Small Business Server VS Enterprise

Izi · 29 Nov 2010 at 10:09

Morning all,

Currently configuring a new server for our office. We are a small business with 6 users. I do not see us growing bigger than 10 users in the next 12-24 months.

I have installed Windows Server 2008 Enterprise and found it fairly easy to set up, however the more intricate details of ADS are going to take me a little longer to understand and learn.

Someone mentioned that I should be running SBS - is this a dumbed down version of Enterprise? Can I still create a domain for users to login to? What are the pros/cons of this?

The server will act as a file share and a development centre (SQL/ASP.NET).

It would be nice to be able to backup computers from it also.

Thanks in advance.

matthab · 29 Nov 2010 at 12:19

If you have Enterpise on and have bought it then keep it, it will do everything SBS will do just not dumbed down.

SBS however is dumbed down alittle bit with a nice fluffy management console. Its also alittle cheaper. SBS will do everything you want for a small business network.

Read here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee247406(WS.10).aspx

Personally if it was me id have your development centre on either a virtual box or on a different server. I dont like mixing live enviroments with testing enviroments.

Street · 29 Nov 2010 at 12:24

If you used SBS, you would have Exchange built into it as well.

Izi · 29 Nov 2010 at 13:34

matthab said:
If you have Enterpise on and have bought it then keep it, it will do everything SBS will do just not dumbed down.

SBS however is dumbed down alittle bit with a nice fluffy management console. Its also alittle cheaper. SBS will do everything you want for a small business network.

Read here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee247406(WS.10).aspx

Personally if it was me id have your development centre on either a virtual box or on a different server. I dont like mixing live enviroments with testing enviroments.

I read a couple threads people saying use SBS if you are a small business, its much better suited to needs (hence the name eh!?

)

I am going to install it and see what the crack is - I have access to both versions through a Microsoft action pack subscription.

TBH, I am not a server admin, so it being dumbed down is not a bad thing.