So, SBS2008 has been around for 2 years now, as with other versions of SBS before, it is suitable for up to 75 users and contains the following:

1. MS Exchange Server
2. SharePoint site for collaboration
3. Remote Web Workplace
4. File and Print sharing

In short, all the things that businesses need to get going licensed as one product, installed on one server.

So, what does the new SBS contain I hear you ask….well, in short, nothing much. But, it is radically different from other versions of SBS previously released and contains 2 versions.

SBS7 (codename)

This version of the new SBS is an on premise solution, it runs on a single server and contains the usual MS Exchange, SharePoint, File and Print etc. This is likely to only contain product updated from previous versions of SBS. [more details here]

SBS Aurora (codename)

Now this is cool! With all the talk of cloud computing Microsoft have included it in the core functionality of this product. This does not contain MS Exchange, SharePoint or CRM out of the box but can provide them by consuming Microsoft’s BPOS services.

No worrying about backing up your Exchange, because Microsoft do it for you.

No worrying about losing emails if your server crashes, because Microsoft do it for you.

Great!

This product will reduce the outgoing cost for Small Businesses by allowing them to pay only for the services (Email, SharePoint, CRM) they need on a monthly basis whilst allowing Administrators to manage the system as if it is inhouse. [more details here]

We expect this to be a great product which will provide everything that an SME requires, nothing that it doesn’t. Watch this space!

As we have already announced, we are pleased to have SkillsGen on-site with us at our Wavertree offices.  Skills-Gen is a Microsoft Gold partner and one of the leading training companies in the North-West.  Gardner has an agreed bespoke and also an off-the-shelf training programme for all users. We cater for users who wish to do anything from just familiarising themselves with the new Microsoft technologies up to obtaining professional certified qualifications.  We can jointly agree work “coaching” and enterprise-wide certification.

Following our latest series of Microsoft events covering Windows 7, Exchange 2010 and Microsoft Server 2008 R2 we are pleased to announce that we can now offer training on these subjects.

For a detailed response to your own specific requirements, just call our technical sales team on 0151 220 5552 or email us at info@gardsys.co.uk.

 So what is EBS I hear you ask…

EBS in Microsoft’s own words is:

“Windows Essential Business Server 2008 is an enterprise-class server solution designed and priced for midsize businesses. Windows Essential Business Server 2008 provides a unified Administration Console to manage an integrated IT infrastructure with the latest versions of management, messaging, and security server technologies.  By helping to improve IT manageability and reliability, Windows Essential Business Server 2008 turns a midsize IT infrastructure into a strategic asset, boosting productivity and growth”

We at Gardner Systems met with Iain Frew, Principal Program Manager for EBS last week to discuss what it can bring to the typical mid-market business. Throughout the slides we were shown it was clear to that Microsoft has realy studied what a potential customer could want when producing EBS. It includes key technologies such as Exchange 2007, forefront security, SQL server 2008, hyper-V, system centre essentials and many more.

Gardners are presenting an event around this topic here in Liverpool on the 24th September 2009. This event is free for anyone to attend and will consist of us demonstrating EBS with Microsoft key speaker and Principal Program Manager, Iain Frew. A perfect opportunity for you to come and meet with Microsoft.

Visiting the Essential Business Server website this product is usually shown on multiple (3/4) servers with one per function-Management Server, Messaging Server, Security Server. This can, according to this document be virtualised onto less hardware to provide “infrastructure in a box”.