Forewarning, this is a rant…
My company recently took over a site, one with a lot of potential for future business. The reason we took over this site was simple, the company before us was well….. Crap. Whilst this company get a lot more passing business than us (because of the shop front), I cannot see how they hold onto clients when they have the basics incorrect yet they do….
Before you think I am simply company bashing, I am not. This is the third site in a row that I have visited in my area that has been supplied by these guys, so I hope they read up here and learn something. So, to you…. here are the basics:
DNS
When you install a server, you do NOT set the client machines to use the ISP DNS Servers. The client PC’s must always use the servers DNS and that server should be set to use forwarders to the ISP.
DHCP
Using the router as the source for handing out IP addresses is both lazy and not integrated with your DNS. Don’t do it, use the server for DHCP and it all integrates nicely. Oh yeah… if you have DHCP, don’t give machines static IP addresses with the wrong gateway addresses!
Antivirus
Well duuuur…. Come on people, you MUST have a working antivirus solution on your networks.
Patch Management
Either patch machines manually with Windows / Microsoft Update or go and spend 30 Minutes and install Windows Software Update Server. It’s Free!
If you can’t be bothered to do the above, simply give the client my contact details, I will happily take them off your hands!
/Rant over.