Reorganizing

[mreeves]

Hello everybody,
I know I keep making a bunch of topics asking different questions but I just really don't know what the best method of things to do.  Let me sorta explain what set up we got going right now:

We have about 60 computers that are all connected to 2 servers.  One server is on one side of the building, and the other is on the other side.  They both do back each other up, and then we also back up using tape drives.  

Those 2 Servers.. our main one has:        Win Server 2003 for SMB Server, SP 1.0 and the other has:        Win Server 2003 Std Ed, SP 1.0

Each individual computer is set up right now to access the network, but each computer is different.  We set up a computer based on what we did with the last one.  We grab an Office CD from our pile, a WindowsXP CD from our pile, go onto the network open up a couple of different folders to install a couple of different programs that we hope we remember all of and then go into the network settings and half-assed set it up the way we do all other computers.

In reality we have 60 individual computers that are all probably unique.  I first need to know what I could do to get them all on the same page... Mainly-- Get MS Office onto the network and having all the computers run from that folder and then getting some kind of license manager.  Secondly: getting the network admin rights and such exact on each computer, allowing for exceptions.  (like we don't want certain computers to have the Internet).  

Secondly I need to know how to get a "image" of the standard system we want so that we can put it on future computers.  We are currently in the process of upgrading a lot of our computers and something tells me that we're going to have to replace over half of those...


Finally: Is there anything that a business with 2 servers and about 60 computers could do to make their life more efficient?  I am the only IT guy here and this is my first actual business assignment, so I'm really unfamiliar with stuff that could make things better for a business without ruining day-to-day activity.  

Thanks alot for the help!
--Mike

[almn]

What is the server's role ?
Do you have a network setup ?

Thanks

Al968

[mreeves]

Yes we have a network set up

The server's role is:
Email (MS Exchange)
Back up
Network Misc. Files (Users have some files on there as well as their personal PC... we'd prefer if they only put things on the network)
Website
Software Install Files (Sort of used for this purpose but not enough IMHO

That's pretty much it...  Anything else you think we COULD use it for?
--Mike

[Rob Pomeroy]

If you're willing to install your PCs from scratch, you might like to google for "unattended Windows installation".  There are quite a few tools that would allow you to create a custom installation of Windows (applications included) and roll it out to several PCs.  The limiting factor is how different those PCs are - can they all handle XP, for example?

It would be a good idea to divide your servers into different roles; use one as a file/print server; the other as web/SQL/Exchange.  I would run Exchange on the primary domain controller.  By "SMB server", do you mean SBS?

I'm just studying up for my first MCP (yes, I know) and my text book has a lot on custom XP installations, so ask away...