10 questions for Small Business Server/Essential Business Server guy, Russ Madlener

By Microsoft Subnet on Wed, 11/12/08 - 4:58pm.

Russ Madlener, Microsoft's director of planning for the Windows Servers and Tools division Brad Pitt Today, Nov. 12, is the day that Microsoft officially releases two new Windows Server 2008 products, Windows Essential Business Server 2008 and Windows Small Business Server 2008. Both of them are integrated packages of server software (including WS2008, Exchange, and other stuff) with end-user licenses. The idea is that these bundles are not only more affordable for SMBs than buying the individual products, but that they offer unique integrated installation and management features. While the SBS product has been around since Windows Server 2000, the 2008 version is a major rethinking of it, says Eriq Neale, author of the Windows Small Business Server Unleashed book series. EBS is a new variation altogether. Both of them are available in two editions: standard and premium. For these reasons, we invited Russ Madlener, Microsoft's director of planning for the Windows Server and Tools division, to join us as a guest for a "10-questions-for" interview to clarify some information about the new products.

You might be asking, what does any of this have to do with Brad Pitt? Stay tuned until question 10, on page two, when all will be revealed. Editor's note: This month, Eriq Neale is writing a guest blog for Microsoft Subnet and we are giving away 15 free copies of Windows Small Business Server 2008 Unleashed. Entry details can be found on the Microsoft Subnet home page.

Microsoft Subnet: Hi Russ, thanks for agreeing to be the guest for this "10-questions-for series" interview. We'll start with an easy-peasy warm-up question. No. 1: On Nov. 12, Microsoft is officially releasing two Windows bundles, Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008. What is the difference between SBS and EBS?

Russ Madlener: Hello. SBS is designed for businesses with up to 50 PCs (the product is "technically" limited to 75). EBS is designed for businesses with up to 250 PCs (the product is technically limited to 300). The other difference is hardware scale. We designed SBS to run on one physical server, while EBS spans three physical servers. Of course, by using Hyper-V, the number of physical EBS servers could be changed.

Microsoft Subnet: No 2: The product literature says that these products include "Windows Server 2008 Standard technologies." What is Windows Server 2008 Standard technologies and how is it different from "Windows Server 2008 standard edition"? (Plus, Hyper-V isn't prominently mentioned in some of the materials … is it included in "standard technologies"? In the "Premium editions" of each of these products?)

Russ Madlener: When we built Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008, we based the products on Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition. An important goal of this process was to keep the underlying operating system "intact" -- we didn't want to change it. Customers and partners told us they wanted to be assured that the underlying OS was the same as Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition. We achieved this goal, except we did add "limits" to the operating system to ensure the products are used by small and midsized companies. For example, SBS is limited to 75 users (User and Device CALs), while EBS is limited to 300 users (User or Device CALs).

These small limitations require us, legally, to use the word "technologies" vs. "standard edition." It's an unfortunate legal requirement, because other than these limits which will have no effect on small and midsize businesses, the underlying operating system is identical to Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition. Yes, in SBS and EBS we ship the version of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition, which includes Hyper-V.

Microsoft Subnet: Please clarify what you mean by "technically limited to" and describe what happens if, for instance, a 76th user tries to connect to SBS.

Russ Madlener: The product would not allow the 76th user to connect. We do give many warnings ahead of reaching the 76th user so no one will ever be surprised. If a company were to outgrow SBS, it would have options. For example, it could choose to move to EBS, or to "transition" out of SBS to the individual versions of the component products. We will offer discounts associated with these options. For example, if a company that has outgrown SBS, wants to move to EBS, Microsoft provides an additional discount above and beyond the discount of EBS. We've created a Web site where people can review options for discounts. The program is called "Solutions Pathway."

Microsoft Subnet: No 3: What if a user wanted to choose different editions of some of the software included in the bundle. For instance, SQL Server 2008 Enterprise edition has lots of nifty tools not available in other editions. What would be involved if a user wanted the EBS package, but wanted to swap an edition here and there?

Russ Madlener: The products are integrated solutions, so there is no "swapping" offered. Certainly people could "add-on" all the products they want.

Microsoft Subnet: No 4: The CAL licensing specifies "user" or "device" … what's the difference and how is Microsoft calculating that? For instance, if one user has a PC and also a Windows Mobile device, does that count as one CAL user or two?

Russ Madlener: A "User" CAL is for one user (and they can have multiple devices). A "Device" CAL is for a single device (PC, mobile phone, etc.) which could be used by multiple users.

Microsoft Subnet: No 5: Both of these products include one-year subscriptions to Microsoft's security products Forefront Security for Exchange Server and either Live OneCare (for SBS) or Threat Management Gateway (for EBS). But what if an organization already has security software from a vendor other than Microsoft, was happy with it and didn't want to change or add ForeFront/OneCare? Are other security vendors certified to work with these products and if not, would Microsoft's support be affected by using such products?

Russ Madlener: Our aim is to give customers and their partners maximum choice to make the right decision to meet their needs. Both Forefront Security for Exchange and Windows Live OneCare for Server trials can be uninstalled, or during an installation from SBS media, [users] can opt out of deploying these trial services, if desired, from an SBS 2008 server. Additionally, OEMs and system builders can choose to build an SBS 2008 image without the Windows Live OneCare for Server and FSE trials from the start.

The good news is, because SBS and EBS include the "standard" versions of the included products (Windows Server, Exchange, etc.) any product certified to work with these products will work with SBS and EBS. So any "security" product designed to work with Windows Server 2008, will work with SBS, for example. If you check out www.thedreamserver.com (the SBS and EBS launch site), you'll see that Symantec, Trend and CA are all sponsors of the SBS and EBS launch event.