined individual licenses, Microsoft sometimes offers promotional packages. Some special packages combine Server Licenses with a fixed number of Client Access Licenses. These types of promotions are offered for your convenience. Other offers include special pricing for upgrading from previous versions of Microsoft BackOffice or individual Microsoft BackOffice products. Finally, Microsoft occasionally offers special pricing to those organizations upgrading from a competitive product. Before jumping into a discussion of the type of licenses to purchase, it will help you to know that Windows NT Server contains a small application to assist in implementing the decisions you make regarding client licenses. The application, shown in figure 3.7, is available on the Control Panel. Fig. 3.7 - Use the License Management Control Panel applet to select which BackOffice product to license.
Microsoft SMS requires special server licensing. It requires a Server License for Microsoft SQL Server, as well its own Server License. Also, it is common for Microsoft SMS installations to run SMS on more than one server. Sometimes the primary Microsoft SMS site server works with other site servers and so-called "helper" servers. In this case, each server running Microsoft SMS applications requires its own Server License.
Server computers run software from Microsoft or other software vendors, such as the products included in Microsoft BackOffice. Additionally, client PCs require software that enables them to communicate with server applications. By installing the client software component on a client PC, the user can access the services of that particular application server on the Information Network. Each Microsoft BackOffice product has a client software component. In most cases, the client software component (but not the client license) is bundled with the server software. One exception to this is the Windows NT Server client software, which is built in to Microsoft desktop operating systems such as Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, and Windows NT Workstation. This makes it easier for you to build an Information Network. Windows for Workgroups and Microsoft networking software for MS-DOS is included on the Windows NT Server CD, but not Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation. Regardless of how you obtained the client software, you must purchase a license to use it on every PC that will access a server. The license you need for the client software component is known as the Client Access License. This license must be purchased regardless of whether the client PC will be permanently connected to the server.
There are two ways to purchase Client Access Licenses. You may acquire Client Access Licenses per server or per seat. Purchasing the per server license implies that the client privileges are granted from the server's perspective. Purchasing the per seat license implies that the client privileges are granted from the clients' perspective. Regardless of whether Client Access Licenses are purchased per server or per client, you must always purchase a Server License. Again, the Windows NT license management application will assist you in implementing the Client Access License type, as shown in figure 3.8. Fig. 3.8 - Use the License Management Control Panel applet to also select the Client Access License mode for the BackOffice product selected.
Licensing client software in Per Server mode is equivalent to selling concurrent use licenses. In this scenario, Client Access Licenses are purchased for the server, as opposed to being purchased for client PCs. By purchasing Client Access Licenses for the server, you restrict the number of concurrent users of that particular server application. Again, this applies to every server on the network, regardless of whether the same server product is running on multiple computers.
In per server licensing, you must purchase as many Client Access Licenses as you expect to have concurrent users of that particular server.
As you see in the licensing examples below, Per Server Client Access Licenses are the best way to start as your organization undergoes a gradual implementation of a complete Information Network. In the early stages of the network, it is common for server usage to be less frequent as applications are being tested and implemented throughout the organization. As users become more dependent on the applications built upon the Information Network, their access to servers approaches constant use. When this occurs, it makes more sense to convert to the Per Seat mode of licensing clients.
Although licensing clients per seat is not necessarily the most economical in the early stages of building your Information Network, it is the simplest means for licensing clients. This model makes sense when most client PCs require constant access to a server. Also, it is required for Microsoft SMS and the full Microsoft BackOffice Client Access License option.
In this model, you license client access from the client's perspective. Given a client PC, determine to how many different types of servers the client requires access. A Client Access License is then purchased for each type of server to which the client desires access. A Client Access License is purchased for every server application it will access, but it is only purchased once for each type of server, not for each server. For example, a client with a Per Seat SQL Server Client Access License can simultaneously use one, ten, or fifty SQL Servers in the organization.
Many organizations start with Per Server Client Access Licenses because client access to servers is infrequent and not simultaneous. At some point, it is prudent to convert from Per Server client licensing to Per Seat client licensing. This occurs when the number of concurrent use (per server) Client Access Licenses equals or exceeds the number of client PCs on the network.
Microsoft recognizes that this situation occurs as organizations build their Information Networks. Therefore, they provide an opportunity to convert from Per Server client license to Per Seat client licensing. However, you may only convert once. At the time of the conversion you need not purchase any additional client software or change any client software configurations. In fact, you do not even need to notify Microsoft. You need only to convert the server itself. Henceforth, all Client Access Licenses will be purchased in Per Seat mode.
For example, if you start with one server and ten Per Server Client Access Licenses, when you implement a second server of the same type, you can either license it in the same manner as the first or convert the first server to per seat licensing and configure the second server the same. This will allow your ten Client Access Licenses to access either server. Of course, the second server will carry its own Server License.
Seeing an example can help you understand how a simple Windows NT network should be licensed. This scenario serves as a basis for understanding more complex networks even though it does not make sense to purchase the entire Microsoft BackOffice package in this case. The network shown in figure 3.9 has one Windows NT Server and three client PCs. Windows NT Server provides basic network operating system services. The server allows the client PCs to share files, printers, and other resources. Fig. 3.9 - A simple Windows NT network has only one Windows NT Server and a few client PCs.
Client PCs may be using different operating systems. If they are using Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, or Windows NT Workstation, the client software is included in the operating system. Nevertheless, a Client Access License should be purchased for each client PC. The following licenses should be purchased in this example:
In this example, it makes sense to license the client PCs per seat because they will be connected to the network at all times during network operation. As such, they will be able to share files and network printers.
Figure 3.10 shows the same network as figure 3.9 with the addition of another server computer running Microsoft SQL Server. Fig. 3.10 - A more sophisticated Windows NT Network also contains Microsoft SQL Server. This server computer running Microsoft SQL Server also requires Windows NT Server. However, the client PCs need only purchase Client Access Licenses to the Microsoft SQL Server on this computer. Additionally, if a Windows NT Server is running a server application on another network operating system, such as Novell NetWare, there is no need to purchase Client Access Licenses for the Windows NT Server. Client access licenses for Windows NT Server need only be purchased if the Windows NT Server provides any of the following services:
Server computers that only run other server applications need not have Windows NT Server Client Access Licenses. Because these services are provided by the other Windows NT Server computer, the Microsoft SQL Server computer only requires Client Access Licenses for Microsoft SQL Server. The following licenses should be purchased in this example:
Because each client PC requires network services at all times, the Windows NT Server Client Access Licenses should be purchased on a Per Seat basis. However, the Microsoft SQL Server Client Access Licenses may be purchased on a Per Server basis if you do not expect all three PCs to be accessing the Microsoft SQL Server at the same time. As soon as each client PC requires a constant connection to the Microsoft SQL Server, it is time to convert the Microsoft SQL Server Client Access Licenses to the Per Seat licensing model. Windows NT Server also provides access to the network for remote PCs. This is available through the built-in Remote Access Server (RAS). RAS is a service that controls remote access to the network via modems. Adding remote PCs to a network highlights the flexibility of the Microsoft BackOffice licensing model.
Figure 3.11 shows the same network as in figure 3.10, with the addition of five remote PCs. In this example, the remote PCs are allowed to dial in at any time on the available modems. However, because the RAS computer is equipped with only two modems, a maximum of two remote PCs can be connected at one time. Fig. 3.11 - Adding remote PCs, which require access to application servers on the Windows NT network, creates a more complex licensing scenario. The following licenses should be purchased in this example:
This example highlights Per Server Client Access Licenses due to the remote PCs. Because the remote PCs have a limited connection path to the other servers, it is prudent to purchase Client Access Licenses from the servers' perspectives. These examples serve to illustrate the flexibility of the Microsoft BackOffice licensing model. Clearly, your networks may be considerably more complex. In such cases, the licensing examples given in this chapter can be extended based on the principles described and demonstrated for each scenario.
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