Sysops advice asked

We are going to setup a Linux/Samba server for our Solidworks and other
engineering apps, all being run locally on Windows workstations.
Spec as follows:

Asus P4P800 Motherboard
P4 2.4C ghz HT CPU
3 com gigabit Ethernet card
Ati Rage IIC agp video card
1.44 floppy
365 watt Enermax power supply
LG 4040 DVD burner
2 extra case fans
19 inch tower case
Promise external SX 4000 scsi-ata Raid tower
4 x Maxtor 200 gig 8 meg cache-7200 RPM hard drives
Sony 200/520GB AIT-2 Autoloader 1 DR/4Slot HD68 W/retrospect SW Tape backup.

Currently 8 workstations on the network, we are forward planning for up to
30.

We will use 3 of the raid disks for file serving and the fourth to do
incremental backups, this will also in turn be backed up every day to tape,
this is to allow a quick restore of files from the hard disk rather than
tape as most files lost/erased are done in the last day or so. A full system
backup to tape will also be done every week.The incremental backups will be
back to the date of the full weekly backup, not just to the previous day.
Projects will be backed up to DVD when finished and deleted from the server,
thus relieving the full tape backups.
The Raid tower is seperate to the server in case the server goes tits up, we
can then quite quickly jury rig one of the workstations onto the Raid and be
back up again on the network.
It is our intention to use our old server to run the 'to be sourced yet'
Windows based PDM system using the Linux/Samba server as its vault.

Ok, any pitfalls to this sytem or any suggestions for improvement, this will
be quite an expensive setup for us so we dont want any SNAFU's.
BTW we will be using a local reputable company, Linux Magic, to install,
setup and remotely support the system.

Many thanks

 

Just an FYI we are running a Linux Samba server with win xp work station and
we have a hard time to keep the netwok conection. It will come and go, it a
real pain in the ass! but it could just be our system and some thing not set
up right.

 

Do you mean that you suddenly can't browse the SAMBA server? If so, you
may have master borwser problems. On a Windows network, every so often
there is an 'election' to see who is going to be the master browser.
The rules of the election are almost too complex for the human mind.
With the proper settings on the SAMBA server, I believe you can ensure t
hat the Linux box always 'wins' the election. This may solve your problem.

Jim S.