Windows Small Business Server RTMs

Microsoft focused on the development of a milestone in the fight against, for the final work in his six months as long as the Windows Server 2003 launch last Tuesday with a press release to manufacturing Windows Small Business Server 2003.

Press release to manufacturing means, after the completion of the development, and the guidelines and software will be sent to factories, and is prepared to put up on the download site. Fourth-generation version of the Small Business Server scheduled to be formally launched the week of October 9, in the Microsoft Partner Conference in New Orleans.

From the markets point of view, Microsoft has made three major changes to the Small Business Server 2003 version: it split the product into two versions, the low-end version makes more expensive Compared to 2000, power generation, and strengthen the small and large companies can use the product.

In Windows Small Business Server 2003, and now in these two premium and standard edition. Fee includes Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003, ISA Server, SQL Server 2000 and Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 easily. Standard Edition will not include the database, firewall, or on-line creative products.

Small Business Server standard and Premium, is the ninth and the tenth version of the Windows Server 2003, the arrival of this year. The first six versions of Windows Server 2003 to become generally available on April 24. They were the Standard Edition, 32-bit and 64-bit Enterprise Edition, 32-bit and 64-bit version of the data center and network version. Last week, Microsoft launched a Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition of Windows Storage Server 2003.

Price paid version of the Windows Small Business Server 2003 from the stability of Windows 2000 Small Business Server 1499 US dollars in five client access licenses (CALS). Microsoft also has greatly lowered the price point for the Standard Edition - 5 99 US dollars and the 5 C ALS. Several major hardware manufacturers plans to introduce complete hardware and software packages based on Windows Small Business Server 2003 1000 US dollars, Microsoft officials have said. Additional CALS prices of all versions, but has increased by 65 per cent, from 60 to 99 yuan.

Katie town of hunters, Microsoft group product manager for Windows Server also said that Microsoft pushed down the price of entry-level Small Business Server, so that an option is very small package business. Less than 10 organizations, represents a huge market opportunity. In the United States, Hunter said that the companys research shows that about 10% of the size of the business have a server in place.

"We are looking for a general to do so with Small Business Server is to really make the value of server computing for the masses of small business," Hunter said. "They need [server], these enterprises have several computers, they also use their share, they have a large amount of data that they need to secure, control and backup." At the same time, Microsoft seems to have decided that a minimum engagement outside, it can get customers to pay the additional CALS. Hunt believes that the new CAL higher prices provide a smooth transition, when customers fall short of Small Business Server, and 99 US dollars that China Airlines is still a bargain compared to the cost of maintaining the Microsoft CALS the outside of the Small Business Server environment.

As customers graduated from the Small Business Server, a separate licensing of Windows Server, SQL Server and Exchange Server hit a large increase in cost. "We found someone from the [pay] slightly more than 50 US dollars China Airlines, now with SQL Server, [customers] far more than 200 yuan per client," Hunter said. "99 US dollars is still a great deal with the China Airlines When you see Windows and Exchange and SQL Server, Windows and even the exchange." An obstacle to Small Business Server sales in the past has been limited support network, 50 computers or less. In the 2003 version, this limit should be raised to 75 computers are all standard and advanced versions.

"The product is still for the entire network of 50 or fewer computers," Hunter said. "[But] you do not really have a lot of customers for 40 computers, feel comfortable [Buying the product] and [] constraints, we want to give [customers] some cushion." Along the same lines, product features upgrade options, allowing the user to the software, the small enterprise servers and the use of the underlying technology in full-featured mode. In such circumstances, customers will pay the cost of the standard version of Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition minus the cost of Small Business Server 2003. "We give you the honor, grow up," Hunter said.

Ease of installation, ease of use and integration of the Small Business Server is for small businesses or without its support, or with one or two people in the IT department, but many of the characteristics, and also to the channel . Microsoft believes that consultants and service companies as a major way to promote the market by SBS - as demonstrated by the plan to the formal launch of the products partner event next month.

Microsoft added: partner-friendly aspects to some of the characteristics of the installation of easy-to-use, Windows Small Business Server 2003. One example is the work in order to set up a simple exchange of remote access through Outlook Web Access to internal or remote personal computer through remote desktop technology. At the same time, Microsoft made it possible for IT consultants, we must use the same interface to log on remotely as an administrator and the remote monitoring system, or the establishment of a monitoring and reporting. "We see the channel partners to establish a service business," Hunter said.

Brelsford Khalifa, who wrote the book about Windows Small Business Server, and operates an advisory against the practice of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Seattle area, said the product as "a consulting practice in a box." As the installation time is much shorter and simpler and more stable products, Windows 2000 than the previous generations, it will enable consultants to create value - Add business, and offers a forecast for the price of the follow-up services. "I can go back to fixed-price acquisition, I can go to law firms, and said that, we need to build your network for the 3000 US dollars." Brelsford that Microsoft has improved Windows Small Business Server 2003 enough to give it a real opportunity to mend fences with its partner community. "We have been in the small and medium enterprise market, and the SBS community, especially the hard feelings left over of the SBS nt.x. many of us-based consultants, and never cared about his product a chance."