New network with server. Help

[BeginNetwork]

Hello,

I am setting up a server and a network for a friend's business and I was looking for some help. The store has 2 Windows XP computers, 2 Windows 7 laptops and 2 Mac laptops. We also have a server (HP ProLiant) and a switch.

What the aim is, is for all computers to be able to share files, and for a certain program that calculates all the stock (etc.) to be able to be accessed, edited, (etc.) from all pcs.

After connecting the computers to the switch, and connecting the server to the switch, what do I do? We have Windows Server 2012 on the server.

Please feel free to ask questions etc.

Curtis.

 

[beers]

What switch?

Usually you could segregate things into their own VLANs and set up ACL between zones, although out of the box it should just work as you have it (albeit not particularly secure).

Most of your configuration will be shares and permissions on the server itself. It's generally easier to do things like mount a shared folder toward the server on all of the PCs and use it as a centralized storage than to peer-to-peer all of your transfers.

Also, I would suggest getting rid of XP, especially in a business environment as it's EOL/EOS.

 

[BeginNetwork]

The switch we have is a Phasak PH5216 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch.

I was thinking of connecting both XP's to the Switch, Both W7's to the switch, connecting the Server to the switch and both the macs will be later connected.

We just need a certain program (that we already have) that will be installed on the server to be able to be accessed by each computer, and simple file sharing between all computers.

I'm new to this, don't know much about VLAN's and I have never heard of ACL.

Thanks.