Today is the start of the Server 2008 PR ramp up.  I can today tell you a bit more about Cougar, as was, or SBS 2008 as it will be, the new "family" that SBS is part of and a bit more on Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (aka Centro).  Hopefully there will be a couple of surprises and also confirmation of some of the rumours around there.  I've sliced the press release made today into 3 sections.  This blog entry is based on the Essential Business Server 2008 section of which there is an extract below of some key points.  The whole press release can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-20EBFamilyPR.mspx.

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Windows Essential Business Server 2008 for Midsize Companies

Windows Essential Business Server 2008 is designed for the needs of midsize organizations with up to 250 desktops, helping IT professionals take control of their systems, reduce time spent “fighting fires” and focus more on strategic efforts to drive business growth. The solution includes built-in IT best practices and provides a unified console for management of key workloads and product licensing, which makes IT budgeting and purchase simpler and more predictable.

Windows Essential Business Server combines the technologies of Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, Forefront Security for Exchange Server, System Center Essentials 2007, the next version of Internet Security and Acceleration Server and, in the Premium Edition, SQL Server 2008 technology. The product will be demonstrated on IBM BladeCenter S and HP BladeSystem c-Class c3000 hardware at the “Heroes Happen Here” launch on Feb. 27 in Los Angeles, and is slated for availability in the second half of 2008.

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More information about Windows Essential Server Solutions is available at http://www.microsoft.com/essential and http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/serversolutions.

Now much of this is a repeat of what we already know, but I felt I should share it:

• Based on x64 technology
• Capable from 25-250 users, so does overlap with SBS 2008.  Depending on the customer needs either SBS or Essentials should be used (SBS information here)
• There are still two editions - Standard and Premium, with Premium offering an additional Windows Server 2008 standard system and SQL Server 2008.
• It has the following components as standard
• Windows Server 2008 x64
• Exchange 2007
• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
• System Center Essentials
• Forefront Security for Exchange Server 
• Enhancements to mobile and remote working tools and management
• Premium has the following additional components
  • 2nd Windows Server 2008
  • SQL Server 2008

 

My advice is to read the web sites linked in the press release and let me know your questions.  There is already information published on this product, so you should get more than you need quite easily.

 

ttfn

David

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Posted Wed, Feb 20 2008 1:59 PM by David Overton