Monday, January 15, 2007

SBS doesn't have to be your only server...


I've been hearing that people aren't buying SBS because you can't add additional servers to your SBS 2003 networks...

This is just plain wrong.

Sure, SBS is required to be the root domain controller, the primary domain controller, and can't trust any other domains. But you can have file and print servers, line of business application servers and... get this, AND backup domain controllers, backup Exchange Servers, ISA servers on the edge*, secondary SQL servers*.

Need more information?

* The ISA and SQL software that comes with SBS 2003 Premium Edition cannot be installed on seperate servers, but you can purchase this software individually and install it as neccessary.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I just had a terrible experience with MS support along these lines.

A law firm's users were used to using the Remote Web Workplace to get to Outlook Web Access.

When their IS grew beyond the SBS limits we installed an Exchange Enterprise server.

Before implementing the solution, I called MS support, and was assured that I could configure the SBS Exchange to be a front-end server, and answering OWA requests.

However once I went down that path I ran into the blue-boxed icons and Loading... problem. Called MS support back and the next person said it wasn't supported.

I've since created a second URL to go directly to webmail, but it's still clunky and not what I wanted for my customer.

Paul said...

Was you IS over the 75Gb limit that has been available since Exchange SP2 or the old 16Gb IS limit...

The good thing post exchange SP2 is that SBS really can deal with most small companies needs.

Sean Daniel said...

I'm terribly sorry that you had a bad support experience.

But yes, since Exchange Service Pack 2, you have been able to grow your store to 75GB. Addition of the other servers would only really help with the load.

Anonymous said...

You mention backup Exchange Servers.

I have an W3k Server as a backup domain controller,terminal server DNS Server. How Can I setup a Backup exchange server ?

Sean Daniel said...

Unfortunately there is no good pricing match for this. You'd have to buy a retail exchange server, and retail windows server, and follow the enterprise instructions for replication between the two servers.

Anonymous said...

I have an Action Pack subscription so pricing isnt an issue as I have the licences need. Do you have a link for "following the enterprise instructions for replication between the two servers"

Sean Daniel said...

A quick search on Microsoft tech net resulted in this link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9f5b91cd-d7c2-409d-81a0-033a23e1faee.aspx

Anonymous said...

Gday mate, how do you run 2 exchange servers in SBS 2003? the link you posted is a link to normal clustering, are you suggesting that we build an exchange cluster based on the SBS version? Sounds like an overly complex work around (is it a supported MS configuration for support purposes?) to what is supposed to be a cost effective small business solution.

Sean Daniel said...

To be honest, the SBS team doesn't test this scenario a heck of a lot, since it's unusual for a small busines to want to fork out the cash for an additional Windows Server, and a full blown Exchange 2003 server, plus all the CALs.

Due to the cost, we haven't really tested this scenario, nor invested in it.

Having said that, we won't have blocked the scenario, and it should function just the same as if you had two exchange servers. I don't have any good data that I can pass along, so you'll have to test out your Internet searching skills. :o)