I’ve spent the past couple of days setting up a bunch of servers at work. There are a couple of SQL servers (one for the web filtering, one for the mail filtering), a new Windows Update Server (we’ll be upgrading to version 3), one for the corporate anti-virus solution, and a few mail filter servers.

Our data center uses HP servers, so the servers are a combination of DL360 and DL380 systems. They are quite easy to set up; it just takes a bit of time to get all the OS updates (we’re running Windows Server 2003) installed and other things configured. The HP SmartStart software makes it mostly painless, just takes a bit of time.

The process is pretty easy. Install the server in the racks (the rack rails just click into place), slide the server on the rack. Then cable up the network cards, power, and KVM. Then use the SmartStart software to start the configuration process, including setting up the drive arrays, and continue with the OS installation.

Next step is to install all the OS updates, add the security template, install the anti-virus program, and set up the computer for automatic updates from our update server (I wrote a compiled Windows Script to do that).

The whole process (other than physically racking the server) takes a bit over two hours. There’s additional time to install the needed application, but the whole thing is quite easily done.

I’ll be spending the next few days doing that, in between the other aspects of my job.