SBS 2003 Overview

According to research firm IDC, small business is currently one of the biggest growth areas for IT. In the small-business market segment, IDC predicts an 11.6 percent annual growth rate in server deployment, with a corresponding 19.3 percent annual increase in broadband usage through 2006. This growth will be fueled by the continued reduction in the price of server hardware and an increase in the availability of affordable broadband services. Microsoft's most recent Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 release targets the needs of this emerging small-business market. Designed for businesses with 75 or fewer workstations or users, SBS 2003 is the fourth generation of Microsoft's SBS product line, and it boasts simpler installation, configuration, and management than any previous SBS version.

SBS 2003 Standard Edition vs. SBS 2003 Premium Edition
Unlike earlier versions of SBS, SBS 2003 comes in two versions: SBS 2003 Standard Edition and SBS 2003 Premium Edition. Web Table 1 (http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 40708) lists the components of each edition.

Both versions of SBS 2003 include Windows Server 2003 (with its integrated Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services feature), Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, and five Client Access Licenses (CALs). To this base of core components, SBS 2003 Premium Edition adds Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3), Microsoft FrontPage 2003, and Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000.

The choice between the two versions essentially boils down to whether you need SQL Server. Although a firewall, such as the one that ISA Server provides, is essential, many broadband routers already incorporate firewall capabilities. SBS 2003 Standard Edition includes a basic firewall, but it isn't as full featured as most commercial firewalls. If you need SQL Server, then the bundled pricing of SQL Server 2000 as a part of SBS 2003 Premium Edition makes the premium edition a good buy. However, if you don't need SQL Server, then SBS 2003 Standard Edition is a better choice. The budget-conscious small-business owner could also choose SBS 2003 Standard Edition and add Microsoft Access, Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE), or a freeware database such as MySQL along with a third-party firewall for functionality comparable to SBS 2003 Premium Edition for less cost. In addition, you can often gain a performance advantage by installing the database on a different server from the server that's running Exchange.

Installation and Initial Setup
I tested SBS 2003 Standard Edition; it came OEM-installed on an HP ProLiant server with a 2.4GHz Intel Xeon processor, 256MB of RAM, and dual 18GB hard disks. Using an OEM installation meant that HP had preinstalled the setup files to a partition on the hard disk, eliminating the need to install the software from CD-ROM or DVD. The setup process began automatically as soon as I booted the server. Microsoft's goal for the OEM-installed version is to get the system running in less than 30 minutes. Although I began my installation without first locating the preinstallation checklist supplied on the installation poster included with the server, I easily managed to get the system running within the 30-minute time frame. The setup prompted me for an IP address, a gateway address, and primary and secondary DNS server addresses. In my case, my network had an existing DHCP server, so the SBS setup automatically recognized that server, which supplied several of the important network settings. Even so, you need to know your network's infrastructure to complete the setup process. All in all, the setup for SBS 2003 resulted in the fastest setup for Active Directory (AD) and Exchange that I've ever performed. I gave the system a name of WinNetMag, set the AD domain name to WinNetMag.local, and named the Exchange 2003 server WinNetMag. I didn't need to perform any extra manual steps, such as running Domainprep or Forestprep, that the typical Exchange installation requires. After setup finished, AD and Exchange were both running and ready to accept new users.

Client system setup was also a snap using the Web-based client computer deployment tool. After the server setup finished and I added some users on the client system, I pointed my Web browser to the SBS server's intranet connection URL, which on my test setup was http://sbs2003/connectcomputer. Connecting to the URL caused an ActiveX control to download to the client. When I clicked the Connect to the network now link from the client's browser, the server downloaded the preselected client components and set up various client configuration settings. The default applications included for installation on the client are Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 6.0, Outlook 2003, and the client OS service packs. You can add other applications to this list as well. The settings that were sent to the client included the ability to prohibit users from modifying the installed applications, as well as the tools needed to set up ActiveSync and configure Remote Desktop and printers.

Administration
After the server setup is complete, the SBS server displays the To Do List, which guides you through the required system configuration tasks, as Figure 1 shows. Using the To Do List, you can connect SBS to the Internet, add user and computer accounts, set up inbound and outbound mail, and configure backup and system monitoring. And, as you might notice in Figure 1, SBS 2003 requires you to activate the server.

I noticed when completing the items on the To Do List that the list doesn't automatically check off completed items. After I'd performed a couple of the items more than once, I realized that I needed to manually check the Done box.

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Web Table 1 in the article does not seem to exist. Can you guys update the link?

Brian December 08, 2003

Where is the Web Table for comparisons?

Jeff Holsinger December 09, 2003

I'm disappointed with Michael Otey's article "SBS 2003 Overview" (December 2003, http://www.winnetmag.com, InstantDoc ID 40708). The author doesn't seem overly familiar with Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 and the way it works. First, he states that you can configure the Exchange POP3 connector to retrieve email from Hotmail.com and MSN.com. Aside from the fact that Hotmail.com and MSN.com are one and the same, you can't use POP3 to retrieve email from these types of Web-based email services. These services want you to have to go to their site to read your email so that they can present you with advertising. Otherwise, what's the point of offering free email services?
Second, the article omits mentioning Terminal Services in SBS 2003. The version of Windows Server 2003 that comes with SBS 2003 won't go into application mode. I've confirmed this fact with Microsoft and have experienced it firsthand. Windows 2003 in SBS 2003 will work in admin mode, but the function is restricted to two users with Administrator rights. Microsoft wants you to purchase a second server, with a second Windows 2003 license, to run Terminal Services in SBS 2003. This is a major "gotcha" in SBS 2003 and not a well-known one. Microsoft justifies this requirement as being necessary for security because the SBS server is a domain controller (DC). However, you can switch any other Windows 2003 server that's also a DC into application mode. In my opinion, this restriction in SBS 2003 is unfair. Many small businesses are interested in remote access. Given that SBS 2003 is targeted at the Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Value Added Providers (VAPs) that support these small businesses, those VARs and VAPs should be making the decisions about what is or isn't secure in an SBS 2003 installation. 
Third, how can the author recommend small office/home office (SOHO)level firewalls while also stating that a small business doesn't really need Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000? These boxes do very little to stop real intrusions from the Internet, plus they have little or none of the other features that ISA Server 2000 includes. The price of ISA Server as bundled with SBS 2003 is a bargain, and the product is excellent. 
Finally, a point that's important to include in any article about SBS is that if you approach the upper user limit (75 users in SBS 2003), you'll need a hefty server to service all the users, unless all they do is type Microsoft Word documents and send and receive only a handful of email messages every day. In past SBS versions, the 75-user limit has applied to user logons, not to the number of users you can set up in Active Directory (AD). You can set up 500 users if you want, but only 75 can log on to SBS at the same time. 

Walter is correct that Hotmail.com doesn't have a POP connector and therefore wasn't the best example of a POP mail provider. However, he's mistaken about MSN.com's ability to support POP. I get mail through POP from MSN.com every day. In any case, the point is that SBS 2003's POP connector can and does retrieve mail from POP accounts. 
Walter is also correct that SBS 2003 doesn't support Terminal Services application mode. I didn't mention that in my article because I don't consider it a major shortcoming in SBS 2003, which isn't designed to function as an application server. I believe there are two reasons why Microsoft didn't design SBS 2003 to be an application server. First, the system is targeted toward smaller businesses, which are unlikely to require Terminal Services. Second, a potential performance problem exists when you run Terminal Services applications on a system that also runs Microsoft Exchange Server, file and print services, and DNS and functions as a DC. If you want to run Terminal Services in application mode, I think you're better off getting a second server. 
Regarding ISA Server, I didn't intend to recommend that businesses don't use SBS 2003 Premium Edition, which includes ISA Server. I believe that firewalls are necessary, and ISA Server includes a good firewall. If your business doesn't have a firewall, SBS 2003 Premium Edition would be a good value. However, many standalone firewall products can provide protection that's as good as or better than the protection ISA Server provides. Most businesses that I'm familiar with already have firewall products in place. For those businesses, little will be gained with a second firewall. 
My article does state that SBS 2003 is licensed for use on a single server. It also addresses the 75-user limit. 
--Michael Otey

Walter Muma January 23, 2004

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