My home network has generally based on the types of systems I was working with at my cuurent emplyment, this provided me with a lab environment as well. With the adoption of virtual technologies i really do not need a physical lab anymore.
So lets start at the perimeter, my network sits behind a Dell Server running Server 2003 with ISA 2006 which directly connects to my cable modem. A 24 ports Dell Switch connects all my PC's and Servers. I have a Linksys AP providing Wireless to my LAN. I also have a Linksys Wireless Router connected so I can have a second physical LAN for a lab environment that can access the internet but is segmented from my primary lan.
My main server is a Dell Poweredge with 4 GB of RAM and two 150 GB Sata Drives in it. I am running SBS 2008 and taking full advantage on Exchange, OWA, RWW, WSUS, I also am using it to host 2 custom Sharepoint websites on the internet. I did a migration from SBS 2003 to this box and it went very well. This is my only server with 64 bit hardware.
My third server is Windows Home Server running on an old Dell 600SC with 3 GB of Ram. I just built this and am going to move my data and media files to it. This box is going to be a semi-temporary server, I plan to redo my SBS2008 server with the next verions of Windows Home server which requires 64 bit hardware. Then I will migrate everything to it and decommision this one.
I have a 4th Dell Server running 2003 with Virtual Server 2005 on it. This will be my lab box going forward. My only issue with this server is not 64 bit support. Not a huge deal but can be a handicap for playing with stuff.
I got an Xbox360 for Christmas and having been plaing with media center some the2 last year. I also got a Zune HD in September and my daughter got an older 16GB Zune for christmas. All these media centric devices have led me to look a Windows Home Server and I think it will fit nicely and allow me to replace my 3 servers. I will replace the ISA server with a Hardware based solution such as Sonicwall, Watchguard or Linksys. This should help with the electric bill as these servers we all designed to run RAID configurations with multiple hard drives and have hefty power supplies and dual CPU's in them.
Okay now for Desktops...
- My wife uses a home build 3.0 Ghz with 2 GB RAM running XP Media Center 2005, I am going to move her to a Dell inspiron Desktop wtih 4 GB Ram running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit. She also has a small slate tablet PC running XP Pro Tablet Edition.
- My 10 year old has an Dell Optiplex that is about 3 years old running windws 7 Ultimate 64-Bit.
- My 5 year has an old Dell Inspiron laptop with XP Pro on it.
- I have a Dell Latitude D620 with 4 GB of Ram running Windows 7 Ultimate. I have a Toshiba Convertible Tablet with Vista Ultimate on it but need a new hinge for the screen. It has been repaired but I don't want to use it full time till I can get the right part to raplce the part that wore out. If I ever fix it then it will probably got to my old child and pas her desktop down to the little one.
So I have 3 servers and 3 desktops runing full time and 2 laptops part of the time. A little heavy for a fimily of 4, my goal by end of the year is to have 1 server and 1 desktop running most of the time, maybe hibernating during the day, probably 2 laptops and 1 more desktop on part of the time. effective going from upto 8 machines running down to 5. 2 of which are Server running all the time.