Customer Profile: Accounting Firm, Tipton, IN

Business Situation:
Customer recognized early on that there was a real need to Upgrade from NT to Windows 2000. The upgrade would simplify the management of their 3 partnership companies and save money.

Solution:
Incorporation of a “thin client” solution using Microsoft Terminal Service to enable users at all sites to access applications in a central location. This would also enable home users to access applications through an Internet connection.

Software and Services:
Microsoft Windows 2000® Server To Run Terminal Services
Microsoft Small Business Server 2000® To Run Exchange, SQL and IIS
Microsoft Windows 2000® Professional Desktop Operating System
Microsoft Office 2000 Office Suite for Desktops
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 Internet Browser
Microsoft Outlook® Messaging and collaboration client
DataStorage External Backup Software via the Internet
WebShield Firewall for security and email filtering
Norton Corporate Anti Virus Firewall protection for the Server
Norton Anti Virus Protection for Desktops

In a accounting organization the size of our Customers’, the company server resources are chiefly devoted to making sure that employees have access to the resources they need wherever they are. Ease of system administration and management are crucial. Our Customer needed to upgrade its servers from Windows NT to Microsoft Windows 2000® Server and Windows Small Business Server® 2000 because these products deliver superior remote administration, simplified network management, and lowered network operating and support costs.

Proposed Solution:
The proposed solution includes the incorporation of a “thin client” solution to enable users at all sites to access applications in a central location. This would also enable home users to access applications through an Internet connection. We proposed that a server be placed at the main location to provide security, file and print services, and Exchange (email, internal instant messaging and calendar sharing). A second server would provide thin client access to applications, using Microsoft Terminal Services. Users would access all line-of-business applications through the thin client. A DSL high-speed connection was implemented for the Customer.
The following diagram illustrates this high-level architecture: