1.01 The Small Business Challenge
Today’s small business owners face
daily challenges in running a business. One of the more difficult challenges is
managing an IT infrastructure. Most business owners aren’t computer and
networking specialists; they prefer to focus time on their core competencies in
the business rather than deciphering installation manuals. Because IT
investment directly impacts the bottom line, there is a constant need to mitigate
costs against a backdrop of time pressures and limited technical skills.
The competitive
marketplace offers numerous technology solutions designed for businesses of all
sizes. However, the solutions that are suitable for a large or midsize business
are often too complex for a small business with between two and seventy-five personal
computers (PCs). Yet many of the over 39 million small businesses worldwide
have requirements similar to those of big businesses—they need to share data
with their customers, partners, and employees; they have concerns about spam,
malware, and security; and they need to manage resources and employee access to
those resources. There is one clear difference: small businesses typically have
to meet these requirements without an in-house IT staff.
To help
small businesses solve these issues, Microsoft built upon its success with Microsoft®
Windows® Small Business Server 2003 to develop Windows Small Business Server
2008. Windows Small Business Server 2008 is the latest small business solution
from Microsoft designed to help small businesses operate at the same technology
level as much larger organizations, but without the added costs and
complexities of managing an intricate IT infrastructure.
Technology
has always promised to solve problems, not create them. Windows Small Business
Server 2008 simplifies business technology and delivers on that promise.
Previous
versions of Windows Small Business Server took significant steps toward reducing
the complexity of implementing and managing server technology in a small
business environment. Windows
Small Business Server 2008 builds upon that foundation with an easier setup and
installation experience, a simplified management experience, and better
network-wide security features for the small business customer. It incorporates
the latest Microsoft technologies for networking, data storage and backup,
advanced e-mail and calendar capabilities, network security, database, and
document and printer sharing.
Partners
are also a great way to reduce complexity for businesses. Windows Small
Business Server makes it easier for partners to deliver value to customers through
simplified installation, administration and mitigated costs.
How a Small Business Benefits
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 provides small businesses with a simplified
installation and management experience making the transition from peer-to-peer
networks to server-based technology painless. It also helps in keeping small
business’ data and systems highly secure – including e-mail and documents -
from malicious attacks, disasters, or technology failures. Windows Small
Business Server 2008 increases productivity through anytime, anywhere access –
for employees or partners - to business information regardless of their
location.
Simplified Management
By
its very nature, an operating system running multiple technologies tends toward
complex management. However, managing a complex environment does not have to
expose that complexity for all tasks. Windows Small Business Server 2008 reduces
operating system complexities by using an intuitive management console, one
that presents an administrator with relevant system information and a matching set
of tasks. These tasks are the ones most commonly needed by administrators and
have been streamlined. Tasks that may take hours to complete with standalone
product technologies become very simple, efficient, and effective processes
that a non-technical person can perform.
For
example, adding a new user to the Windows Small Business Server 2008 network
requires a small set of user-specific information and three clicks in a wizard.
Windows Small Business Server 2008 handles the rest, automating user account
creation—creating the user e-mail alias, providing permissions to server resources,
and building the user’s root directory.
As the
digital age increases the volume of business data, and increases reliance on
communication tools such as e-mail, line-of-business applications, or remote
access, businesses of all sizes need to protect these assets.
The more
sophisticated the collaboration and business data becomes, the greater the need
for complete, network-wide protection. Whether protecting against e-mail-based
viruses or backing up critical data, Windows Small Business Server 2008
integrates leading-edge protection technologies that help guard a small
business network and its data.
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 provides the administrator immediate visibility into
the network’s status. Real-time status icons, daily health reports, automatic
updating of signature files for integrated antivirus and malicious software
technologies, automated data backups, and centralized update deployment are all
available within Windows Small Business Server 2008.
Management
tools also extend beyond the Windows Small Business Server 2008 server. Administrators
can easily determine which client computers are missing critical protection
technologies and prevent the clients from joining the domain until the
necessary requirements are met. The ability to monitor and manage client
computers extends the reach of the administrator without requiring advanced
knowledge or troubleshooting skills.
E-mail Protection
The most
common path for network infection is through e-mail: viruses, worms, and
malicious software. Windows Small Business Server 2008 includes protection from
threats and attacks that attempt entry into your network through e-mail.
Advanced protection is provided by Microsoft Forefront™ Security for Exchange Server, an enterprise-class
antivirus and anti-spam server technology. It provides “always-on” protection,
delivering robust and aggressive e-mail filtering to small businesses.
Server Protection
A second
layer of protection is available for your server. For those times when
malicious software is brought into your network from external sources, Windows
Small Business Server includes protection for your server and keeps your key
services running. Microsoft Windows Live™ OneCare™ for Small Business Server is a malware and malicious
software defensive program that protects server data from attacks across the
network.
Client Protection
Desktop
clients sometimes change on a daily basis as employees add, remove, or modify
applications and information without your knowledge. Windows Small Business
Server monitors your desktop clients for antivirus status, update compliance,
and overall security health. This gives administrators a quick view into
overall client status and helps address issues before they arise.
Simplified Backup for Business Data
Backup
capabilities on the server have been extended to include external drives.
Businesses can easily back up data to external drives and rotate the drives to
offsite storage locations. This simplifies the ability of businesses to secure
its data and keep it safe.
To remain
competitive, small businesses must ultimately rely on complex technologies –
often the same technologies used by much larger organizations. Windows Small
Business Server 2008 provides a solid foundation for business workloads and
provides big business technology at an affordable price. These technologies
enable businesses to enhance employee productivity and gain a competitive
advantage.
Secure Access with Remote Web Workplace
Remote
Web Workplace is a dynamically-updated Web site that provides a single, simple,
consolidated, and highly secure entry point into a small business network,
including a fully-configured internal Web site managed by Windows SharePoint®
Services. Employees or partners can gain access to e-mail, files, or even a
desktop computer through Remote Web Workplace. From a deployment perspective,
the administrator runs a wizard and Windows Small Business Server 2008
automates the entire installation and configuration of the underlying
technologies.
Desktop Synergies with Vista and Office 2007
When you
invest in the Windows Vista® Business operating system and Microsoft Office
Professional 2007 productivity and content management tools and add them to the
server functionality of Windows Small Business Server 2008, you’ll have the IT
foundation you need to work fast, smart, and together, to take it on the road,
and to help protect all your business data—from the inside out. Easily find and
organize information on your PC, in e-mail, and on the network. Create internal
team sites for group collaboration with mobile access capabilities. Take
advantage of faster communication between Vista and servers running Windows
Server 2008. The workplace isn’t just the office—it’s wherever your employees happen
to be.
Mobile Device Support
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 offers enhanced support for Windows Mobile
6.0-enabled smartphone devices. These devices give highly-mobile employees such
as sales staff or field personnel access to e-mail, contact lists, calendars,
and documents stored on the company Web site. Businesses can administer mobile
devices as if they were on the local network, installing certificates or
remotely wiping devices for security purposes.
Internet Business Presence
There’s
growing trend for customers to search for products and services on the Internet,
and their expectation is that businesses of all sizes will have a Web site. A
proper Web presence is rapidly becoming as essential as having business cards
or a phone number. Windows Small Business Server 2008 offers integration with Microsoft
Office Live Small Business, an Internet-based set of tools that help small
businesses quickly and easily create a professional Web presence. This enables
small businesses to stay in touch with customers and easily access company
information from one location.
Business Internet presence
Today’s
businesses regard a Web site as a must-have item: customers seek out
information on products and services they may be interested in, and use a Web
site as a primary source of information. While business Web sites don’t have to
be flashy or extensive, they should provide potential customers with the right
information at the right time – and ideally prompt the customer to contact the
business.
Microsoft
Office Live Small Business is built into Windows Small Business Server,
enabling even the smallest businesses to have a big-business Internet presence.
Everything you need to create a professional Internet presence, including free
Web hosting, easy-to-use site design tools, site traffic reports, and more is
available for business Web sites. Collaborate and share information with
customers, partners, or employees with password-protected Internet workspaces,
or set up simple e-commerce Web pages and search engine marketing for your
customers.
Out-of-box customization
Windows
SharePoint Services can be easily customized with business-specific templates
and process workflows available for download from the Microsoft Web site.
Partners can deliver targeted solutions to small businesses with little
additional cost, helping enhance your reputation as someone who “gets” small
businesses and providing additional revenue opportunity for first-server or
new-server installations.
Line-of-business offerings
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition adds a second server running Windows Server 2008 and SQL
Server 2008. This
server, which can be either 32-bit or 64-bit, is the ideal repository for
customer data and applications and can host customer databases or applications
that require databases. Partners
can expand their solution offerings to include line of business (LOB)
applications or vertical-market packages. Most partners focus on specific
customer segments and become trusted experts in suggesting hardware,
software, and vertical applications. With the solid foundation of Windows
Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008, you can now offer turnkey solutions for your
customers that are easy-to-manage, reducing your per-customer management
overhead. For customers running LOB applications that are not certified on
newer versions of SQL Server, SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition is included with
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition.
Application Access using Terminal Services
The
second server in Premium Edition also provides Terminal Services capabilities
for application access. This
enables businesses to provide secure remote access to key LOB applications
through the Remote Web Workplace interface, helping bring business data to
where it can be the most effective (customer site, supply chain partner, branch
offices). Using the
Terminal Services technology found in Windows Server 2008, partners can deliver
entire desktops, or only applications to business users using TS RemoteApp™. This improves the ability to keep
applications consistent between users and between sessions, keeps maintenance
and upgrades simpler, and improves security for critical application data. You
must purchase additional licenses to use Terminal Services on your network.
Unified Messaging Support
For
businesses that require message consolidation (e-mail, fax, voice mail) into a
single location, Windows Small Business Server 2008 provides a foundation for
adding unified messaging to a small business, giving partners the ability to
offer unified messaging hardware, software, and services to small businesses.
Partners can purchase and install Microsoft Response Point™ or other VoIP
solutions, giving small businesses the reach and power of big-business
solutions.
2.01 Overview
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 minimizes initial acquisition and deployment times
by offering an easily deployed single server solution that combines several
server technologies under one Microsoft license.
With Windows
Small Business Server 2008, small businesses or partners are not tasked with
identifying, purchasing, or licensing multiple server technologies, or
subsequently matching them to appropriate hardware resources. They also benefit
from an integrated deployment experience – one delivered on a single piece of
media that fully integrates the configurations of all underlying server
technologies into a single server installation wizard.
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 incorporates best-of-breed 64-bit product technologies
to deliver a fully integrated environment well suited for most small
businesses. The product technologies include:
·
·
Server
Operating System: Microsoft
Windows Server 2008 product technologies provide the core foundation of Windows
Small Business Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 is the most flexible and robust
Windows Server operating system to date. For more information, visit the Microsoft Windows
Server 2008 Web site.
·
·
Messaging
and Collaboration:
Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 product technologies introduce advanced e-mail
and calendar functionality to Windows Small Business Server 2008. Exchange
Server 2007 delivers a seamless end-user collaboration experience and
unparalleled security features. For more information, visit the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Web
site.
·
Network
Updates and Protection:
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) enables administrators to
deploy the latest Microsoft product updates to computers running the Windows
operating system. By using WSUS, administrators can fully manage the
distribution of updates that are released through Microsoft Update to computers
in their network. For more information, visit the Windows Server
Update Services Web site.
·
Take
business online. Office
Live Small Business provides everything needed to take, promote, and manage a business
on the Internet. Customers can create a professional Web presence without the
hassle or expense of setting up a complicated infrastructure or hiring
technical staff to maintain it. Office Live Small Business is a hosted service
for customers with an Internet connection. For more information, visit the Office Live Small Business Web site.
·
·
Database: Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition adds
a second server to Standard Edition. Premium Edition includes a second copy of
Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition technologies and Microsoft SQL Server 2008
Standard Edition technologies, providing customers and partners with a
comprehensive data management and analysis solution. SQL Server 2008 is a
performance-leader and the fastest growing database solution in the industry
today. For customers using applications that are not yet certified for use on
SQL Server 2008, a copy of SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition is included in Premium
Edition. For more product-specific information, visit the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition
Web site.
·
Collaboration
and Productivity:
Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 is a versatile technology that
organizations and business units of all sizes can use to increase the
efficiency of business processes and improve team productivity. With tools for
collaboration that help people stay connected across organizational and
geographic boundaries, Windows SharePoint Services gives people access to
information they need. For more product-specific information, visit the Windows SharePoint
Services Web site.
Simplified Licensing
Windows
Small Business Server 2008 will be offered
in two editions:
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition and Windows Small Business
Server 2008 Premium Edition.
Each
edition is covered by
a single server license that provides licensing for all the included product
technologies. Each edition also includes five temporary client access licenses
(CALs) that allow users to connect to the respective product technologies. The
CALs may be designated as per-user or per-device, enabling a small business to
choose the licensing model that best suits its needs. For additional users and devices,
customers and partners must purchase additional user and device CALs.
Note
User
CALs are assigned to a specific user, allowing the use of any number of devices
to access Windows Small Business Server 2008. Device CALs are assigned to a
specific device, allowing any number of users – but only one user at a time –
to access Windows Small Business Server 2008.
User and
device CALs will be available in two types of license Suites. The first type, Windows
Small Business Server 2008 CAL Suite, provides licensing for the Standard
Edition product technologies, and provides licensing for access to other
computers running Windows Server 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition
on the network. This license may be used with Standard or Premium Edition of
Windows Small Business Server 2008, and is best for users or devices that do
not require access to the Premium Edition technologies.
The
second type, Windows Small Business Server 2008 CAL Suite for Premium Users
or Devices, provides licensing for Standard Edition and Premium
Edition technologies, including SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition. The Premium
CAL Suite also provides licensing for access to other computers running SQL
Server 2008 Standard Edition on the network. This type of license is best for
users or devices that require access to the Premium Edition technologies.
License
Suites sold in denominations of one, five, and twenty licenses. The
single-license CAL is a new addition to the available License Suites, giving
partners and customers greater flexibility to match licenses to numbers of
employees or devices. This helps cost-conscious customers and partners buy only
the licenses that are needed and reduce overall license management costs.
Microsoft
will also be announcing a new program to enable flexibility within this
licensing to allow customers to move between Standard and Premium versions of
both Server and CAL suite. Furthermore additional flexibility moving
between Windows Small Business Server 2008, Windows Essential Business Server
2008 and traditional a la carte Microsoft products will also be provided.
2.02
System Requirements
The following items represent the
minimum hardware requirements for the server that will run the Windows Small
Business Server 2008 solution. The minimum hardware requirements listed in this
document are specifically applicable to Windows Small Business Server 2008 Release
Candidate and should be considered preliminary. All requirements are subject to
change, dependent on Microsoft’s internal Windows Small Business Server 2008
quality assurance and testing efforts.
Note
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition is only
available as a 64-bit operating system; your server hardware must have a 64-bit
processor to install and use Windows Small Business Server 2008 server. Windows
Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition adds a fourth server running either
32-bit or 64-bit versions of the operating system.
Your
server hardware should have the “Certified for Windows Server 2008” logo. The
logo helps identify products that deliver a high-quality computing experience with
Microsoft® Windows Server operating systems. You can find a list of certified
hardware and server systems on the Windows
Server Catalog Web
site (http://www.windowsservercatalog.com).
·
Systems
with a single-core CPU
– x64 with a 2.66 GHz minimum clock speed.
·
Systems
with a multiple-core CPU – x64 with a 1.5 GHz minimum clock speed.
·
Systems
with multiple physical CPUs – x64 with a 1.5 GHz minimum clock speed.
Note
Windows Small Business Server 2008 is only available as a
64-bit operating system and can only be installed on a server with a 64-bit
processor.
·
Minimum
*8 GB of RAM (*SBITS.Biz suggests.)
·
Operating
system drive partition
– Minimum of *100 GB of free drive space. (*SBITS.Biz suggests.)
·
Backup
drives –
Minimum of 1 External USB Drive, for additional redundancy 2 external USB hard
disk drives are suggested. Windows Small Business Server 2008 supports USB
1.1, 2.0, eSATA and IEEE 1394 external hard disks drives.
·
DVD-ROM
–
Bootable from the system BIOS or a peripheral connection (such as USB).
·
Network
interface card (NIC)
– One network adapter supporting a 100 Mb or greater link speed.
·
Internet
connection
– Certain features require a publicly accessible Internet connection with a
firewall, or firewall-enabled router/modem.
·
USB
2.0 or faster external hard disk drive – Most new external hard disk drives
require a USB 2.0 connection. Earlier versions of the technology have
significantly slower data transfer speeds that will affect the speed of your
backups.
·
Internet domain name – An existing domain
name or you may optionally use the Internet Address Management Wizard to purchase
a new one.
SBITS.Biz Additional Requirements:
·
RAID1 Drive configuration - Minimum RAID 1 Hardware Configuration 2 Drives of > 500GB size.
·
Server based Hardware - No PC Based Server, hardware must be built for server
usage.
Section 3: Features at a Glance
3.01 The
Windows SBS Console
Small businesses perform a balancing act of trying to
reduce costs while increasing profits. The Windows SBS Console offers small
businesses an intuitive and uncomplicated IT management tool that controls IT
management costs while providing a customizable environment designed to help
them reach their full potential.
The Windows
SBS Console is the primary hub for managing most aspects of the small business.
It helps minimize the cost of managing and maintaining multiple applications, systems,
and network resources such as users, computers, and devices. Designed for simplicity, the Windows SBS Console abstracts away management
complexities by providing a streamlined interface into the most common client
and server administration tasks for a small business environment. It also offers real-time insight
into an organization’s overall health, security, and network management.
The
Windows SBS Console launches automatically after a successful installation or after
a server restart. It can also be launched using the Desktop shortcut or by
clicking Start ->All Programs ->Windows Small
Business Server -> Windows SBS Console.
The Windows
SBS Console collects primary management tasks and status indicators into related
tabs. Each tab focuses on a set of tasks or functions that can be applied to
similar resources on the network. As an example, you can add or modify a user
or group through the Users and Groups tab, set a user’s access to various
resources, establish mailbox storage quotas for a user, assign a user to a
specific client computer, or redirect a user’s My Documents folder to additional
storage volumes on the network. Grouping the tasks together makes it easier for
administrators to determine where to go to manage the network and what
to do once there.
The Console’s
tabs include:
·
Home – includes Getting Started Tasks,
most frequently used tasks, an overall system health summary, and links to
community resources;
·
Users and
Groups – focal
point for managing users, user roles, and groups;
·
Network – management of computers, devices
(including printers and fax), and network connections;
·
Shared
Folders and Web Sites
– manages Windows shares and Web sites;
·
Backup and
Server Storage –
manages backup settings and server disk drives;
·
Reports – includes standard reports and
allows creation of custom reports; and
·
Security – provides security summary and
control over Windows updates.
Each of
these tabs contains related information and tasks. Secondary tabs enable additional
categorization of information or tasks. Several of the main tabs use color-coded
icons to represent the overall health of a particular set of objects. For
example, if a computer on the network has not received the latest operating
system update, the Security tab displays a red ‘X’ on the tab, indicating there
is an item needing attention. The system administrator can then click the tab,
find the computer that generated the alert, and take appropriate action.
The Home
tab also includes the Network Essentials Summary (right pane). It displays real-time
status of the network’s overall health and security. Color-coded icons provide
an overall assessment of a particular security or health function. For example,
the Updates summary shows a yellow icon, indicating a warning condition (figure
1). Expanding the item shows that some updates have not been installed, and
provides a link directly to the Security tab where the administrator can find
out more information and take any necessary action.
Figure 1 - The Windows SBS Console's Home tab
Launching
the Windows SBS Console will always default to the Home tab. Administrators can
rely on the Home tab to quickly determine the overall health and security state
of their Windows Small Business Server 2008 deployment. If an issue exists,
additional information is accessible from other Console tabs.
The
Users and Groups Tab
The
Users and Groups tab provides management for all users added to the Windows
Small Business Server 2008 network. It also helps the administrator determine how
those users interact with other servers and resources in the business
environment. With the Users and Groups tab, the administrator may:
·
Manage users
including adding, deleting, or changing existing user properties. Quick task
links provide access to password resets or account disables;
·
Manage user
roles including the ability to build predetermined roles for different user
types within the Windows Small Business Server 2008 environment;
·
Manage security
groups (Security or Distribution Lists) including adding, deleting, or changing
memberships.
The user account properties available through the Windows SBS
Console’s Users and Groups tab represent a cross-set of information that is
available in other tools such as Active Directory. For advanced management, the
complete set of management tools is available through the Start menu. This
gives partners and administrators the ability to access the full power of
Microsoft operating systems and product technologies whenever it is needed.
The primary design principle was to make management user-centric.
With other products and technologies, administrators need to go to the
application to manage the users. With the Users and Groups tab, the Windows SBS
Console consolidates all the primary user resource information onto a single
property page, making management simple and straightforward.
The
Users and Groups tab includes three sub-tabs: Users, User Roles, and Groups.
Each sub-tab provides a details pane and a tasks pane. The Users sub-tab lists
all user accounts on the network, while the tasks pane lists common tasks that
are applicable to managing one user or many users on the network. This layout
is used throughout the Console.
Figure 2 - Managing Users with the
Users and Groups Tab
For
example, as shown in figure 2, when you right-click a user a menu appears containing
the actions that an administrator may perform on that user. These actions are
also available in the tasks pane.
Users
can be managed using global tasks. Adding a new user to the Windows Small
Business Server 2008 environment is the matter of only a few clicks (see Using
the Add a New User Account wizard).
Using global tasks, the administrator may also add multiple users by using the
Add Multiple User Accounts wizard. As shown in figure 3, the administrator
selects a specific user role for all the users being added and then adds one or
more users to the wizard. Once all the new users are defined, a single click
automates the creation of the new user accounts.
Figure 3 - Adding Multiple User Accounts
The administrator
may also access other advanced configuration tasks including changing password
policies (password aging, complexity, and length requirements) or establishing
My Documents folder redirection for one or more users.
By exposing
and simplifying the most common small business administration tasks, managing
the environment is made easier and less time-consuming for the administrator.
The
Network tab is the primary location for managing physical devices on the Windows
Small Business Server 2008 network. It is also the configuration point for all network
services for the small business. On the Network tab, the administrator may:
·
View the
overall health and security status of devices on the network. This includes a
snapshot of the device’s security and update compliance;
·
Repair the
server’s networking settings with a single wizard;
·
Offer Remote
Assistance to a client computer or remotely control the client through Terminal
Services Remote Desktop Protocol;
·
View a computer’s
properties and configure which users may use that client computer;
·
Share printers
and fax devices with users on the network; and
·
Reconfigure the
services established using the Getting Started Tasks.
The
Network tab monitors and manages the overall health for devices on the network.
It includes three sub-tabs for Computers, Devices, and Connectivity. The
Computers sub-tab provides the administrator with real-time insight into the
operational health and security of each individual network attached device. In figure
4 a client computer is showing an Unknown condition for its overall Status,
Security Status, and Update Status. To find out more, right-click the computer
and then select an action from the context menu, or select the computer and
then click a task in the right pane.
Figure 4 - The Windows SBS Console's Network Tab
The
Connectivity sub-tab includes network configuration tasks required for
establishing and maintaining Internet, e-mail, and remote access connectivity.
These features were configured as detailed in Connect to the
Internet. Each
wizard may be run again to modify settings as needed by the business. New to
Windows Small Business Server 2008 is the Fix my Network wizard (figure 5). The
wizard finds errors on your network and attempts to repair them. If it cannot
repair them, it offers guidance on how to repair them manually.
Figure 5 - The Fix my Network Wizard
The Shared Folders and Web Sites Tab
The
Shared Folders and Web Sites tab offers the administrator a streamlined
interface for managing shared folders and Web sites. With the Shared Folders
and Web Sites tab, the administrator can:
·
View summary
information on all folder shares including paths, available free space, and
established quotas;
·
Stop sharing a
folder with the click of a button;
·
Create new
shared folders using a wizard to define paths, access permissions, access
methods, storage quotas, and permissible file types;
·
View
information on all Windows Small Business Server 2008 Web sites, including URL
paths and status;
·
Enable or
disable a Web site through a single click;
·
Change configuration
properties or start management tools such as Internet Information Services
Manager or the SharePoint Service Central Administration tool; and
·
Quickly modify
access permissions on existing Web sites.
The
Shared Folders and Web Site tab (figure 6) includes two sub-tabs for Shared
Folders and Web Sites. The Shared Folders sub-tab The Provision a Shared Folder
Wizard is a convenient method for creating shares that can be managed through
the Windows SBS Console. This gives administrators the ability to see how much
free space is available and what the storage quota is for any shares on the
server.
Figure 6 - Managing Shared Folders
With the Web Sites sub-tab (figure
7), the administrator has quick access to the most common settings used to
manage the company Web sites, including Remote Web Workplace, SharePoint, and
Outlook® Web Access. The administrator can
perform basic configurations, such as enabling or disabling the site, or can set
permissions for specific Web sites.
Figure 7 - Accessing Web Site Properties
The Web Sites sub-tab also provides
the tools to configure and manage the Office Live Small Business Web site. This
service delivers Web site hosting for customers who don’t want to host a Web
site themselves, plus provides additional Web tools such as e-commerce capabilities
and shared Internet workspaces. Figure 8 shows the Web traffic being redirected
to the Office Live servers.
Figure 8 – Setting Up Office Live Small Business Web Site
The
Backup and Server Storage Tab
The
Backup and Server Storage tab provides an administrator with a streamlined
toolset for creating and managing server backups. It is the primary interface
for maintaining hard disk drives within Windows Small Business Server 2008.
With the Backup and Server Storage tab, the administrator can:
·
Use the
Configure Server Backup wizard to create backup schedules, identify a backup
storage medium, and define the items to backup;
·
View
color-coded indicators of backup successes or failures;
·
Modify existing
backup schedules to conform to changing requirements;
·
Start a backup
with a single click;
·
Restore files,
folders, or volumes from existing backups;
·
View existing
hard disk drives, sizes, current usage, and available free space; and
·
Move server
data, including Exchange Server, SharePoint Services, User Shares, redirected My
Document folders, or Microsoft Update data to an alternate storage location.
The Backup
and Server Storage tab includes two sub-tabs: Backup and Server Storage. Both sub-tabs
include color-coded status indicators. As shown in figure 9, the latest backup
event was successful. Given the importance of backing up a business’s data, the
overall backup status rolls up to the Network Essentials Summary pane located
on the Console’s Home tab.
Figure 9 - Windows Small Business
Server 2008 Backup Status
When you select
the server running Windows Small Business Server 2008, backup-specific tasks
appear in the top of the tasks pane. The administrator may modify the existing
backup settings including schedule, locations, and the items included in the
backup. Figure 10 shows the dialog for changing an existing backup schedule.
Figure 10 – Changing a Backup Schedule
The administrator
may also start a backup, pause the current backup schedule, disable backup,
view backup history, or restore data. When restoring data, the administrator
redirects from the Windows SBS Console to the Windows Server Backup tool at the
operating system level.
The Server
Storage sub-tab provides insight into overall storage health including current
usage and free space for each known hard disk drive.
One
feature that administrators will appreciate is the ability to move server data
to new storage. With its support for external hard disk drives, it is easy to
add additional storage to Windows Small Business Server 2008 without having to
shut down the server. As shown in figure 11, the administrator may move
Exchange Server data, SharePoint Services data, User’s Shared Data, Redirected
Documents data, or Windows Update Repository data to a new location using a wizard.
Moving data is as simple as selecting a volume with enough storage space and
then approving the move.
Figure 11 – Options for Moving Server Data to Alternate
Locations
The
Reports tab provides consolidated reporting information on the Windows Small
Business Server 2008 environment and a means to distribute status information
to desired recipients. With the Reports tab, the administrator can:
·
Leverage native
reports to get a complete snapshot of the environment;
·
Generate
reports immediately or on a schedule with automatic e-mail forwarding; and
·
Create custom
reports, or view past reports through the reports archive.
Reporting
information may include:
·
Security – Status of antivirus and
malicious software filtering on Exchange Server 2007, and on clients running Windows
XP and Windows Vista on the network;
·
Updates – Update compliance,
synchronization status, and current policy settings;
·
Backup – Backup history and results;
·
Other Alerts
– Critical server
events and client and server threshold monitoring;
·
E-mail Usage – Incoming and outgoing per-user
mail volume and mailbox sizes;
·
Server Event
Logs – Roll up of
all critical events on the server.
Reports
are available at any time in the Windows SBS Console, and reports can also be
delivered to multiple recipients through e-mail. By default a daily summary
report is sent to the network administrator every night, and a weekly detailed
status report (figure 12) is sent to the network administrator once a week.
Figure 12 – Detailed Network Report
The
reports can be customized to include as much or as little information as you
want, and can be generated at any time or according to a schedule.
Creating
new reports, or modifying existing ones, is straightforward. Four sections help
build the custom report structure. The sections include General, for naming the
report; Content, for selecting content to include in the report; E-mail, for selecting
report recipients (as shown in figure 13); and Schedule, for defining the
delivery date and time. The Archives section is active when editing an existing
report.
Figure 13 - Selecting a User E-mail for Automated Report
Generation
The
Security tab provides real-time information about network security. It is also
the main tool for configuring, monitoring, and managing Windows Server Update
Services. With the Security tab, the administrator can:
·
Quickly
identify anti-spam, antivirus, server antivirus, and malicious software status
and alerts through color-coded health indicators;
·
View definition
or signature file versions for anti-spam and antivirus;
·
Determine if
any client computers lack security updates;
·
Receive summary
information on the Windows Server Update Services environment including pending
approvals and update errors;
·
Deploy or
decline updates with a single click;
·
Change Windows
Server Update Services synchronization or automatic approval options; and
·
Generate
reports showing how an update affects the network.
The
Security tab includes two sub-tabs: Security and Updates. The Security sub-tab
is an information pane for determining the overall state of all security components.
As shown in figure 14, a color-coded icon indicates either a healthy or an
unhealthy state for each security component. When selected, the security
component’s current signature or virus definition version is displayed.
Figure 14 – Security Components Health
Status
By
default, security settings conform to Microsoft-suggested best security
practices for small businesses. If more control or customization is needed, an
administrator may launch the security component’s native management console to modify
settings as needed. For example, to select a different combination of antivirus
engines used for e-mail services, the administrator would launch the Forefront
Security for Exchange Administration Console, located in the Start menu.
The
Updates sub-tab consolidates information and settings from Windows Server
Update Services, which downloads and deploys updates for Microsoft products to
registered client computers on the network. The sub-tab displays network device
status to ensure the devices remain up-to-date. The information provided includes
Updates Pending Approval, Update Errors, Optional Updates, and Updates in
Progress.
The default
configuration automatically approves all security, critical, and definition
updates that are applicable to computers on the network. In the case of
optional updates, which are not approved by default, the administrator may
approve them manually, allowing time to test the updates or research them
before deploying them throughout the business.
Remote
Web Workplace is a dynamically-updated Web site that provides a single, simple,
consolidated, and secure entry point into a small business network. Authorized
users can connect to Remote Web Workplace using any computer connected to the
Internet with Internet Explorer installed. It brings
flexibility to small businesses by offering anytime, anywhere access for
employees.
Employees
can take advantage of remote access to business information and applications,
including e-mail, shared folders and files, or remote connectivity to their desktop
computer at the office. With
Remote Web Workplace, remote employees enjoy an experience similar to their office
counterparts.
Employees
using Windows Mobile-enhanced smartphone devices can synchronize calendars and
contacts, read and respond to e-mail and browse internal Web sites while on the
road or at customer sites. This can provide a competitive advantage to small
businesses that can provide answers to customers in minutes rather than hours
or days.
Remote
Web Workplace provides two interfaces: one for employees and one for administrators.
For employees, Remote Web Workplace:
·
Offers full
access to e-mail and calendars through Outlook Web Access; to an intranet
portal via SharePoint Services; or to computer desktops using Remote Desktop
Protocol (RDP);
·
Provides a
single sign-on experience—an employee’s initial authentication will pass
through to all subsequent actions within Remote Web Workplace for which they
have permissions; and
·
Offers
self-service password resets.
For administrators,
Remote Web Workplace:
·
Offers the same
access as employees plus access to the Windows SBS Console through an RDP
connection; and
·
Provides links
to administrative tools.
By
default, all users can access Remote Web Workplace. The administrator can
control which users have access to Remote Web Workplace by defining a custom
role that disables remote access, by changing access permissions through the
Shared Folders and Web Site tab, or by setting individual permissions through
each user’s account properties.
Installation
and configuration of Remote Web Workplace occurs automatically during the
completion of the Connect to the Internet tasks. For an example of completing
the Connect to the Internet tasks, see the Connect to the
Internet section
of this document.
Figure 15
shows the Remote Web Workplace home page as presented to a user with
administrator permissions. Functionally it is identical to a standard user’s
view except for the administration section in the lower right. With
administrator permissions, the user has remote access to the Windows SBS
Console through RDP and can access the pre-configured Help Desk portal in
Windows SharePoint Services.
Figure 15 - Remote Web Workplace for an Administrator
