Client Profile:  Campground & RV Park

Initially this client's small Windows NT (Small Business Server) network had several problems that needed immediate attention:  recurring network errors, non-working Internet access, various printer errors, and unreliable tape backups.  They were also dissatisfied with the speed of their reservation system (ROS 2000 by Digital Rez) and wanted to update it to add needed features.

The consultant from Vista, Steve Moore, began by familiarizing himself with the existing systems and documenting their configuration.  He then proceeded to work on relatively simple problems first, while continuing to observe and document other larger problems.  Printer reliability was improved by correcting and updating printer drivers and their configuration.  A tape drive was tested and sent off for hardware repair under warrantee.  Twice-daily SQL server backups to disk were set up for the reservation software and the tape backup system was enhanced.

The slow and unreliable Internet connection, which used Microsoft's Proxy Server and a dial-up modem, was abandoned entirely.  Steve ran Ethernet cabling from the LAN to a building that already had cable modem Internet access and installed an inexpensive router to connect the entire LAN to the Internet through the cable modem.  The new Internet connection was simpler to configure and maintain, much more reliable, 40 to 50 times faster, and less expensive than the system it replaced.  At the same time the 8 computers on the LAN were switched from dynamic IP addressing (DHCP) to static addressing.  Since failed DHCP broadcasts were compounding the network errors, switching to static IP addressing had the effect of quickly and easily reducing some of the network errors.

By this time it became apparent that the recurring network errors on the LAN were being caused by a long coaxial cabling run that was near or beyond the maximum cable length specification and by hubs that were of questionable reliability (which were also limiting the LAN to 10 megabits per second of bandwidth shared by all workstations).  After preparing a budget and holding planning sessions with the client, Steve:  brought in a cabling specialist to replace the coaxial cable with fiber optic cable; installed and configured two high-quality, medium-capacity, 100 megabit per second Cisco switches at the ends of the fiber optic cable run; and replaced some of the existing twisted pair cabling.  Redundant fiber strands were used to provide a 200 megabit per second (full duplex) trunk between the switches.  The network reliability problems ended.  Reservation system performance was improved a little by the higher-speed cabling and switches; however, the new bottleneck had become the speed of the workstations and server themselves.

By the time the new cabling and switches were installed, planning had already begun for:  replacing the server and workstation computers; updating the server software to Windows 2000 and SQL Server 2000 (Small Business Server 2000); updating the workstations to Windows 2000 and newer versions of Microsoft Office and Norton Anti-virus; and updating the ROS 2000 reservation software.  After planning sessions with campground managers, Steve acquired the hardware and software, mostly through a local Hewlett-Packard vendor and Dell Computer Corporation, and began assembling the new network.

The old server and workstations were left completely intact and in service throughout the entire new system development process.  This approach not only allowed all of the new hardware and software to be carefully set up and tested before being put into service, but it also made the new systems available for training prior to their actual installation.  For both training and testing purposes, the reservation database was restored from the old server to the new server using a SQL backup and a test migration of that data to the updated software version was performed.  When training and testing were finished and it was time to delete the test data, place the new systems in service, and migrate the live data, the entire process disrupted service for only a couple of hours.

The new server was configured as an Active Directory domain controller, with DNS and DHCP services.  It was also configured with web services for use as a simple Intranet.  New printers were also acquired and configured as directly network-attached printers.

New wireless networking capability was also installed at the campground.  The system used two Cisco Aironet 802.11b access points to provide high speed Internet access to campers throughout much of the campground and to provide access to administrative systems for selected employees.  To separate administrative, guest, and Internet traffic, separate Virtual LANs (VLANs) and subnets were created and the old server was recycled for use as a firewall and NAT (Network Address Translation) router.

During the entire network update process and on a continuing basis, Steve also helped with Quicken, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office and other applications software.  He also developed and helped implement revised file management systems, including shared folders with appropriate file security for various categories of users.  Windows 2000 RAS (Remote Access Services) and Terminal Services were set up for ongoing remote system monitoring and administration by the consultant.