Links and Information

Return to Main Links Index

Selection of Server software

This is my selection of software that I would always install on a system, plus some alternatives that do a similar job.

Protection

• mxORB spam blocker. Per server licensing (so cheap), and very effective. Lacks reporting and more advanced features, but does it's job - well. Exchange 2000/2003 or IIS SMTP.
• Sybari Antigen. Stable and high performance anti virus for Exchange servers. I have never had any problems with this software, unlike McAfee etc.

Monitoring

• Alchemy Eye. Initially shareware, but now a very effective system monitoring capability. Simple, effective, but has some stability issues. Now resold by MIS Helpers
• InterMapper - creates network maps through SNMP probes
• IP Monitor. I've never tried it, but it seems to be as good as Alchemy
• ServerObserver. Again, I've never tried it - but seems promising.

Inventory / Asset Management

• X-assets. Web based, with a database back-end. Really enterprise level, and full of features. It is so good at asset discovery that it sometimes needs careful monitoring to ensure that it does not build it's own database incorrectly.
• Alloy Software. An alternative that I've never tried.

Helpdesk systems

• I can't recommend any helpdesk system from experience, because all that I have used have not worked well. The only system that has worked has been a self-build.
• TOPdesk Helpdesk. I've never tried, but seems worth a look.
• Polar Service Desk - again never tried, but has a lot of ITIL

Multi Desktop systems

• Desktop Rover, which allows one keyboard and mouse to control multiple machines, and multiple mice / keyboards on one machine.
• Maxivista, which simply extends the desktop onto other machines across the network.

Client setup and system setup

Other than the usual changes and configurations (anti-virus software, Group Policy changes etc.), I would recommend the following to be applied to a new XP computer;

Desktop changes

• IE-Spyad - a .reg that blocks Ad/spyware sites in Internet Explorer
• Apply HISECWS.INF - security template from the Windows Security Console Manager
• Stop the Server and Computer Browser services and mark them as disabled
• Ensure that the WWW, FTP, and SMTP services are disabled
• Set QoS bandwidth limit to 1% (gpedit.msc | Computer | Administrative Templates | Network | QoS)
• Enable remote desktop, and add the IT department's Universal Group
• Pre-install the Command Console - \i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons /dudisable
• If using non-US keyboards, change the layout of the .default user (HKU\.Default\Keyboard Layout\Preload) to match an existing user profile.

System configuration

• Run DHCPloc.exe from the Windows Server 2003 CD to locate all DHCP servers that are responding on the subnet
• Create hardware profiles on servers when their hardware is stable - if you need to install new hardware and it fails, it is easier to revert to the old hardware config.
• Test ASR backup and recovery, particularly on a GC.
• Disable Lan Manager Hashes
• Increase the maximum size of all event log files, then script stopping the service, then copying the event logs onto another server.
• Configure Time Synchronisation on each DC
• If the server never needs to print, disable the Spooler service
• Register the Schema Management MMC Regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll

[Homepage]   [Blog]   [Slideshows]   [Links]   [Migration]   [Search]   [LogoTest]