Give the finance company credit? They are rich because they are dirt cheap and compensate their profit centers well. They find the the best bang for the buck and punish those who under deliver. I know it sucks for you as these guys demand metrics and have 1 guy support 1,000 users (I know I interviewed for Citigroup and turned them down after learning about that) but that is how they get rich.
It sucks on your end but on the other end you always get great service by demanding more for less.
The whole point of Sarbanes-Oxley is people had no clue Enron was doing weird shit. You can hate it all you want. but its goal is to encourage transparency to protect its investors. I see nothing wrong with that
In which case you vote for someone who favors caping interest rates on credit cards, expanding student loans, lowering interest on your existing ones, and having your employer pay for it.
You can be conservative and be mad at me, but in such a situation Obama is clearly more aliagned for your interests as you live by the credit card if you are short from an unexpected expense, owe student loans yet get paid minimum wage, and desperately need to go back to school to get out of your hellish situation.
Romney of course no matter what you do if you are a C level executive! Your goal is to keep your money and not care about anything else as a tax cut for you is a new car. Not several six packs of beer.
If you have money Romney is your man. A 15% tax cut if you make $200,000 a year could net you $30,000! I am surprised it is this low actually as the very rich support Romney by a very large margin.
Having low regulations to rip off citizens and guarantee corruption too is a plus for your business.
No one sees the danger to this. PCMag does see an anology to webkit and IE 6. W3C is coming out with an HTML 5 spec that is not the same as WHatG. I agree with the W3C approach of splitting up HTML 5 into 5 and 5.1 and same with CSS 3 and 3.1 but still it is a problem. WIth pressure from sites like www.html5test.com that test cutting edge features you have browsers using proprietary implementations and then bashing the others for being behind the times even though half that shit is not even in the W3C spec!
I can imagine with mobile units taken over that webkit will be the next trident as websites in 10 years will be targeted just for that and than have scripts for legacy w3c like in the dark days. Worse the APIs will be IOS or Android only.
So we would have 3 incompatible standards. W3C, WhatG, and now this?
Chrome is making the same mistakes as IE 6. If WhatG standardizes in HTML 5 the web-kit way, and W3C announces HTML 5 and HTML 5.1 which have different arguments for the CSS then what?... of course being slashdot they will blame IE for being incompatible and same with Firefox.
Maybe I am one of those financially irresponsible yuppies for daring to want a newer system, but I would shoot myself if I had such a low grade system!
Even an El-Cheapo brand AMD integrated unit for $399 would fly with Windows 7 on it.... at least much better than using tiny 7. But if he has an ancient app what are you going to do? The XP was a temporary fix as XP loyalists and driving me crazy. I just read on arstechnica that SHA-1 is expected to be cracked by 2016! That means IE 6 and IE 7 are at risk with SSL being useless with collisions and the master certificate being discovered. Same with RSA 1024.
XP users are why I can't use cutting edge HTML 5 stuff for a project. Sure some use FF or Chrome but you just know someone out there using it will click the blue E. IMost of them use IE 7 or 8 in one form or another as only old people, neophytes, and corporate bean counters use it. It frankly is dangerous to run such ancient software after EOL and you know MS wont patch SHA-1 certificates for IE 6 and XP. Instead web developers will have to use ActiveX controls to replace SSL like they do in China and Korea where IE still holds 90% of the market as a result. Not put a banner saying IE 9 or later sigh.
Anyway one good thing about XP is that I can run it in VMWare to test clients out because it is so light on resources.
If he has Windows 2k my guess is the computer is from the 20th century. Also XP will run on his hardware guaranteed. There are many early class a and b wifi dongles and cards that wont work outside of Win 2k/XP. Same with printers and scanners as XP is very close to Win2k. Infact, I consider Vista a whole new kernel rather than an extension of the NT line. It was almost a rewrite.
He needs a new computer but XP is a bandaid solution if you have an ancient app and do not have to time to do a major overhaul or upgrade while you move to Windows 7. At least use XP while you migrate away in the next year.
Compatibility is a major problem. FF is updating its add on api so it wont break similar to Chromes. I have been fighting to update from Java 1.4.2 at a site I worked at as these users get infected over and over and over again. If I had admin rights I would disable java except in the intranet zone and the cost accountants only see cost savings from not upgrading. Not lost productivity of running outdated POS software. But I was a contractor so it was not my problem.
Yes we need to stop focusing on compatibility. I was just reading on www.arstechnica.com that SHA-1 will be cracked by 2016! This means TLS signed certificated required for IE 6 and I think IE 7 will all be compromised! These users stick with it because of the attitude if it aint broke don't fix it and it is a cost center so why upgrade bla bla bla. The economic costs are huge running outdated software and yes upgrading software is a requirement unless you are in a clean room environment like a bank with no internet access. You should not receive any messages on your media server. However if any family memeber goes on the net with it for couch surfing or you got to www.hulu.com then it is prudent to keep it upgrading. I worked in a computer shop so I have seen first hand what malware can do if people run ancient software and click ignore with updates.
The media server could get compromised with a virus that will spread all over your home network once inside and cause more headaches. If you really hate this do what I did and quit Firefox and use IE 9 and Chrome?
Shit last spring my anti virus software went off on slashdot. Turns out one of THnkGeeks advertising servers got compromised! If you had flash running without flashblock or a good anti virus package you got 0wned!
Tell me how much safer the internet is today?! It is more dangerous than ever. Exploits keep appearing at a faster rate and they no longer target IE 6. They target java, flash, pdf, and many are crossplatform too.
For the record 10 years ago I did not even run anti virus software and figured as long as I am running Mozilla and not clicking on.asf media files I am safe. Today if I had that attitude I would be hacked quickly as I occasionally do use the dark side of the internet.
You may hate explorer in Windows 7 but it is much and I mean much more secure than in XP.
These are probably the same managers who say you are a cost center and provide no value and are all gung hu on metrics. Shouldn't they provide a value and metrics? You know.... do your job and manage them so they do not have to stay late?
Every good manager I had noticed when I am late and got concerned. The thinking is if I am working late I am in trouble and there is a problem I am not telling him or her.
The manager needs to set metrics to make sure people meet them. If they meet them then do not care. However if Sally is behind the same metrics but talks an hour on hte phone with her boyfriend and browses the internet a lot and stays late frequently, then the manager needs to address it. Meet the results and you could blow him in the office for all I care. However, if you can't get your work done I do not care about your hours. Out you go! It also means making sure your employees are not doing dumb shit like chatting about what they are going to do 3 hours a day to other managers or working on silly todo lists. That is your job as the manager to talk to them and take the hits and punches.
Basically you can't be a respectable manager and put metrics on your staff if you are not willing to do it to yourself and make sure things are delivered.
So get rid of the open office plan... now you have to answer 150 emails everyday instead of working.
I am in favor of the open office plan because I see more employees wasting time emailing than working. Grow a pair and put a DND sign taped to the top of your monitor.
Stop your whining. In a connected world things are never teh same as ysterday. Websites get updated, malware writters figure out new exploits, bug fixes come available. There is a common misbelief that a computer is like a car or refrigerator. Just never upgrade because if it aint broke do not fix it right?
It is not. Adobe updater will automatically install new updates silently if you installed it in the past 6 months. Chrome automatically updates itself and its flash version too if a hole is discovered. Even Windows Update will patch flash vulnerabilities.
Yes Mozilla needs to do this. After you update it will take care of itself and update automatically. Flash and PDF are dangerous and like Windows need constant updating on a biweekly basis. THis is just life in 2012
Only people in strict locked down environments do not connect to the internet. Besides Windows 2000 was atrocious in terms of security! It was one of the most insecure operating systems ever released. Even XP has some better protection
IE was the best browser in that time frame. I hated Netscape and IE led with AJAX, dynamic html, and CSS. Even IE 6 was not that bad 10 years ago before it started to turn to shit. IE for the Mac was better than IE for Windows too and was much mroe standards compliant at the time
I use Foxit and Google Docs. No security issues.... I also highly doubt any payroll processing service would require 10 year old insecure versions of pdf. I would tell him to call them and say WTF do you support later releases? My guess is they do... on XP and later.
My advice. I help manage a PC shop on the side as well as do IT consulting. Let me tell something. All the money from the shop comes from infected machines. Many are Windows 2000 machines and lots are XP. Many are up to date IE/Windows wise. They get infected through PDF and outdated flash! Some java ones too. Recently business slowed down. Why? Windows Update now updates flash automatically and Adobe Updater nags you if you outdated versions of their software or will auto update. Here is another fact sheet?. Why doesn't Adobe make releases for Windows 2000 anymore? Because they are all sandoxed with ASLR, and DEP. Hmm which OS does not support these? YOURS. XP offers at least some limited DEP protection and ASLR is reserved for Windows 7.
Another tidbit. I am reformatting my system now with a Windows 7 SP1 installation. For the record Windows 7 SP1 came out in March 2011. Take a wild guess how many security holes it is fixing right now? 20, 40, 60,... try 134 updated where half are security fixes!!... and this is for an OS with sandboxing, ASLR, DEP, and process seperation. I dread to think of the holes in Win2k in just years!
This is 2012 dude. THe internet is a very dangerous network.... back to my advice. Since you are a man who wont upgrade for the sake of it and values your money go update to XP which is very similar to your W2K brother and can run on the same hardware. Go to PirateBay and do a search for Windows XP Service pack 2 (not 3) professional and many are pre-activated. There is no sense buying a copy of XP which in a year... I hate to say will no longer be supported either. Do it today in a a day or two you will still have your ancient hardware working and also will get updates for Firefox and Chrome as well which no longer support your OS. Then save $40 a month and by CHristmas 2013 you can get yourself an awesome Windows 7 system that will run many circles around your current one.
XP is nothing to be afraid of and not a terrible change. Oh, FYI since you mentioned above you hate IE integrated I have to say recent versions of IE are fully sandboxed. Infact, if you open a Windows Explorer Window and type an url it wont even work. It will in Windows 2000 (or did in the years I used it unless MS finally patched it!@) unfortunately. IE is catching up to Opera and not a big deal. Your comments on phoning home are from the mindset of slashdotters 10 years ago. It is strange to see today. All it does is report things like crashes and it is all anonymous.
You need to plan... not on switching to XP in a year, but to the 2010s with Windows 7 or a Mac. Your internet enabled device is not like your fridge that will keep running the same. Standards change and so the crackers who will try to steal things.
Correction... I meant if they are not on all 07.I forgot the not part. 2007 is depreciating MAPI that 03 uses and the special connector is only available in powershell. If you are familiar with WIndows Server than yes, but if you are not a Win admin than this can be a frustrating process.
I did these on my laptop. I would never do this in a real production environment but use VMWare to double and triple check anything.
I find it hilarious you are recommending that an average Joe should use Exchange and then blast me for not reading white papers and best practices tool that is not even included on the CD but on Microsoft's website. Only IT professionals even know about it.
No powershell? You need to do it with the connectors if they are all on exchange 2007.
Your post confirmed it is not like what everyone here is preaching that it is easy and painless to do. Office you just click next and you are done but Exchange is not Office. I have severely corrupted and ruined AD at least twice, thankfully in a virtual network on my laptop. I wanted to try things out and it is a great thing that did not happen in a real production environment.
Still customers are not paying him to do these things. They are paying him to provide a product or service and these are time consuming steps that are potentially disastrous if you are not familiar with Windows Server.
Things get ugly when you have 5 exchange servers in different roles in differnet networks that need to interact with shared mailboxes for projects with different companies all on different ADs. Oh fun!
Last you need to have an ISP set things up and you need to open your routers and firewalls.... or just sign up with Google Docs? The later sounds much better.
That is overkill. This is for IT pros and not small business owners. Exchange will fuck up your schema too in AD so be careful. If you are a small business. Just use Google Docs or ISP with a managed Exchanged environment.
Infact you do not even need a domain! Just Windows 7 home. 10 users can easily connect to a SAN device or a shared folder using the home edition. SBS and AD are really for 20+ to hundreds of users. He is small and starting out not to mention the big ISP providers have Exchange relays which offer spam and virus protection. Even Google offers it free for your gmail account. That right htere is already out of range for SBS.
Have you installed SBS exchange? Let me tell you it is no cakewalk and easy as clicking next. You need to setup certificates, hire a cisco guy to configure your router, register a DNS server, with your installation of IIS. You need to make a manual entry in your DNS for your OWA client for your internal users on your domain controller.
Yes MS has IIS integrated everwhere and you need to make the certificate. Worse you need a relay if you want to setup spam and virus scanning. So now you need to create a virtual connector in powershell between the 2 users and of course lets hope you ran ForestPrep and Domain Prep and both raised your domain and forest properly or else your users will be stuck with legacy email boxes etc.
Inappropriate for a 1 user or even 5 user organization. Sharepoint takes a good few weeks to setup right and tens of thousands in consulting fees from what I am told as well. Just use an ISP for email and get it done with or Google docs. Even Unix geeks use managed providers for critical needs as this takes too much time and effort to maintain it.
MS has been know for easy point and click, but Exchange is not. It is more like Oracle and needs to be setup properly to get anything done. I would not do it unless I had at least 20 employees. Even then I would use an Exchange hosting service with my ISP and then gradually use IT contractors until I had +100 users before I did it myself or had my own IT guy manage this. It is waaayyy overkill and Google Docs is great for simple calandar functions if you are small too.
Slashdot Mirror
Give the finance company credit? They are rich because they are dirt cheap and compensate their profit centers well. They find the the best bang for the buck and punish those who under deliver. I know it sucks for you as these guys demand metrics and have 1 guy support 1,000 users (I know I interviewed for Citigroup and turned them down after learning about that) but that is how they get rich.
It sucks on your end but on the other end you always get great service by demanding more for less.
Mod down
The whole point of Sarbanes-Oxley is people had no clue Enron was doing weird shit. You can hate it all you want. but its goal is to encourage transparency to protect its investors. I see nothing wrong with that
In which case you vote for someone who favors caping interest rates on credit cards, expanding student loans, lowering interest on your existing ones, and having your employer pay for it.
You can be conservative and be mad at me, but in such a situation Obama is clearly more aliagned for your interests as you live by the credit card if you are short from an unexpected expense, owe student loans yet get paid minimum wage, and desperately need to go back to school to get out of your hellish situation.
Romney of course no matter what you do if you are a C level executive! Your goal is to keep your money and not care about anything else as a tax cut for you is a new car. Not several six packs of beer.
If you have money Romney is your man. A 15% tax cut if you make $200,000 a year could net you $30,000! I am surprised it is this low actually as the very rich support Romney by a very large margin.
Having low regulations to rip off citizens and guarantee corruption too is a plus for your business.
So he should spend his all day in OUtlook reading emails by the minute instead of working?
No one seems to look at productivity issues iwth email. It is a negative return liability rather than an asset the way it is abused like this.
Mod parent up!
No one sees the danger to this. PCMag does see an anology to webkit and IE 6. W3C is coming out with an HTML 5 spec that is not the same as WHatG. I agree with the W3C approach of splitting up HTML 5 into 5 and 5.1 and same with CSS 3 and 3.1 but still it is a problem. WIth pressure from sites like www.html5test.com that test cutting edge features you have browsers using proprietary implementations and then bashing the others for being behind the times even though half that shit is not even in the W3C spec!
I can imagine with mobile units taken over that webkit will be the next trident as websites in 10 years will be targeted just for that and than have scripts for legacy w3c like in the dark days. Worse the APIs will be IOS or Android only.
So we would have 3 incompatible standards. W3C, WhatG, and now this?
Chrome is making the same mistakes as IE 6. If WhatG standardizes in HTML 5 the web-kit way, and W3C announces HTML 5 and HTML 5.1 which have different arguments for the CSS then what? ... of course being slashdot they will blame IE for being incompatible and same with Firefox.
Maybe I am one of those financially irresponsible yuppies for daring to want a newer system, but I would shoot myself if I had such a low grade system!
Even an El-Cheapo brand AMD integrated unit for $399 would fly with Windows 7 on it.... at least much better than using tiny 7. But if he has an ancient app what are you going to do? The XP was a temporary fix as XP loyalists and driving me crazy. I just read on arstechnica that SHA-1 is expected to be cracked by 2016! That means IE 6 and IE 7 are at risk with SSL being useless with collisions and the master certificate being discovered. Same with RSA 1024.
XP users are why I can't use cutting edge HTML 5 stuff for a project. Sure some use FF or Chrome but you just know someone out there using it will click the blue E. IMost of them use IE 7 or 8 in one form or another as only old people, neophytes, and corporate bean counters use it. It frankly is dangerous to run such ancient software after EOL and you know MS wont patch SHA-1 certificates for IE 6 and XP. Instead web developers will have to use ActiveX controls to replace SSL like they do in China and Korea where IE still holds 90% of the market as a result. Not put a banner saying IE 9 or later sigh.
Anyway one good thing about XP is that I can run it in VMWare to test clients out because it is so light on resources.
If he has Windows 2k my guess is the computer is from the 20th century. Also XP will run on his hardware guaranteed. There are many early class a and b wifi dongles and cards that wont work outside of Win 2k/XP. Same with printers and scanners as XP is very close to Win2k. Infact, I consider Vista a whole new kernel rather than an extension of the NT line. It was almost a rewrite.
He needs a new computer but XP is a bandaid solution if you have an ancient app and do not have to time to do a major overhaul or upgrade while you move to Windows 7. At least use XP while you migrate away in the next year.
Compatibility is a major problem. FF is updating its add on api so it wont break similar to Chromes. I have been fighting to update from Java 1.4.2 at a site I worked at as these users get infected over and over and over again. If I had admin rights I would disable java except in the intranet zone and the cost accountants only see cost savings from not upgrading. Not lost productivity of running outdated POS software. But I was a contractor so it was not my problem.
Yes we need to stop focusing on compatibility. I was just reading on www.arstechnica.com that SHA-1 will be cracked by 2016! This means TLS signed certificated required for IE 6 and I think IE 7 will all be compromised! These users stick with it because of the attitude if it aint broke don't fix it and it is a cost center so why upgrade bla bla bla. The economic costs are huge running outdated software and yes upgrading software is a requirement unless you are in a clean room environment like a bank with no internet access. You should not receive any messages on your media server. However if any family memeber goes on the net with it for couch surfing or you got to www.hulu.com then it is prudent to keep it upgrading. I worked in a computer shop so I have seen first hand what malware can do if people run ancient software and click ignore with updates.
The media server could get compromised with a virus that will spread all over your home network once inside and cause more headaches. If you really hate this do what I did and quit Firefox and use IE 9 and Chrome?
I am out of date?!
Shit last spring my anti virus software went off on slashdot. Turns out one of THnkGeeks advertising servers got compromised! If you had flash running without flashblock or a good anti virus package you got 0wned!
Tell me how much safer the internet is today?! It is more dangerous than ever. Exploits keep appearing at a faster rate and they no longer target IE 6. They target java, flash, pdf, and many are crossplatform too.
For the record 10 years ago I did not even run anti virus software and figured as long as I am running Mozilla and not clicking on .asf media files I am safe. Today if I had that attitude I would be hacked quickly as I occasionally do use the dark side of the internet.
You may hate explorer in Windows 7 but it is much and I mean much more secure than in XP.
These are probably the same managers who say you are a cost center and provide no value and are all gung hu on metrics. Shouldn't they provide a value and metrics? You know .... do your job and manage them so they do not have to stay late?
Every good manager I had noticed when I am late and got concerned. The thinking is if I am working late I am in trouble and there is a problem I am not telling him or her.
The manager needs to set metrics to make sure people meet them. If they meet them then do not care. However if Sally is behind the same metrics but talks an hour on hte phone with her boyfriend and browses the internet a lot and stays late frequently, then the manager needs to address it. Meet the results and you could blow him in the office for all I care. However, if you can't get your work done I do not care about your hours. Out you go! It also means making sure your employees are not doing dumb shit like chatting about what they are going to do 3 hours a day to other managers or working on silly todo lists. That is your job as the manager to talk to them and take the hits and punches.
Basically you can't be a respectable manager and put metrics on your staff if you are not willing to do it to yourself and make sure things are delivered.
The corporations write the laws. Not us. Google and Apple made sure that was in there so we have to deal with our masters.
So get rid of the open office plan ... now you have to answer 150 emails everyday instead of working.
I am in favor of the open office plan because I see more employees wasting time emailing than working. Grow a pair and put a DND sign taped to the top of your monitor.
I hope you have a good security package and enjoy your +50 security holes!
Stop your whining. In a connected world things are never teh same as ysterday. Websites get updated, malware writters figure out new exploits, bug fixes come available. There is a common misbelief that a computer is like a car or refrigerator. Just never upgrade because if it aint broke do not fix it right?
It is not. Adobe updater will automatically install new updates silently if you installed it in the past 6 months. Chrome automatically updates itself and its flash version too if a hole is discovered. Even Windows Update will patch flash vulnerabilities.
Yes Mozilla needs to do this. After you update it will take care of itself and update automatically. Flash and PDF are dangerous and like Windows need constant updating on a biweekly basis. THis is just life in 2012
Only people in strict locked down environments do not connect to the internet. Besides Windows 2000 was atrocious in terms of security! It was one of the most insecure operating systems ever released. Even XP has some better protection
IE was the best browser in that time frame. I hated Netscape and IE led with AJAX, dynamic html, and CSS. Even IE 6 was not that bad 10 years ago before it started to turn to shit. IE for the Mac was better than IE for Windows too and was much mroe standards compliant at the time
I use Foxit and Google Docs. No security issues. ... I also highly doubt any payroll processing service would require 10 year old insecure versions of pdf. I would tell him to call them and say WTF do you support later releases? My guess is they do ... on XP and later.
My advice. I help manage a PC shop on the side as well as do IT consulting. Let me tell something. All the money from the shop comes from infected machines. Many are Windows 2000 machines and lots are XP. Many are up to date IE/Windows wise. They get infected through PDF and outdated flash! Some java ones too. Recently business slowed down. Why? Windows Update now updates flash automatically and Adobe Updater nags you if you outdated versions of their software or will auto update. Here is another fact sheet?. Why doesn't Adobe make releases for Windows 2000 anymore? Because they are all sandoxed with ASLR, and DEP. Hmm which OS does not support these? YOURS. XP offers at least some limited DEP protection and ASLR is reserved for Windows 7.
Another tidbit. I am reformatting my system now with a Windows 7 SP1 installation. For the record Windows 7 SP1 came out in March 2011. Take a wild guess how many security holes it is fixing right now? 20, 40, 60, ... try 134 updated where half are security fixes!! ... and this is for an OS with sandboxing, ASLR, DEP, and process seperation. I dread to think of the holes in Win2k in just years!
This is 2012 dude. THe internet is a very dangerous network. ... back to my advice. Since you are a man who wont upgrade for the sake of it and values your money go update to XP which is very similar to your W2K brother and can run on the same hardware. Go to PirateBay and do a search for Windows XP Service pack 2 (not 3) professional and many are pre-activated. There is no sense buying a copy of XP which in a year ... I hate to say will no longer be supported either. Do it today in a a day or two you will still have your ancient hardware working and also will get updates for Firefox and Chrome as well which no longer support your OS. Then save $40 a month and by CHristmas 2013 you can get yourself an awesome Windows 7 system that will run many circles around your current one.
XP is nothing to be afraid of and not a terrible change. Oh, FYI since you mentioned above you hate IE integrated I have to say recent versions of IE are fully sandboxed. Infact, if you open a Windows Explorer Window and type an url it wont even work. It will in Windows 2000 (or did in the years I used it unless MS finally patched it!@) unfortunately. IE is catching up to Opera and not a big deal. Your comments on phoning home are from the mindset of slashdotters 10 years ago. It is strange to see today. All it does is report things like crashes and it is all anonymous.
You need to plan ... not on switching to XP in a year, but to the 2010s with Windows 7 or a Mac. Your internet enabled device is not like your fridge that will keep running the same. Standards change and so the crackers who will try to steal things.
Correction ... I meant if they are not on all 07.I forgot the not part. 2007 is depreciating MAPI that 03 uses and the special connector is only available in powershell. If you are familiar with WIndows Server than yes, but if you are not a Win admin than this can be a frustrating process.
I did these on my laptop. I would never do this in a real production environment but use VMWare to double and triple check anything.
I find it hilarious you are recommending that an average Joe should use Exchange and then blast me for not reading white papers and best practices tool that is not even included on the CD but on Microsoft's website. Only IT professionals even know about it.
Or he can use Google Docs and be done
No powershell? You need to do it with the connectors if they are all on exchange 2007.
Your post confirmed it is not like what everyone here is preaching that it is easy and painless to do. Office you just click next and you are done but Exchange is not Office. I have severely corrupted and ruined AD at least twice, thankfully in a virtual network on my laptop. I wanted to try things out and it is a great thing that did not happen in a real production environment.
Still customers are not paying him to do these things. They are paying him to provide a product or service and these are time consuming steps that are potentially disastrous if you are not familiar with Windows Server.
Things get ugly when you have 5 exchange servers in different roles in differnet networks that need to interact with shared mailboxes for projects with different companies all on different ADs. Oh fun!
Last you need to have an ISP set things up and you need to open your routers and firewalls. ... or just sign up with Google Docs? The later sounds much better.
That is overkill. This is for IT pros and not small business owners. Exchange will fuck up your schema too in AD so be careful. If you are a small business. Just use Google Docs or ISP with a managed Exchanged environment.
Infact you do not even need a domain! Just Windows 7 home. 10 users can easily connect to a SAN device or a shared folder using the home edition. SBS and AD are really for 20+ to hundreds of users. He is small and starting out not to mention the big ISP providers have Exchange relays which offer spam and virus protection. Even Google offers it free for your gmail account. That right htere is already out of range for SBS.
Have you installed SBS exchange? Let me tell you it is no cakewalk and easy as clicking next. You need to setup certificates, hire a cisco guy to configure your router, register a DNS server, with your installation of IIS. You need to make a manual entry in your DNS for your OWA client for your internal users on your domain controller.
Yes MS has IIS integrated everwhere and you need to make the certificate. Worse you need a relay if you want to setup spam and virus scanning. So now you need to create a virtual connector in powershell between the 2 users and of course lets hope you ran ForestPrep and Domain Prep and both raised your domain and forest properly or else your users will be stuck with legacy email boxes etc.
Inappropriate for a 1 user or even 5 user organization. Sharepoint takes a good few weeks to setup right and tens of thousands in consulting fees from what I am told as well. Just use an ISP for email and get it done with or Google docs. Even Unix geeks use managed providers for critical needs as this takes too much time and effort to maintain it.
MS has been know for easy point and click, but Exchange is not. It is more like Oracle and needs to be setup properly to get anything done. I would not do it unless I had at least 20 employees. Even then I would use an Exchange hosting service with my ISP and then gradually use IT contractors until I had +100 users before I did it myself or had my own IT guy manage this. It is waaayyy overkill and Google Docs is great for simple calandar functions if you are small too.