Servers based or Peer to Peer ???

[E7mack96]

I am expanding the business and hired some help.



I need to use a pc every day (I currently use a dell laptop), and the hired help does too(she has been using my laptop, which is inconvenient to me and my productivity). We use Quickbooks premier which is on the laptop.



I am at a crossroads and don't know if I should go with a peer to peer network for sharing of the Quickbooks company file, which I am comfortable with as setting up goes, or to go to a server based solution. I am unfamiliar with servers in general, but understand the concept. I am guessing I would need a server and 2 or more workstations/desktops. Also we need to share the office laser printer



Are they easy to set up. and does anyone even know if quickbooks can be run on a server? Does the laser printer get hooked up to the server and print requests go through the server?



Much thanks to the really computer savvy people here on the TDR.



E7

 

[jkalchik]

Hokay..... let's see if we can answer this simply.



Looks like you're using Windows. Are you on Windows 2000, XP, NT, or one of the 9x series?



You're only talking about 2 stations. Windows does do peer-to-peer as well as server. With such a small set up, there's really no reason to go to a server here. If you're only going to be sharing the Quicken files and possible a few others, I doubt you'll even notice the extra load on a decent workstation.



One other thing that I'd advise you to consider is BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP! Think about what it would cost you if you completely lost the computer system that your files are on.

 

[E7mack96]

currently, the laptop runs xp home. The new desktop/workstations could be xp home, or pro.



As for the quickbooks file, on peer to peer, you have to buy multiple copies to make it work.



would you do the same on a server setup?



E7



Also, reason I was considering servers is future growth. Eventually, i would have 4-5 pcs running various software.

 

[ACoyle]

I would agree with the peer to peer idea. Please be sure to have a backup of the quick Books file. I would make sure that a backup is on each computer and then burn a CD of the backups weekly.



AC

 

[TPCDrafting]

I already run a similar setup. I have a tower case and a laptop plugged into a mini docking station. Both are setup for CAD, Word, Excel, etc. My plotter is hooked up to the tower and shared accross the network. My laserjet is plugged into my laptop and shared. Both connect through a router/firewall where my internet connection is plugged into, so both have direct internet access. Before I had wireless, I had a "switch" to network the two. You can also use a hub as well. Put Ethernet 10/100 cards in each computer plug them into an expandable hub/switch/router so you can add more computers down the line. Having the network can save you down the line on periferals as in only one computer needs a CD burner, only need one printer, etc.

As far as Quickbooks goes, you should be able to install it on both computers and have the master file on one. It should only allow one user at a time to open it. We use EasyAcct for our accounting and it works this way for us.

Good luck with your expansion.

 

[E7mack96]

TPCDrafting,



All is good with the exception that we need simultanious access to the quickbooks file, which it supports - if you buy 2 or more separate copies.



We already have 4 pcs networked through a linksys 10/100 network hub to share internet dsl service.



Would this very same setup allow access to the laser printer and the quickbooks file.



The other 4 pcs are all older 400-700 mhz machines that just run cancer research. I could add another, or more port size, hub and add on the new pcs. These 4 PCs are too slow for our software.

 

[TPCDrafting]

The computer that has the printer plugged into it can share the printer accross the network. Make sure it is set up to share files and printers, then share the printer. The comp. just needs to be turned on to share.

 

[jkalchik]

All is good with the exception that we need simultanious access to the quickbooks file, which it supports - if you buy 2 or more separate copies.

I'd say that by definition you need to buy multiple copies. And that'll be far cheaper than another system.

 

[E7mack96]

I still need to buy 2 systems. i tried to network 2 pcs today ( 1 xp, and 1 me) It did not work. It seems that the networking wizard wants 1 pc to handle internet traffic and farm it out to the others. Our setup is each has its own connection.