We are a small office and we would like to setup a desktop computer, in the office, with which to connect to from our internal network and also from the internet remotely as a central database.

We need to be able to synchronise calendars, databases and diaries with etc. and share network resources like printers.

The biggest problem I can see is that one person is on Mac

Anyone done this recently?
Anyone used or know of software designed for this application?
Is there someone who would like to set this up for us?

You probably want microsoft exchange server but i've not set that up before and i'm not sure if it will have all the features you want.

Originally posted by AaronD
You probably want microsoft exchange server but i've not set that up before and i'm not sure if it will have all the features you want.

not ideal for a small business, licenses start at large and go up from their.

For the purposes of sharing printers and network resource you need to set up a vpn server, not that complicated, but it does require a windows 2003 server license.
What form do you have calendars and diaries in at the moment, this will be the key to how you enable remote syncronisation...

Is syncronisation what you are really after though, or just remote access? If it's the latter then the vpn server would solve all your problems.

It basically allows someone externally to make a connection through that server to your network (with appropriate security) and once connected it behaves as if they were locally connected to the network (ie as if they'd brought their machine in and plugged in to spare network socket).

Exchange server will do what you need, but you really someone who knows what they're doing to get it set up correctly and securely. If you've already got an Exchange server then it's not too hard to set it up for remote access/synchronisation.

Thanks, guys

<quote>For the purposes of sharing printers and network resource you need to set up a vpn server</quote>

Thanks Cyclone

I'd forgotton about VPN. This type of thing isn't my speciality (to say the least). I've realised I may be approching things from the wrong angle.

<quote>Exchange server will do what you need, but you really someone who knows what they're doing</quote>

Thanks hotphil

I have spoken to the guy who supplies my harware and networks and he can't help. I have no experience of exchange so I should maybe do some research.

I'm off to do some research on synchronising Mozilla calendars. I wonder if it's possible to do an ACT! type e-mail sync?

If you have any other ideas or approches, I'd be grateful. The problem we have is that one of us is currently in Liverpool most of the time, one of us is out and about and working from home, one uses MAC .......>(

is it syncronisation you're after, or just the ability to check each others diaries?
If you aren't already using microsoft office, exchange and outlook then it would be an extremely expensive route to go down. For 3 people I doubt even microsoft would recommend it.

from the microsoft site
For small businesses wanting to take advantage of the capabilities of Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft recommends Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, a complete business server solution.