Networks Networking Noob - Server advice needed

I'm having problems already What a total noob

Right for a file server for a couple of machines and maybe ftp server do I need to use active directory, should I set the machine up as domain controller? DNS names? Domain vs. Workgroup? Setting up users... Needless to sat I'm stuck, I know I probably don't need to use active directory but I'd realy like to learn a bit about as it's the mainstay of the 2000 server environment....

Can anybody suggest any decent reading (online resources / books) that would help get me started?

 

ftp is in the IIS install. you will only need to set up domain if you wish to be able to log in to the server from each client which is the idea of a client/server setup.

as i said in the email to you there is a book with the title of some thing like learning 2000 server visualy which i have had a look at as you use it on the network+ but i have alway ignored it as it does not help if you are doing the course any way

 

someone may have answerd this already but im too tired to read it all, NO you do not need the same OS on the differnt workstations, the whole client / server enviroment takes care of all of that for you, the first time i set one up, i was an intern on a job and i asked the same question, got a funny, look and then it came back to me, boy did i feel dumb

 

I guessed that but I just can't get my xp pro machine to find the local domain when I try and set it up in the network properties....