A File Server is needed: Is Tiger Server needed?
At work it is becoming more and more needed that we have a central location for files that everyone collaborates on. We have more PC's than Mac's, me being the only guy all Mac (not counting Parallels) and everyone else PC. 
Three things are for sure:
1. No one wants to go through the internet through a server. They like being connected via the switch to router thing. (We are still a small company here so please deal with that).
2. When the machine boots up, we want to see the drive in my finder or in their "My Computer".
3. Permissions for file access is a must. Lower level people don't need upper level info.
What is a man to do at this point? We are waiting on the MBP's to go Core 2 so we can add another employee with a Mac and within the next 6 months we will have 2 more Mac's running. We want to collaborate on Excel files and other stuff but don't want a lot of hassles.
Any suggestions?????
Three things are for sure:
1. No one wants to go through the internet through a server. They like being connected via the switch to router thing. (We are still a small company here so please deal with that).
2. When the machine boots up, we want to see the drive in my finder or in their "My Computer".
3. Permissions for file access is a must. Lower level people don't need upper level info.
What is a man to do at this point? We are waiting on the MBP's to go Core 2 so we can add another employee with a Mac and within the next 6 months we will have 2 more Mac's running. We want to collaborate on Excel files and other stuff but don't want a lot of hassles.
Any suggestions?????
Comments
At work it is becoming more and more needed that we have a central location for files that everyone collaborates on. We have more PC's than Mac's, me being the only guy all Mac (not counting Parallels) and everyone else PC.
Three things are for sure:
1. No one wants to go through the internet through a server. They like being connected via the switch to router thing. (We are still a small company here so please deal with that).
2. When the machine boots up, we want to see the drive in my finder or in their "My Computer".
3. Permissions for file access is a must. Lower level people don't need upper level info.
What is a man to do at this point? We are waiting on the MBP's to go Core 2 so we can add another employee with a Mac and within the next 6 months we will have 2 more Mac's running. We want to collaborate on Excel files and other stuff but don't want a lot of hassles.
Any suggestions?????
Tiger server isn't technically needed, but I would certainly look at purchasing it for what you are about to undertake. I actually think Tiger Server would be a really good choice for your small company. Since you are small the pricing of Tiger Server will beat out Windows Server 2003. Got to love unlimited licenses for only $999! You will have to pay a licensing fee with Windows server (probably per seat) that will most likely run you more than Tiger will cost.
Something to be aware of is a file server normally goes with a directory setup of some sort. Setting up a directory can be quite the task if you have not attempted one before. I will say that I think you stand a far better chance of getting Apple's Open Directory and Workgroup Server up and running as opposed to Microsoft's Active Directory.