Windows Server with Special Requirements Options

[MasterChief]

A customer of mine is looking to host on a Windows server. I'm currently offering Linux so i have to consider this addition of a Windows server carefully since we operate at very tight margins, as well as the support aspect of things. I want to use the server for this customer, as well as other customers. Since this customer is the main reason why i'm requesting this server, i need to make sure I satisfy his requirements, which are :

1- Windows Based
2- Support ASP Upload
3- Support ASP Mail (CDonuts)
4- Access Database
5- Bandwidth 500 GB per month
6- 60 GB Space
7- POPMAIL
8- Multi Pointer (not sure what this is!!)
9- Control Panel
10- Statistics
11- Multimedia Support

Please advise if you have a solution that could provide the above requirements.

Thanks,
MC

[nForcer]

I don't see any reason why any of the the lower-end packages, running Windows of course, would have any problems with those requirements.

I'd recommend they use ASP.NET but thats just me. (less code, more complete, LOT more stable, ...)

[Matt2k]

500GB a month with 60GB of storage? Why would you operate at tight margins with such enormous requirements?

POPMAIL might be a commercial component, you should ask.

I don't know what "multi-pointer" is. ??

Statistics would be Urchin, probably, since that comes with the servers.

Windows media services comes with 2003

Everything else you list is appropriate for a windows server and would come standard. I would suggest getting the HELM control panel (or somethign else) to help you manage permissions on the server. Also if you're unfamiliar with it, there are some guys around here that have checklists for locking down an initial windows installation-- NTFS permissions, installing an IPSEC firewall (or other). So for a few dollars, $50-$150 I think, this might be a very good investment. After that, it should be pretty hands off.

But definately at least go for the firewall, even if you dont' want to hire someone to lock down NTFS permissions.

[Kyle]

CDonuts?

Did you mean CDONTS? That's been deprecated since Windows 2000 and isn't even available on a Windows 2003 server. You'd have to find a Windows 2000 or earlier server and obtain the DLL neccessary for CDONTS, copy it to the Windows 2003 server, and then register it. Is CDOSYS not an option?

Multi-pointer is likely referring the machine having multiple IP addresses, I'm guessing.

As Matt2k said, there's no way to know what POPMAIL is. Google returns several different results that could be applicable to your situation. It could be a commercial ASP component, although it could just as easily be something else. So, you'll have to ask for specification.

Control Panel.....anything but Plesk for Windows.

Multimedia support could be HTTP streaming or unicast/multicast streaming via Windows Media Services. As long as you have Windows 2003 Standard, both options are available to you.

ASP uploading capabilities depends completely on their preference of method for uploading. There are pure-code solutions, but some people prefer commercial and freeware components to make the job easier. It could be Dundas Upload or Persists ASPUpload.

[gemini isp]

Windows 2003 SP1 comes with a firewall so you will save money or hiring someone to configure a firewall for you

[Kyle]

Windows 2003 SP1 comes with a firewall  8) so you will save money or hiring someone to configure a firewall for you

Yes, but SP1 still causes issues with several pieces of software.

[gemini isp]

i agree,
but if you do not have any custom configurations - sp1 works like a charm . it has been running stable since i installed it ..

[MasterChief]

Well, i just copied and pasted the customer requirements as sent to me. So CDONUTS could refer to CDONTS .

The customer wants to host a music portal, with steaming, news,...etc


So the question now is do I go with windows 2003 or windows 2000 server ?

Thanks,
Shadi

[gemini isp]

go with windows 2003 and have the person use cdosys instead. educated the customer.

"CDONTS has been deprecated and is seldom used anymore. Basically, CDOSYS is it's replacement."

or follow what Kyle stated "Did you mean CDONTS? That's been deprecated since Windows 2000 and isn't even available on a Windows 2003 server. You'd have to find a Windows 2000 or earlier server and obtain the DLL neccessary for CDONTS, copy it to the Windows 2003 server, and then register it. Is CDOSYS not an option? "