Quote:
Originally Posted by cody
Dean, MS suggests anything over 10 workstations justifies a Domain. It would be worth it so I could use Group Policy to lock down certain settings and for patching the systems. Once it was implemented, it would make Administration more effective. Plus, the longer I wait, the harder it will be, as we are always adding more workstations (but slowly).
I would never make a move as involved as this if I didn't whole heartedly believe it was the best thing for the business. But I'm not going to hide the fact that running a Windows Domain is also somthing I'd personally like to accomplish.
We don't have SQL Server or Exchange Server.
So while I truly apreciate your input, I resent your inference that I'm only thinking of myself.
Back on topic (in Off Topic): Where should I go to school? What certifications should I achieve?
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You brought up your own desires, not me. I was just asking for the more relevant ones, no offense intended.
I am not saying you haven't thought of these, just throwing them out. As an IT professional, you need to make sure you are considering as many angles as possible.
You have some solid technical objectives. Are there any business drivers? Security, Access control, audit, etc? Or are the security enhancements and system impacts of a domain a possible negative to business productivity and application performance? What business processes are affected with the implementation of a domain? Can the business bring in a temp or new employee while you are on vacation, etc?
Again, Domains, GPOs, etc. require more administration time, so keep that in mind. Sometimes, small shops without technical depth can get themselves into a support nightmare. Especially if only a single person knows how all the pieces fit together and know how to administer the environment.
MS workstation number recommendations not withstanding, you have to ensure that what you deploy has a long term supportability even in your absence and that management understands the incremental resources involved with supporting a domain.
MSCE is probably the direction you want to head.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb291022.aspx