SuperSite Blog : Small Business Server

Tonight: Windows 7 presentation

pthurrott — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:59:18 GMT

I’ll be discussing Windows 7 (and a few other topics; see below) at the Boston Area Windows Server User Group this evening, so if you’re in the area, come on down. Here are the details about the location and event:

Boston Area Windows Server User Group
Wednesday October 1, 2008 6:00 PM
Microsoft Waltham- 201 Jones Road - 6th Floor MPR-A
Directions:
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/info/usaoffices/newengland/waltham.mspx

Paul Thurrott - Paul is the guy behind SuperSite for Windows (www.winsupersite.com) and is WindowsITPro's News Editor. Come hear Paul discuss Windows 7.

6:00-7:00 - Pizza, Networking, Meeting Formalities, "Tech-Tips Live"
7:00-7:50 - Paul Thurrott on Windows 7, Part 1
7:50-8:00 - Short Break
8:00-9:00 - Paul Thurrott on Windows 7, Part 2
9:00-9:10 - Standard Raffle (including 5 signed copies of Paul's latest book "Windows Vista Secrets")
9:15ish - Premium Member Raffle! Premium members have a chance to win an iPod Nano.

I had hoped to be able to show a recent build of Windows 7 by the time of the presentation, but that won't be happening, so I’ll focus the discussion on what’s permissible, and I’ll be posting the actual presentation to the SuperSite tomorrow. But I’ll also be discussing Microsoft’s strategy around its Essential Server Solutions products—Windows Home Server, Windows Small Business Server 2008, and Windows Essential Business Server 2008—and how these products compare and can be used in different environments. I also hope to have time to discuss a virtualization project I’m working on involving Hyper-V and some of the aforementioned ESS products.

In any event, I hope you can make it. If not, the presentation will be posted tomorrow.

Windows Essential Business Server Preparation and Planning Wizards

pthurrott — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:44:36 GMT

Microsoft has pre-release versions of its Windows Essential Business Server Preparation and Planning Wizards available for download:

Brief Description

Preparation and Planning Wizards help prepare an existing environment for successful Windows Essential Business Server installation.

Overview

Preparation Wizard scans the existing network environment for any potential health issues to assure a proper and valid setup of Windows Essential Business Server. The tool runs about 100 environment checks and provides data and documentation links to address the issues found.

Planning Wizard provides guidance on planning migration to Windows Essential Business Server.

Additional Information

The computer where you install the Preparation Wizard and the Planning Wizard must be connected to your existing network. If you are planning to join Windows Essential Business Server to an existing Active Directory domain, the computer must be joined to the domain to test your environment for compatibility with Windows Essential Business Server.

If you installed the Preparation Wizard and the Planning Wizard on a domain-joined computer, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group to complete steps in a wizard that require a connection to Active Directory. If you are not logged on to the computer with appropriate credentials, the wizard prompts you for domain administrator credentials when they are needed.

OK, fine. So why is this of interest? Well, you don't have to be planning a Windows EBS install to use the tools, for starters: Instead, you can use them to gauge the health of a small- to mid-sized Active Directory environment and make sure everything is up and running properly. The first of the two tools, the Server Preparation wizard, is the most relevant for that purpose: It has a health scan that examines the key components of your network and identifies roles, services, and other areas that may not be functioning properly. (The second tool, the Planning Wizard, is more geared towards EBS planning specifically.)

You may be surprised what you find.

Windows SBS and EBS 2008 hit RC1

pthurrott — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:56:50 GMT

A note from Microsoft:

This week as promised, Microsoft released RC1 of both Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server, if you are interested in testing you can download EBS here and SBS here.

Today, Microsoft also released a set of free planning wizards which provides guidance on migration to Windows Essential Business Server. Microsoft added a new downloadable tool that scans the existing environment looking for the top (91) configurations and server health issues that affect successful setup of new server roles. This was modeled after what customer service engineers do for Microsoft’s top customers to help resolve issues. If you are interested in testing, you can download the tools here or for more information checkout the WESS team product blog.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 RC0 now available

pthurrott — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:08:31 GMT

Microsoft made the RCO (release candidate 0) version of its upcoming Windows Essential Business Server (Windows EBS) 2008 available recently, and now SBS 2008 RC0 is available as well:

Brief Description

Public Preview Software – Release Candidate 0
Designed for small businesses, Windows Small Business Server 2008 is an affordable, integrated server solution that helps you protect your business data, increase productivity and present a more professional image to customers – giving you the tools you need to help grow your business capacity.

Overview

Windows Small Business Server 2008 (Windows SBS 2008) is an integrated server solution that helps you protect your business data, increase productivity and present a more professional image to customers. By providing many of the features used by larger companies --e-mail, an Internet connectivity, internal Web sites, remote access, support for mobile devices, file and printer sharing, backup, and restore--Windows SBS 2008 gives you the tools you need to help grow your business.

Windows SBS 2008 is available in two editions: Standard and Premium.

Standard Edition includes the software to install the primary Small Business Server.

Premium Edition includes software to install an additional Windows Server (either x86 or x64) for your domain, with the option of running SQL Server.

You can read more about SBS 2008 (and EBS 2008) in my SBS/EBS 2008 preview series.

Windows Live OneCare for Server

pthurrott — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:54:02 GMT

Microsoft dropped me a note this morning describing the beta test of Windows Live OneCare for Server:

Last month, Microsoft highlighted its Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Live OneCare for Server, upcoming solutions aimed at providing increased security and protection for a small business environment. Microsoft recently invited a select group of private beta testers who are also testing the Small Business Server 2008 beta to lend feedback on Windows Live OneCare for Server. Limited to 5,000 testers, this is an important step toward ultimately bringing this solution to the small business environment based on their valuable input.

Windows Live OneCare for Server is designed to work with Windows Small Business Server 2008. OneCare for Server provides anti-malware and security services to help protect and maintain the server. Additionally, the protection OneCare for Server offers includes:

Performance tune-up

Removal of unnecessary files

Automated backup (of specific file types)

Consolidated management

OneCare doesn't get a lot of respect for some reason, but I've always found it to be quite capable in real-world use. I'd also point out that Microsoft is using the same anti-malware engine in its enterprise-oriented Forefront security products, which are quite highly regarded.