Question : Two  Small Business Servers (SBS) on same network.

We have 2 sites each with a SBS 4.5 - one running File, Print and Exchange and the other running File, Print and SQL 7. However, 1 site is moving in with the other, and we wish to combine both networks. Is there a way I can use both servers? Maybe demote 1 of them? Maybe separate Windows domains? (Internal security is NOT an issue) Maybe TCP/IP on one server and IPX or NetBeui on the other? (And all clients having both protocols).

Thanks in advance.
Michael

Answer : Two  Small Business Servers (SBS) on same network.

Ok then, this is what I would do:

In the office that will become the final resting place for both domains, create 2 VLANS or add a new internal LAN connection on my router.

The domain that already exists in this office would get the following IP network - 192.168.1.0, subnet 255.255.255.0 - this will give you 254 host addresses for the network.  The router LAN address for this segment would be 192.168.1.1

On the second LAN interface I would use the network address of 10.10.1.0, subnet 255.255.255.0 (again, 254 hosts) and the router would get 10.10.1.1 for this interface.

Ensure that the router is setup so that routing between networks is permitted, but broadcasts are not.

Place the newly arrived domain on the 10.10.1.0 network and address the computers accordingly.

Next, create a two-way transitive trust between both PDCs so that communication between domains for resource sharing is possible.

Now, the users can just log in the way they are used to with no noticeable change to their end.  The two networks will co-exist in the same location, sharing the same router for outgoing internet access and mail with no interference from each other.  Each PDC will control their own Domain on their own network segment.  Most importantly, the servers can still perform their functions just as they are doing it now.

Once this is done you have some time to take a look at what you want to accomplish in terms of domain restructuring and network design, etc.  Plan carefully and take your time.  

Anything you plan to do now can be done slowly and in a controlled manner since you have both domains on the same wire.  You can merge and use some of Microsoft's migration utilities to move user and machine accounts into whatever domain you choose to be the host domain.  You can then reconstitute the left-over server into the host domain.

I only suggest this method because you are using SBS, which is very inflexible.  Since it is locked and (from what I can recall), you must make the server a domain controller and install everything you want to use out of SBS on the single server only - you cannot legally split products out to multiple servers.  If you had full products for each domain, this would change my suggestions to you greatly besides being a little easier to deal with.

I hope this better shows you what's on my mind.