I would like to see a serious discussion on the best way to install windows
from a Novell administrator's point of view.
 
I just got off the phone with MS Access support and was told that they
(Microsoft) has decided to implement, as a standard for software support,
the LOCAL setup (described below) as the "most advantageous installation".
If this is true and Microsoft deems this to be the most prudent installation
then I will comply but I'd like to hear it from administrators first.
 
The LOCAL Windows Installation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Windows is fully installed on each workstation hard drive (assuming the
resources are available).  From a network administrator's implementation,
he/she would install all windows disks on a network drive using SETUP/A.
Then install windows on a per/machine bases by running SETUP off the network
to install the complete system on the local drives.  In this way, all drivers
are available to the SETUP procedure w/o the need to change disks.
 
Advantages:
- Reduce Traffic - Running Windows locally reduces network traffic due to
  the local access of main Windows files.
- Network independence - If the network fails (and they all do at one point
  or another), the local installation would allow users to keep producing
  and reduce the cost of down-time.
- Faster Windows - Theoretically, Windows will run faster from a local hard
  drive than over a network.  This may be a hard point to prove if the network
  has an optical backbone and/or the network drives are significantly faster
  access than local ones.
- A user traveling from machine to machine does not need to worry about
  varying setups (monochrome, color, types of mouse, etc...) since the
  Windows installation is assigned to the Workstation.
 
Disadvantages:
- Cost - Installing Windows locally requires a significant amount of disk
  space.  Workstations now must be purchased with a hard disk that can
  increase the cost of the workstation from 10 to 30 percent.
- Administration - Local windows installations are very difficult to
administer.
  New drivers for peripherals are constantly being made available, each of
  which would have to be individually installed on each workstation.
- Security - Users now have access to erase or corrupt their own system
  files from simple ignorance.  This could result in quite a headache for
  administrators who may have to constantly repair damaged installations.
- Backup - We all know the problems backing up local hard disks.  The backup
  sets (if done via a centralized tape system) get very large very quickly.
  Backup individually (to floppy) may not happen at all.  This may be
  eliminated if it is assumed that local hard disks only contain replaceable
  applications and *not* user data.
 
The SHARED Windows Installation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Windows is fully installed to a network disk via the SETUP/A procedure
described above.  Users (or administrators) then install a minimal set of
files to individual "user" directories.  These directories may be on a
local hard disk or perhaps a network "home" directory.  The bulk of the
Windows system files are maintained on the network in a single directory
(some 400+ files) and are accessed (shared) as-needed by users throughout
their Windows session.  The user's files consist of a small set of files
that the user has updated during his/her Windows session.  These include
group files, .INI files and other regularly updated files.
 
Advantages:
- A single location for all files makes updates to drives easy.  As
  an updated driver becomes available, it only needs to be installed in this
  single directory for all users to be able to take advantage of it.
- Assuming that the users' files are maintained in network (home) directories,
  the administrator can easily edit any .INI file as-needed to correct
  problems that may arise.  This includes WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI.
- Backup of all pertinent files is done easily.  Even if the users' files
  are on a local hard disk, the bulk of the Windows system is backed up with
  all driver updates.
 
Disadvantages:
- Network traffic - since all Windows files are being shared in a network
  directory, traffic on the network can become a problem an effect the
  speed of Windows.
- If the network crashes, all production comes to a stop since Window's
  is reliant upon the network for its files.  Loss of data usually occurs
  as well since users working in Windows at the time of the crash will
  usually not be able to save their work.
- Although minimal, disk space is still a consideration.  If the users' files
  are maintained on the network, a large number of users can cause a
  significant utilization of disk space due to their personal Windows
  files alone.
- Users cannot easily move from machine to machine unless the workstation
  hardware are similar.  This is due to the Windows installation being
  tied to a particular username (in the case of Network user files).
  
The Discussion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to know, from other administrators with a large Windows
userbase, how they prefer setting up Windows.  Personally, I have
setup numerous installations using the SHARED setup.  All Windows and
application files are on the network with little or no utilization of
local hard disks.  In fact, I sold a network on the fact that the
company would no longer need to purchase hard disks for their workstations
and thus save that much more money.
 
I would also like to see recommendations for applications.  Should
apps such as Word and/or Excel be installed locally regardless of how
Windows is installed?  Again, I keep all files on the network for easy
backup and administration but this is "putting all eggs in one basket";
if the network crashes, work comes to a halt.