Topic: vpn and other stuff

[bruce]

So I need to try something on a couple of networks.  I would like to run this
off my e-smith server.  Here is the picture.  Got three remote 2 remote
locations running win2k and I need to vpn them to my e-smith server in a 3rd
location.

Why is this beening done....
I've got an Microsoft Access database which is the core of an inventory system
(which I'm thinking to put on the e-smith server, presently on an IBM
Netfinity Server running NT).  

The database must be externally and Internally accessable.  

I'm thinking.... hmmm will this work?  Do I need some sort of NFS running?  Am
I in way over my head?????

[saul]

I wouldn't say your in over your head. SME 5.5 should handle this fine. Although if you want always on connections, I would probably look at IPSEC instead of PPTP. I've never setup permanent connections, but alot of folks who do prefer IPSEC for this. As for PPTP, do this:

Go into your server-manager and enable the amount of PPTP connections you want. Hopefully you left space at the end of your dhcp scope for this (I never go above .240) since I've heard e-smith uses the unused ones for dhcp, but I never had a problem here either.

Next, make sure your Win2k boxes have SP2 as a minimum and you are set. Create the pptp connection in  Network and Dial-up Connections, enter your ip address, username and password and see if you connect. That's all!

As for your access database, you could always look to port it to mySQL, which is already on your e-smith.