It’s official: Thursday August 21, 2008 Windows Small Business Server 2008 hit Released to Manufacturing (RTM) status!

More details on the official SBS blog:
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2008/08/21/sbs-2008-released-to-manufacturing.aspx

Register today for this 8-part training series of Academy Live Windows SBS 2008 Core Technical Training. The presenters are David Fabritus, Nicholas King and Michael Toot:

• Windows SBS 2008, Part 1 of 8: Introduction
    Thursday August 21, 2008, 12 PM – 1 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 2 of 8: Planning & Installation
    Thursday August 21, 2008, 2 PM – 3 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 3 of 8: Migration
    Friday August 22, 2008, 12 PM – 1 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 4 of 8: Management, Health, & Security
    Friday August 22, 2008, 2 PM – 3 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 5 of 8: Messaging & Collaboration Management
    Monday August 25, 2008, 12 PM – 1 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 6 of 8: Remote Access & Computer Mgmt
    Monday August 25, 2008, 2 PM – 3 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 7 of 8: LOB Support & Troubleshooting
    Tuesday August 26, 2008, 12 PM – 1 PM Eastern
• Windows SBS 2008, Part 8 of 8: Virtualization
    Tuesday August 26, 2008, 2 PM – 2 PM Eastern

Source: Chris Parkes Blog

Today, July 7, 2008, at Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) Microsoft announced the official launch date of SBS 2008 (Cougar):

Per Steven VanRoekel:

“I am excited to announce that Nov. 12, 2008, is the official launch date for Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. Activities that day will signal availability of both solutions and kick off launch efforts worldwide. In many ways, though, we consider WPC our launch for partners and we want to help them plan and prepare for the solutions.

We are also announcing that both solutions are reaching the Release Candidate 1 milestone, another step toward final release. Pre-release versions of Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 are available for download and evaluation now through www.multiplyyourpower.com.”

Note – That is not RTM date, just the launch date.  There is a lot of discussion in the forums about Software Assurance, what’s in, what’s out, why did they do this or that, etc.. The bottom line is, you have a hard date. So now you can better help customers decide if they should limp along on existing hardware and for another 5 months, or pull the trigger on new hardware purchases using SBS 2003 now and look at SBS 2008 when SP1 is born.

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2008/jul08/07-07QAvanroekel.mspx

BTW – Is it just me, or does the new 2008 marketing material look like a cross between the Zune logo and Line Rider?

Forefront 2008	SQL 2008	Zune Logo	Line Rider

Here’s the link to the Line Rider video I’m talking about, which is ‘ok’, but the best Line Rider is here (and imbedded below):

The Super Mario Bros one is cool too. But I digress…

Anyway, I guess it’s fresher than the old ‘Breakout’ / Q*bert marketing stuff from the Server 2003 era:

Everyone is invited to attend the June 2008 KYSBSUG meeting tonight. Admission is free but registration is required. Details below:

Event: June 2008 KYSBSUG Meeting #52
Topic: SBS 2008 (Cougar)
Date: Wednesday 06/18/2008
Venue: Money Concepts
Address: 323 Townepark Circle, Louisville, KY 40243
Start Time: 6:30 PM Eastern
Registration site: http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=129467

Note: This is our 52nd consecutive free monthly meeting, and we’re still going. So we’d like to say ‘Thanks’ to everyone who has attended a KYSBSUG meeting in the past! You guys rock!

I get this question every couple of days, so I’m throwing it on the blog:

QUESTION: "How much RAM will (Cougar) Small Business Server 2008 need, and what’s the maximum amount of RAM it will support?"

ANSWER: Here are the current System Requirements for Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard (one server) and Premium (second server):

Server 1 (SBS 2008 Standard):

• Processor: 2 GHz or faster x64 min. (no 32-bit servers folks)
• Memory: 4 GB RAM recommended / 32 GB maximum
• Available Disk Space: 60 GB minimum free space

Server 2 (SBS 2008 Premium):

• Processor: 2 GHz (x86/x64 processors) or 1 GHz (IA64) or faster
• Memory:  2 GB RAM recommended
• Available Disk Space: 12.2 GB minimum free space

Both Servers Also Require:

• 1 Network Card: Ethernet network interface card from the windows server catalog
• Internet: Some Internet functionality may require Internet access (fees may apply) and a Windows Live ID Account
• Fax Modem: Fax Services require fax modem (only if you fax)
• Supported Client Operating Systems:
  Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition SP2 or later;
  Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate;
  Windows Mobile 5.0 or later
• DVD-ROM drive
• Super-VGA (800 × 600) or higher-resolution monitor
• Keyboard and Microsoft® Mouse or compatible pointing device

Source: Microsoft SBS Site

Per the Microsoft press release dated 05/13/1008:

Slated for general availability later this year, Windows Essential Server Solutions are much easier for small and midsize companies to implement and manage than separate products. In response to customer and partner feedback, Windows Essential Server Solutions provide flexible pricing and licensing that offer substantial cost savings over purchasing individual products like those included in the solutions. Examples of licensing improvements over the current Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 product include these:

• Customers will be able to purchase single client access licenses (CALs), so they will pay only for the exact number of employees using the product.
• Customers can cost-effectively purchase a mix of Standard or Premium CALs, as appropriate to the technologies that individual employees are using.
• CALs now apply to other copies of Windows Server, SQL Server or Exchange Server on the network, eliminating the need to purchase additional CALs.

Also, Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition includes additional Windows Server 2008 Standard technologies with SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition for Small Business, making it an ideal platform for critical business applications.

Windows Essential Server Solutions pricing* is as follows:

• Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition software, including five CALs, $1,089 (U.S.); additional CALs $77 each (U.S.)
• Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition software, including five CALs, $1,899 (U.S.); additional CALs $189 each (U.S.)
• Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Standard Edition software, including five CALs, $5,472 (U.S.); additional CALs $81 each (U.S.)
• Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Premium Edition software, including five CALs, $7,163 (U.S.); additional CALs $195 each (U.S.)

Microsoft also today announced rebates of up to $200 (U.S.) for solution provider partners configuring Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 for their clients who acquire the software and purchase Software Assurance within a certain time period. With Software Assurance, customers will receive the upgrade to Small Business Server 2008 at no additional cost when it is available, as well as access to support, tools and training. Terms and conditions of the rebates are available at http://www.SBSrebate.com.

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/may08/05-13PublicPreviewPricingPR.mspx

In case you missed the SMB Summit in Texas last week, there’s still an opportunity to get public information on SBS 2008 and EBS 2008.  There are slide decks and other information available on the Microsoft Partner (https://partner.microsoft.com)* for SBS 2008 and EBS 2008:

• Introduction to Windows Small Business Server 2008 (2.7 MB pptx):
  https://partner.microsoft.com/US/productssolutions/servers/40061795 
• Introduction to Essential Business Server 2008 (2/8 MB pptx):
  https://partner.microsoft.com/US/productssolutions/servers/40061789

* Note: You must be a Microsoft Registered, Certified or Gold Partner to access the download site.

Nice video interview from EDGE with Sean Daniel, Program Manager for Windows Small Business Server 2008.  If you haven’t seen the Cougar interface yet, this video is a treat. Plus, Sean gives a tour of the new backup as well.

SBS 2008 PM Interview and Demo
 
Source: http://edge.technet.com/Media/SBS-2008-PM-Interview-and-Demo/

If you haven’t seen what Cougar (SBS 2008) looks like yet, Ron Grattopp (TS2 Presenter extraordinaire) posted a picture of it on his blog last week.

Here’s a copy of the Cougar screenshot:

Looks a lot like Windows Home Server, doesn’t it

Thanks for the screen shot Ron!

Today Microsoft TS2 presenter
Charles Van Heusen tips Microsoft’s hand a bit to show a little more information about Windows Small Business Server
(Codename “Cougar”), a.k.a. SBS 2008.

What’s to know?

• No direct upgrades
• Migration paths
• Details about Standard and Premium editions (big change in Premium)

Check out Charles ‘Are You Ready for SBS Cougar‘ post for the details:
Click here