Hey everyone! I'm an 18-year-old who recently got hired as the IT person for a small company with just 8 employees, starting in three weeks. I have some experience running a homelab for my family, but no professional sysadmin experience. The owner of the company is the main developer and is really busy, so I'm stepping in to help out with IT tasks.
Right now, I need to set up a system where any employee can log into any laptop and have access to their files and Chrome data like bookmarks and cookies. My initial thoughts are to use an on-prem Active Directory domain with OneDrive's Known Folder Move for file management. However, I keep running into different options like Microsoft Intune and Azure AD, now called Entra ID, and I'm unsure what's best for such a small business without breaking the bank.
Also, I'm uncertain whether employees will be working from home or only in the office, which would impact my choices significantly.
I'm looking for advice on a few questions:
1. Is an on-prem Active Directory even worth considering for a company of this size, or should I just go with Entra ID and Intune?
2. How can I manage Chrome roaming? Is there an effective way to sync bookmarks and cookies?
3. What's the cost comparison between the on-prem and cloud options?
4. Is there anything else I should be aware of that might help me succeed in this role?
I appreciate any guidance as I'm eager to learn and do a good job!
5 Answers
I agree with going for M365 combined with Entra ID and Intune. Internal servers just don't make sense for your situation. A business premium license will cost around £25 per month per user, but it simplifies everything! You'll have all necessary tools in one package.
You've got your work cut out for you, but remember to keep things straightforward. On-prem AD isn't the way to go. Stick with the cloud options for ease of management, and just take it step by step. It might sound daunting, but it’s a great learning opportunity!
Awesome outlook! Learning is key here, so don't stress too much.
This is a fantastic chance for you! Just focus on getting the basics down and expand from there.
If you're considering growth, you might want to assess if a more robust solution is needed down the line. An IT consultant could really help you map this out if things get complicated. Remember, it’s perfectly fine to ask for help as you learn.
Yeah, reaching out for guidance is always a savvy move as you start this role!
Great idea! A session with an experienced IT consultant could really clarify a lot.
Definitely go with Entra ID and Intune. For a small team like yours, setting up an on-prem server would be overkill and not worth the cost. Use Intune to enforce OneDrive for file storage and manage Chrome profiles to handle bookmarks and cookies. It's a solid route for your needs and will make things easier in the long run! Good luck, and don't hesitate to reach out for help if you need it.
Absolutely right! Test everything with a sample user before rolling it out widely. Just make sure backups are in place.
Sounds like a fun journey ahead! Just keep everything manageable and lean towards cloud solutions.
For syncing Chrome, make sure you set it up so they can save their data to their Google accounts. It’s straightforward and a good solution. Anyone using their laptop should be able to sign in and access their profile easily.
Good point! It's simple and doesn't require extra software.
Exactly! Plus, it helps keep things in sync no matter where they are.
Pushing for that Premium plan is wise, even if your team thinks they might not need all of it.