Small Office Networking with File Sharing for Certain Users

[sumstuf]

Hello, I am planning to redo my small office network. Right now every computer is connected through a workgroup and some computers are sharing files to everyone and some need a login to share other files. I want to run a main server where all the files are on that computer and have it share all the files to everyone else on the network. I'm not too familiar with Windows workgroup networking and file sharing.

I want to have certain files accessible to certain computers and certain files accessible to everyone on the network. I'm under the impression that I have to have the main server with all the business documents. Then create separate accounts on the server and hand them out to each individual computer. After, go to each document and specify who can access what with read/write. Can I share some files to everyone and have certain files limited to other computers at the same time? How would someone access the shared files when you need a login and will this login conflict with files shared to everyone and files shared to certain people. I remember on my small business network I need a login for certain computers because it is shared to only certain people then how would I access the files shared to everyone when I have to login to see the server files to begin with? Also, how do I manage backups with this setup? Thanks in advance.

[Tripredacus]

Well the simplest way to do it is very similar to what is being done now. You will have 1 PC with the files on it. Since you are running in a workgroup, its a nice idea to have different accounts to limit what systems can get into the share... but are all these computers in the same office? What is to stop your users from sharing these accounts and passwords? I'm not sure how to add computers as permissions in a workgroup setting... although you could add that PC's user account.

Either way, you haven't posted an OS. I imagine you don't have this file server built yet. What is your budget on it? Do you think that Small Business Server 2011 would be a fit?