Pat Glenn wrote in a message to All:
 PG>     We are considering upgrading our network at our office.
 PG> At present  we are on a peer to peer system, using ethernet
 PG> with Windows'95 internal  networking for software. We have a
 PG> small network consisting of 6 units,  one of which is
 PG> primarily for file storage and print serving. The others 
 PG> are clients. (although peer is an option) What - if any -
 PG> would be the  advantage of going to a hub type system. Is
 PG> there any compelling reason  (speed , stability, etc.) to
 PG> give an upgrade any serious consideration?     
The main advantages of using a centralized server are cost and management.  
It is cheaper to buy one really large hard drive and supply it with proper 
tape backup hardware than to upgrade each workstation.  It is also a lot 
easier to manage software and data stored at a central point, including 
making sure that it is backed up, than to worry about this on every 
workstation.
Other benefits, such as easier software upgrades and better security, are 
also an issue.  However, for a six-node network, this is probably not a big 
deal.
Microsoft's new Small Business Server is an interesting product that might 
suit your needs.  It is basically a bundle of Windows NT, a 25-user license, 
and some ancillary software that is part of the BackOffice Suite.  It has a 
simplified installation and should be considerably easier to install than the 
old Windows NT.  Since you are already on SMB/CIFS networking because of your 
peer-to-peer system, you should probably stick to that.
Depending upon cost, there are other options you might want to consider.  
OS/2 Warp Server is on the list, as it would provide SMB/CIFS networking for 
about half the cost of a basic Windows NT server in your configuration.
Linux with Samba would be free, but could involve considerable configuration 
work.  If there is anyone in the office who is familiar with Unix, however, 
it is a very realistic choice.  Caldera and other companies provide support 
and nice boxes for Linux, making it more palatable to commercial 
nvironments.
 
-- Mike
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