Okay, I am currently interning for a small it company and my boss had asked me to find a way to do the following:

He bought us a new server so we could play around with it. This is the task that he assigned me and my co-worker:

First, to install W2k3, which we were able to do successfully.
Second, install VMware Server on it with a copy of W2K3. This is where we are at right now.

He wants us to build a Small business server so we could start hosting exchange on it and become network admin for his business. He gave us the server so we could go on the virtual machine and start adding users and make it similar to what he does with his clients now.

However!! I do not know how to do any of these. He said he wanted us to make our server separate from the company network. Semething about static ip and then have us remotely connect to it like how he does it with his clients. NO IDEA. Someone please help me or ask me questions so I could research more on this, or help me ask the right questions so I can get this started. Where we do start? We couldn't give the server its own ip address and separate it from the business network so it doesn't intefere with clients.

Have you installed VMware? Have you installed Server 2k3 virtually yet? Are you hosting a virtual dedicated Exchange Server as well or having a third-party host it? There's a lot more that goes into this then 1 server.

I am going to assume that the physical machine (the actual server) will be running AD, DNS, DHCP etc... and the virtual machine will be hosting your Exchange Server is this correct?

But I'm stuck on a few things you have mentioned. I will let you respond to me first and I will respond with my concerns and questions!

Yes I installed vmware and installed 2k3 virtually. I have found that a lot of people do not understand what internship is. Problem with a lot of tech savvy guys not understanding the business side of IT. Luckly, my boss understands that as an IT, An intern is someone who works in a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment (SIH-199), making it similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career; they may also be as young as middle school students in some areas. Student internships provide opportunities for students to gain experience in their field, determine if they have an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts, or gain school credit. Hope this helps you out. I Like this forum we can both exchange answers ;] You learned something new today too!

You learned something new today too!
Quite the contrary actually. I will teach you something. I know what an internship is, I did an internship while I was in college as an IT Pro. At an insurance agency, so explaining the definition if internships to me was quite superfluous on your part.

Problem with a lot of tech savvy guys not understanding the business side of IT
Not sure what you meant by this or what you were implying but either way I disagree. Let me shine some light on my job as it is in IT at a very professional Insurance Agency. The problem is not IT "guys" not understanding the business side because nothing in your post refers to the business aspect of things. THere is a thin line between business and IT but much to the dismay of you, it only pertains to the Network Admin or whomever's in charge.

As grunts as you are and myself I suppose. We do not see, cross or come close to seeing or crossing this line. We are the lower end IT guys who do grunt work, desktop support, software/hardware support, published app support etc... we're not the ones authorizing T1's per company budget, authorizing purchases according to Tech Budget etc...

There is no business side to a grunt IT guy/girl. Intern or no intern. It's strictly support and move on!

If you would like to exaplin your reasoning then by all means.

Now, to get to your initial question. You have installed 2k3 on a physical server, which you then installed VMware which you installed virtual 2k3 on. Now, you never answered my question.

Are you hosting Exchange or are you using a third-party? If you're hosting Echange is it on the virtual 2k3 as this would be your dedicated Exchange server?

I suppose keeping the employees PC's working flawlessly can be called the business side of things because when they ru nthe business runs but that's all you're getting!

Before creating a network you need to know what it is you need first and then what it is you want to do. If you're creating it from scratch and not utilizing any of the rols offered by your servers already being implemented then you need a few things.

1. Domain Controller, DNS Server, DHCP Server, AD setup, etc...
2. What you want is an Exchange Server.

Before worrying about setting up exchange you need to get the network up and running first. Lets start from the beginning and we'll work toward getting exchange up and rnning for your "fake" network.

First step what will the physical server be used as? DC, DNS, DHCP??

Your domain controller will also have AD. While you can use different servers for DNS and DHCP you can also just add the roles to the same server that implemetns DC/AD. Since I am assuming you want your physical server to do all this you need to add these roles.

You will have to add the DC role first which starts AD. Adding DNS/DHCP second.