Windows server 2008 r2, or 2011

[sleepybrown]

Hi, I hope I'm posting in the right section. Especiall since this is windows 7 based forum.

I had near the same dilemma a few years back, and now I have the opportunity to get a server and some client computers for cheap from an office closing. I'm being offered either a dual core work station that have windows server 2008 loaded or a quad core server with server 2011 small business. Then some workstations with windows 7. I pretty much need some advice and path of direction, because I'm beyond rusty with server 2008, and 2011 I only helped a friend installed it a while back. What I want accomplished is to be able to do the following:

• Log off one workstation as a certain user account then log back on through another workstation with the same account and have access to all my previously saved work. (maybe virtualization?)
  
• have certain network drives setup for each user account
  
• Setup a vpn to synchronize certain folders.
  
• Have the user accounts and data on the server.
  
• setup printing limits.

Pretty much Even though I'm not there yet in the real world I'm trying to emulate an office network. Currently, I have 2 routers and a switch. The main router has on dd-wrt and handles dhcp, and the other router is pretty much an extension. Any advice and help is appreciated. I'm leaning towards the dual because it's cheaper, but I can try to sell my laptop to get some money for the quad core.

Can I also create "guest" like accounts that have no access to certain items and will not attach all drives? Do I have to install the programs on the local computer, or should I install them on the server? Is this something I should do in another os like linux? I was thinking windows server since its pretty much a windows network, and since it's being included.

So far what i'm thinking for the network drives is a logon script but don't know where to have it set up on. I'm thinking that if everything is done through the server, then I can deploy it via the active directory user list maybe? They also have some terminals there, but since I have a few desktops I don't think I'm interested. I do have a bit of curiosity on how those are setup.

 

[sleepybrown]

I found some info, it seems as if I have to use a domain controller. I know it houses a user database, but is the content and any information that is for the user account handled locally on the workstation or the server?

 

[logicearth]

Get the quad core server...if you can...either way. Windows Server Small Business 2011 is in fact Windows Server 2008 R2...that is basically a pack of other Microsoft software. With a Domain set up, the server handles the user authentication, but can still log on locally if you need to.