Microsoft puts name and date to Aurora and SBS 7
Microsoft has revealed details of the next generation of Windows Small Business Server, including names and the final feature set.
The software maker introduced Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard Edition, formerly known as SBS 7, and Small Business Server 2011 Essentials, previously code-named 'Aurora', in a blog post on Tuesday. The Standard version of the updated server suite will arrive in December, while the Essentials version will be launched in the first half of 2011, Microsoft said.
SBS 2011 Standard is "an effective refresh" for previous editions, Michael Leworthy, Microsoft's senior product manager for Windows Server, said in a conference call.
"There's a lot of investment in IT skills and a need for an on-site solution for core line-of-business applications that can integrate with the cloud as well," Leworthy said."It's effectively the best of both worlds."
While SBS 2011 Standard offers many of the same features as its predecessors, it upgrades the base operating system to Windows Server 2008 R2 and moves the Exchange and SharePoint installs to their 2010 releases. This should improve support for remote access. It also includes a new version of the Outlook Web App and SharePoint 2010's private version of the Office Web Apps. This means that the server can deliver scaled-down Word, Excel, and PowerPoint document editors to users via a browser.
Effectively a business version of Windows Home Server, SBS 2011 Essentials is a new member of Microsoft's server suite family. The former 'Aurora', which has been available for preview since August, is designed for use in small offices with up to 25 users. It automates backup and provides offices with a central file share, which means it requires "near-zero IT knowledge for day-to-day management," Leworthy said.
Microsoft intends SBS 2011 Essentials to work in conjunction with cloud services, including its recently announced Office 365 web-based applications, and the company plans to bundle in simple connectors for this. It brings Home Server-like managed storage and backup together with an easy-to-manage version of Active Directory, as well as directory federation tools to link inhouse identities to the cloud.
In addition, Microsoft is exploring new server hardware form factors with major hardware manufacturers, including monitorless, keyboardless systems "that meet the affordable entry level that many small businesses require", Leworthy told ZDNet UK in a later conversation.
The biggest change to the SBS 2011 family is the removal of the Premium edition and the introduction of a Premium Add-on for both the standard and the essentials versions. The add-on option is a response to customer demand, according to Microsoft.
"We got a lot of customer feedback about the way they needed to make that purchasing decision on day one and couldn't change it," Leworthy said. "If they went for the standard edition, there was no way to move to the SQL edition."
The SBS Premium Add-on includes Windows Server R2008 Standard and SQL Server 2008 R2 for Small Business, with the additional server meant to support roles such as virtualisation via Hyper-V.
As for system requirements, SBS 2011 Standard will need a minimum of 8GB memory and a single quad-core processor, while Essentials will need a minimum of 2GB of memory.
Microsoft has not released UK pricing for the servers. In the US, the Standard edition will cost $1,096 (£684), with client access licences (CALs) at $72. The Premium Add-on is an additional $1,604, with CALs at $92. However, businesses will only need a Premium Add-on CAL if they are connecting to SQL Server, and SBS 2011 Standard CALs will be valid for all other uses.
The company said it would announce pricing for SBS 2011 Essentials closer to its release-to-manufacturing date, though Leworthy did note that businesses would not need to buy a CAL for user access.