Moving to cloud based file storage
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I have a small client who is using Office 365 and wondering - do they need to maintain their fileserver/AD box? They have 10 computers, don't have any real need to share the desktops (i.e. one computer one user).
They use inTune for AV and WSUS managemente
I'm pretty sure the answer is, no, they don't need it. They can move their shared files to sharepoint and their personal files to ODfB, leave the domain, create a local user account and go. Granted I'll have to install the printer on each machine locally, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal.
Thoughts?
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@Dashrender said:
I have a small client who is using Office 365 and wondering - do they need to maintain their fileserver/AD box? They have 10 computers, don't have any real need to share the desktops (i.e. one computer one user).
I'm pretty sure the answer is, no, they don't need it. They can move their shared files to sharepoint and their personal files to ODfB, leave the domain, create a local user account and go. Granted I'll have to install the printer on each machine locally, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal.
Thoughts?
could leave server on site for AD management and move everything else off site.
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@Hubtech said:
@Dashrender said:
I have a small client who is using Office 365 and wondering - do they need to maintain their fileserver/AD box? They have 10 computers, don't have any real need to share the desktops (i.e. one computer one user).
I'm pretty sure the answer is, no, they don't need it. They can move their shared files to sharepoint and their personal files to ODfB, leave the domain, create a local user account and go. Granted I'll have to install the printer on each machine locally, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal.
Thoughts?
could leave server on site for AD management and move everything else off site.
Sure, but is it worth it? While their desktops and favorites, etc are being saved to the server and thereby backed up, they've never asked for a recovery. They can be notified that these won't be backed up any longer. I'm thinking long term, this server is already 7+ years old.. when it comes time to replace it.. is that expense worth it? Only for AD? Though there are some pretty cheap desktop style server options these days for someone this size.
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@Dashrender If you're just going to use it for AD then you really don't need anything over the top and crazy for a server. One of those desktop server for a couple hundred dollars would probably be more then enough for what it is.... Bonus option would be to virtualize it and have it running as a VM. Backup the VM to an external source. Then you can bring it up on a laptop or something temporarily if that need arises. Very little money to invest in this instance. Move file services to sync with ODfB and Sharepoint (redirect favorites and desktop to the synced folder)
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From the sounds of it, I'm with @dashrender. I don't have all of the details, but at ten users AD is normally overkill and if you can go to Office 365 for file storage then drop the extra complexity (and cost) of an on site server, do away with AD and move 100% to that. Easy, cost effective and flexible. They can then drop Windows Pro licensing and save money there too. It's a lot like moving to a Windows-based, Chromecast-style solution. Can work great. The only things you really lose is user authentication control and is that really that big of a deal in a ten user environment?
With InTune + Office 365, I think you are good to go.
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I suppose the big thing is to make sure people don't setup the computers to remember their O365 passwords. As long as they have to enter them every time, then everyone knowing the local windows passwords (i.e. just one account on all computers) makes this a super simple setup.
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@scottalanmiller said:
I don't have all of the details, but at ten users AD is normally overkill
That's what I thought, but funnily enough this question was asked on Spiceworks today and I was the only poster who thought that running a very small office without AD would be ok.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
I don't have all of the details, but at ten users AD is normally overkill
That's what I thought, but funnily enough this question was asked on Spiceworks today and I was the only poster who thought that running a very small office without AD would be ok.
I only think that running without AD is ok because of things like Office 365 and intune, otherwise I would want an AD.
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@Dashrender said:
I suppose the big thing is to make sure people don't setup the computers to remember their O365 passwords. As long as they have to enter them every time, then everyone knowing the local windows passwords (i.e. just one account on all computers) makes this a super simple setup.
Not sure that I would go that route (open logins) but it is an option. Or you could use their Live accounts and handle it that way. I'd keep people with their own local logins because people ARE going to save things and mess with each other.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
That's what I thought, but funnily enough this question was asked on Spiceworks today and I was the only poster who thought that running a very small office without AD would be ok.
A lot of "there is only one way to do anything in IT and we don't need to make decisions, only implement that one way" mentality, sadly.
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@Dashrender said:
I only think that running without AD is ok because of things like Office 365 and intune, otherwise I would want an AD.
Actually at ten users you are at the minimum size for which even Microsoft recommends having AD. The inflection range is roughly from 10 - 12 users. Fewer than ten users, basically you never want AD. More than a dozen you almost always want AD. In between there is a lot of "it depends. At ten, typically AD isn't recommended. At eleven it is half the time. At a dozen normally it is recommended. But factors like "are they in the office a lot" or "do they have O365" swing that pendulum drastically.
This sounds like a pretty strong case of AD not making sense. AD is in no way a foregone conclusion and at your size, it isn't even the default one.
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@scottalanmiller said:
at ten users AD is normally overkill
That's why we have Samba. And, with Samba 4, you should be able to integrate the box into O365's AD structure. SSO anyone?
