Windows Small Business Server 2008 - Welcome to the Family

Today we announced officially that the next version of Small Business Server does actually exist. But of course you already knew that. :)

The offical name is Windows Small Business Server 2008, and is already published up on Microsoft.com.

The even better news, is Microsoft has created a family of solutions product, of which SBS is the old-timer. The Windows Essential Server Solutions family. This of course includes the familiar Small Business Server product, as well as Medium sized Essential Business Server 2008.

So what can we talk about with this new version of Small Business Server 2008?

The Standard Edition - Contains the following Microsoft Products:

• Windows Standard Server 2008


• Exchange Server 2007


• Windows SharePoint Services v3


• Microsoft Forefront security for Exchange


• Windows Live OneCare for the Server


• Integration with Office Live (in countries where Office Live is available)

The Premium Edition - Contains the following Microsoft Products:

• All of SBS Standard Edition


• An additional copy of Windows Standard Server


• SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition

There is a change in the way Client Access Licenses (CALs) work. Standard edition will have Standard CALs and Premium will have Premium CALs

Beyond the basics, what do you get?
Integrated and Consumable
Similar to SBS 2003, there is an integrated setup to setup all the different work-loads. Additionally, a centralized administration console to administrate common tasks on the network. Server monitoring, and much much more!

Protecting your data
Out of the box protection of Exchange through Forefront Security, and Antivirus for the server from Windows Live OneCare for the Server. A completely new backup solution to provide more robustness and speed of your daily backups. And network-wide management of patches through Windows Software Update Services!

Business Capacity
Integration with online services such as Office Live (available in countries that Office Live is available only). A brand-new Remote Web Workplace design, the out of the box availability of SharePoint version 3, and the Premium sku to help you grow capacity.

When will it be available?
We're currently targetting the second half of this 2008!

Hungry for more information?

• Check out this press release.


• Point your browsers over to the official Microsoft.com SBS 2008 website.


• The Official SBS Blog.

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Apparently Bootable Volumes have a 2 TB Limit

Installing a new Windows Home Server box at my house, and I built it on a RAID array that had 2095 GBs. The problem was that the volume I created didn't show up in the boot menu of my Gigabyte motherboard as a bootable volume. It had to be less than 2048 GB for it to appear as a bootable volume.

Hopefully someone else who has this problem finds this post, because it took me two nights working on it to discover this little problem.

.. I'm actually pretty sure this is a hardware limit, as it had nothing to do with the Windows Home Server install.

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Microsoft Conference Call

Have you ever been on a conference call with a Microsoft employee? If so, and we sound slightly out of breath, it's because of the exercise program that goes on before the call starts...

Observe.

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Un-Approving an Update.

I approved an optional update (KB929735) for my network (since all critical and security updates are automatically approved for me), and I ended up with something that wouldn't install! My reports forever had the yellow shield of patience.



Unfortunately, the patch I told to install wouldn't actually install on my desktop for which it was destined.

The first step of course was to try to install it manually. I downloaded the patch and attempted to install it manually, and it reported that it wasn't needed by my system. weird.

Well, since it was only an optional update, I decided to decline it for my network. To do this:

• Open the WSUS native console (I'm using v3, so the v2 ones might be different)


• Expand Update Services, Computer Name, Computers, All Computers and select Update Services client computers.
  
• Double click on the computer that the patch won't install onto.


• Click the next page button to go to the second page of the report


• Search through the report for the KB that you want to decline.
  
  
  • I found it easier to change the filter on the top of the report instead of searching through the entire list


• Click the Install word under Approval Summary for ...


• Click the button in front of Update service client computers and select Not Approved

Then you can go back into the familiar SBS tools, and you'll see the patch again, this time you can decline it.

Once I declined the patch, I was returned to the green check of glory!

Hope this helps you if you've got a patch that won't install, but you can't get rid of it.

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Humor: Help desk in the middle ages

I came across this link the other day, and wondered if helpdesk has actually changed over the years? or if our end users are behaving the same, just the problems are different.

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The *NEW* Small Business Server Best Practices Analyzer!

That's right.

SBS now has a BPA!

Details are hosted at the Office SBS Blog from our Customer Support team, but you can download it direct here.

Don't forget to check out the known FAQ tips here.

May all your practices, now be "Best"...

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Making Office 2007 save as PDF

Office 2007 can create your PDF files for you. All you need is Word, and the handy plug-in available here.

Simply install the plug-in and then choose Save As ... and select XPS/PDF. You can then publish your document as a PDF file.

Enjoy!

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SQL Allocated Memory Alert Fix (From a Diva)

I typically like to keep my content on my site unique, but every once in a while, you get enough questions about a particular topic that's posted somewhere else, and you think "Dang! I wish I had that blog post here". Well, That's what I'm doing.

One of our MVPs, Susan Bradley, has an outstanding post on how to deal with SQL allocated memory alerts from SBS 2003.

That post is available here.

Susan's post gives step-by-step instructions for how to correct the MSSQL$SBSMONITORING service when it starts using too much memory, and your server starts sending you these:

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Allocated Memory Alert on DOMAIN

A large amount of memory is committed to applications and processes. Consistently high memory usage can cause performance problems.

To determine which processes and applications are using the most memory, use Task Manager. Monitor the activity of these resources over a few days. If they continue to use a high level of memory and are less critical processes or services, try stopping and then restarting them.

You can disable this alert or change its threshold by using the Change Alert Notifications task in the Server Management Monitoring and Reporting taskpad.

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So if you're seeing this error, head on over to Susan's site, and get it resolved!

Thanks for a great post Susan!

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Enabling the Network Map on Windows Server 2008

As you may have guessed, I've been running Windows Vista for quite some time now, I'm sure many of you have too, and are eagerly awaiting Windows Server 2008, and of course, utlimately, Windows Small Business Server 2008!

Well, looking at my Windows Vista Networking & Sharing Center, I was able to pull up the network map of my laptop (modified to fit this blog):


Wait a sec, where did you get that?

Ah, here's how I found this nifty feature:

• Click Start, then Network.


• Then right below the address-bar, you'll see Network and Sharing Center, click it


• Then above the graphic, click View Full Map, and there you have it

One of the things you'll notice immediately being on a Small Business Server 2008 box is that by default, this handy map is disabled. The reasoning for this is because as a Domain Controller, there could be many many machines attached to the network,and discoverying the layout of the network is not a task you really want your domain controller to be doing (you know, over allowing logons to happen, e-mail to be processed etc.). But it's not that big of a deal for small networks with some of the high powered machines you might have.

So here is how to turn it back on!

• Crack open your trusted local policy editor on the DC by clicking Start and running gpedit.msc, you'll have to accept the LUA prompt


• Browse down to Local Computer Policy, Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Link-Layer Topology Discovery.


• Once in there switch both Turn on Mapper I/O (LLTDIO) Driver and the Turn on Responder (RSPNDR) driver to Enabled from Not Configured.


• Now refresh the map, you don't even need gpupdate /force because it's the local policy!

Enjoy the map view of your network.

Please note that some restrictions apply (as in XP machines without the LLTD responder installed will not reply, and any class of machine lower than Windows XP, including MAC and various forms of *ix)

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Windows Home Server has RTM'd!

For those of you who don't know. Windows Home Server has reached RTM, and has gone into production. Should be available in the late fall, and boy would this make a great Christmas present to any photographer....

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SBS 2003 RTM, we lay you down to rest

I found out today that our buddy, SBS 2003 without Service Pack 1, is being removed from the list of supported products today. Not to be confused with SBS 2003 with SP1, or SBS 2003 R2, which continue on for support.

This means that today is a great day to Upgrade to SBS 2003 Service Pack 1! It's free!

The full list of other products that will no longer be supported, and when is available on the Lifecycle Support Page.

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The Small Business Server Tech Library is now Live!

Our writing team has managed to put together a technical library of documentation up on TechNet. The direct link is here.

Some key advantages include:

• Access everything from one location: All SBS product documentation is now in one central location, easy for you to find!


• Search content: Use the search tool to search for a term or phrase throughout the entire SBS product documentation library, KB articles, TechNet, and more.


• Provide feedback: Use the voting tools to submit your feedback and add comments about the quality of the information.


• Watch it grow: Because of your comments, we’ll update the content on a regular basis.

Enjoy the new content!

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Windows Home Server Reaches RC!

For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the Windows Home Server RTM, we're getting close. RC was declared!

Here are some fancy news articles:
Beta News
Windows Home Server Reaches RC1
June 13, 2007

Redmond Magazine
Windows Home Server RC1 Released
June 12, 2007

Computer World
Microsoft unveils Windows Home Server RC1
June 13, 2007

OSNews
Microsoft Windows Home Server Release Candidate
June 13, 2007

DailyTech
Microsoft Pushes Out Windows Home Server Release Candidate
June 13, 2007

The Tech Report
Windows Home Server release candidate rolls out
June 13, 2007

Wired – Gadget Lab
Windows Home Server Leaves Beta Testing
June 13, 2007

The Digital Lifestyle
Windows Home Server Release Candidate
June 13, 2007

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Another Sneak Peak into Cougar

So, it appears that you enjoyed my last post about where my next version of SBS is. Well, I was surfing (my email) and this handy link of what's coming in Windows Server 2008 appeared.

As you know, Cougar's base operating system is based on Windows Server 2008. Many (but not all) of the features that come with Windows Server 2008, are available in Small Business Server. I unfortunately cannot speak to which features appear, and which one's don't.

But hey, nothin' like another teaser eh? I feel like a movie trailer, except I can't show you all the scenes and make you not want to go out and see the full-feature! :)

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