[aclug-L] Re: several questions...

[Jonathan Hall <jonhall@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>     Hopefully sometime in the near future, the company I am working for is
> looking at setting up internet access as well as email for the employees.
> The boss is not wanting to put much money into this project.  The boss is
> terribly scared and not well versed on technology.  The end users are going
> to end up being beginner to average computer users with most skills on the
> microsoft side.
> 
> The questions:
> 
> #1  In setting up a server to allow access to the internet.  Will there be
> major security issues putting the tasks of firewall, proxy (web cache), and
> email server all on the same box?  or do I need to consider a separate box
> for the email server?

This can be doable.  You'll have an increase in security if your firewall is
a separate box from everything else, though.  But that should be cheap, as
even just a 386 can make an adaquate firewall.


> #2  Being that the funds for this project are next to nothing, I have run
> across two $399 systems from Insight.  Both have the celeron processors.
> One is an "E machine" and the other is a HP Brio.  The Brio has a somewhat
> slower processor but more RAM 64 Meg).  It's hard drive is 4 gig iirc.  The
> "E machine" has 32 Meg of RAM and an 8 gig hard drive.  Are either of these
> machines suitable for the task?

Avoid e-Machines at all cost.  Let me say that again.  Avoid e-Machines at
*ALL COST*.  e-Machines are the lowest of the low.  Worse than Compaq
Presario, worse than Packard Bell, worse than most Commodore 64's and Apple
II's.

Of those two options, the HP Brio is by far the winner.

But... it's probably overkill, too.

A 486 or low-end Pentium will probably do the task for you--depending on how
many users you have.

> #3  Is anyone in the group "old hat" at setting something like this up?
> That would be willing to give pointers or at least point me in the correct
> directions?

Probably.

Give us some more details about what you're actually needing to do.

Will this server be for internal use only?  Will employees be able to access
it from home over the Internet or via dialup?  How many users will you have? 
What type of Internet connection do you have or will you have?


--
Tech Support: "Ok, in the lower left-hand corner of File Manager, what does
it have for 'Free'?"
Customer: "10,578 kegabytes."
--
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  Jonathan Hall  *  jonhall@xxxxxxxxxxxx  *  PGP public key available
 Systems Admin, Future Internet Services; Goessel, KS * (316) 367-2487
         http://www.futureks.net  *  PGP Key ID: FE 00 FD 51
                  -=  Running Debian GNU/Linux  =-
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