RRAS or direct gateway?

mr2nut

Was just wondering how you guys would plan a Network implementation..

a) Give all users a default gateway of the router IP for direct access, thus if the Server is offline/fails people can still work as most routers these days provide NAT and Firewall functionality out of the box.

b) Install RRAS on the Server and configure NAT that way

Benefits and cons?

undomiel

I would use a router for a router rather than Windows for a router. I can't really think of a situation where I would prefer to use RRAS unless I had way too many servers sitting around and I felt like being experimental. Most people on here say they haven't seen an RRAS implementation in the wild.

mr2nut

undomiel wrote:

I would use a router for a router rather than Windows for a router. I can't really think of a situation where I would prefer to use RRAS unless I had way too many servers sitting around and I felt like being experimental. Most people on here say they haven't seen an RRAS implementation in the wild.

That's the answer I was looking for. I feel like a lot of stuff you have to learn to pass these exams really aren't used in the real world which is a bit daft but ah well, MS do run the world

I've set it up both ways and I really can't see any reason for making things complicated for yourself by having to set up RRAS. Even those basic Netgear routers can do NAT and custom firewalls these days.

Mishra

mr2nut wrote:

undomiel wrote:

I would use a router for a router rather than Windows for a router. I can't really think of a situation where I would prefer to use RRAS unless I had way too many servers sitting around and I felt like being experimental. Most people on here say they haven't seen an RRAS implementation in the wild.

That's the answer I was looking for. I feel like a lot of stuff you have to learn to pass these exams really aren't used in the real world which is a bit daft but ah well, MS do run the world

I've set it up both ways and I really can't see any reason for making things complicated for yourself by having to set up RRAS. Even those basic Netgear routers can do NAT and custom firewalls these days.

"a lot of stuff you have to learn to pass these exams really aren't used in the real world "

Like what? Honestly I think just the opposite. Most of the stuff on the exams is used in the real world and only very few things are not.

undomiel

I'd have to second Mishra on that. Everything else I've tested on I use. Heck actually I have used RAS for a VPN here at work since that is what I had available.

dynamik

There's always going to be a few topics that aren't going to be very useful. I can't imagine a lot of people using Server 2003 as an OSPF router. Who knows though, maybe someone spills their coffee on your Cisco router, and you need to something to get you by until you replace it.

mr2nut

This is going to be an opinion that varies from engineer to engineer, ofcourse some guys are the 'main' IT support and will use everything, where as some guys will specialize in certain areas (mostly in larger companies who like to waste a bit more cash )

I do a LOT of the stuff i've learnt, but there is also a lot of stuff I really don't need to know for my area of expertise too.