EXERCISE 1.01G ENERATING A G ROUP P OLICY M ODELING R EPORTIN THIS EXE...
255_70_293_ch01.qxd 9/10/03 1:42 PM Page 29
Using Windows Server 2003 Planning Tools and Documentation • Chapter 1
29
cable when you’re initially wiring your building, but it will cost significantly more if youfind you need to rip out the cabling and redo it later.In planning for network growth, you should again consult with your users, especiallythose in strategic planning and decision-making capacities. Although no one can accuratelypredict what will or will not happen to a company over months and years, these decision-makers will be able to give you some idea of the overall vision of the company. Are theyhoping to expand dramatically through mergers and acquisitions? Or are they satisfied withtheir specific market niche and anticipate adding personnel and equipment in only smallerincrements as production increases?Finally, when considering desktop computers, laptops, and servers, keep in mind thatmost current hardware will come with a one- to three-year warranty, sometimes with anoption to purchase an extended warranty at the time that you buy the equipment. It’s notnecessarily true that your computer hardware will immediately break down the day afterthe warranty expires; however, the length of your warranty and/or service contract shouldfactor into your projections regarding how often you plan to replace your equipment. Forthis reason, many organizations adopt a three- to four-year replacement cycle, budgetingsufficient funds to replace one-third or one-quarter of the installed computer base everyyear, or setting aside money to replace all of the equipment en masse when it reaches theend of its warranty cycle.