A package just arrived from Microsoft containing my Small Business Server Most Valuable Professional [SBS-MVP] award for 2012.

That’s 5 straight years. Woo-hoo!! Thanks Microsoft!

I got an email this morning from the Microsoft MVP program, and it looks like I’ll be on the SBS MVP roster for another year.

This is the fourth year I’ve received the MVP award, which is really cool.

Congrats to all the folks awarded today. Once again, I feel like the least qualified person in the room. I always look to Despair.com to provide some humbling reminders to help me keep things in perspective. (A couple of really good ones spring to mind.)

INDIVIDUALITY

CONSISTENCY

And lastly, one I think about when writing my cartoon…
 
INEPTITUDE

You can view the whole collection of demotivational posters here. They’re really cool!

This should be an interesting year.

One sunny day while mowing the yard with the old John Deere I thought, “How cool would it be if I could mount a Small Business Server on this lawn tractor?"

The answer (as you already know) is “not very cool”. Nobody wants to see a lawn mower running Exchange and SharePoint.

Obviously, I need to drink more fluids when mowing the yard in the hot sun, but that’s neither here nor there. The proverbial wheels were turning, and I started brainstorming for something much faster and infinitely cooler than a green and yellow tractor…

Enter Matthew Snoddy – Microsoft Small Business Specialist and owner of Network Therapists in Lexington, Kentucky.

a.k.a. “The Stig” (nobody knows for sure)

Not only is Matthew a fantastic network engineer and wheelman, he’s got some beautiful muscle cars,
like this supercharged 2008 SRT8 Dodge Challenger:

 
A Challenger is much cooler than a John Deere, but it gets even better!

Recently, Matthew expanded his stable with the addition of a rare (one of only 20 ever made) 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR convertible. A street-legal race car.

(More pics of Matthew Snoddy’s Viper ACR here)

VIPER SRT10 ACR SPECS – BONE STOCK

• 8.4-liter aluminum V10 engine
• 600 horsepower
• 560 lb. ft. of torque
• 0-60 in 3.4 seconds
• Top speed 184 MPH (202 MPH w/o the rear wing, but you’ll die)

If you’re a gearhead, you know all about the ACR. Matthew’s red ACR is a convertible model of the car that broke the Nürburgring track record.

 
This video of a white hardtop ACR on the twisting Virginia City Hill Climb
(Nevada State Route 341) is pretty terrifying.

 
Suffice it to say, the word ‘awesome’ does not even begin to describe this car.

So one night Matthew and I discussed the viability of mounting a Microsoft Windows Small Business Server in the Viper, and “Project Daffy” was born.

“Why a goofy name like Project Daffy” you say? Check out what happens when you invert the Viper ACR logo:

Can you see Daffy Duck on the right? Thought so.

We took some measurements of the ACR and (shocker) it’s not really designed to hold a standard server like an HP ProLiant ML370 G6, or even a smaller one like the HP ML110 or ML150.

The trunk is so small, there’s not even a spare tire – just an air pump (left).

Enter Greg Starks – SMB Solutions Program Manager at Hewlett-Packard. Greg has been with HP and Compaq for over 20 years, has presented at over 10 SMB Nation events, and he really knows his stuff.

a.k.a. “Mr. Awesome” (of that we *are* sure)

We needed something that had enough horsepower to run a server OS, but not so big that it wouldn’t fit in the Viper. With limited space, heat and power requirements, it was a tall order. Greg hooked up Project Daffy with the brand new HP ProLiant MicroServer and got it to us in time to make it to the racetrack!

HP MICROSERVER SPECS:

• AMD Athlon II NEO N36L processor 1.3 GHz
• Supports up to 8 GB PC3 DDR3 RAM
• Embedded NC107i PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Server Adapter
• OCZ Vertex 2 200GB solid state SATA II drive*
• Cold boot to SBS 2011 login – 2 minutes 45 seconds
• Shut down – 14 seconds
• Operating System – Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

*We took out the stock 160 GB LFF SATA drive and used the SSD instead to mitigate vibration from the car. (The SSD isn’t a factory option.)

The HP MicroServer is physically small enough (10.5" x 8.3" x 10.2") to fit perfectly in the Viper trunk with room to spare. The MicroServer doesn’t come with a DVD drive, so we took an ISO of SBS 2011 Standard Edition and made a bootable flash drive and installed SBS 2011 that way – no problem.

After the OS installation, we did some testing with the UPS to estimate battery life (about 55 minutes). SBS 2011 runs on that SSD like a scalded dog!

The next step was powering it and mounting it in the car.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT:

• APC Smart-UPS 1500VA battery backup
• Buffalo WHR-HP-G300N 802.11b/g/n wireless router with DD-WRT
• TP-LINK TL-WN722N USB wireless n adapter w/ SMA connector
• External 6” 2.4 GHz omni-directional magnetic mount antenna
• 2.4 GHz Yagi 20 dBi WiFi antenna w/ SMA connector
• Acer Aspire One ZG5 netbook (Windows 7)
• “The Boom” – inverted DirecTV dish mounting hardware for Yagi mast
• “The Surfboard” – various mounting hardware from Home Depot

Due to the irregular shape of the Viper trunk, we used a spare piece of cardboard as a template to map out the shape, and then transferred that outline onto a plank of 3/4” plywood (“The Surfboard”). After some lengthy trial and error moving things around, appropriate measurements were laid out to make sure that there was sufficient room for the equipment, padding, cabling, and tie-down equipment.

HEADING TO THE TRACK:

It’s a pretty long drive from Louisville out to the Mt. Park Dragway in Clay City, Kentucky (about 120 miles). When we got there it was so cold out that the grass in the shadows was still frosted even though the sun had been up for a few hours. Sadly, that morning one of Matthew’s friends lost control of his Corvette on the track and put it into the wall! Fortunately he’s OK, but the same can’t be said for the Vette. Even with safety equipment, racing is still a dangerous occupation.

Mounting the server and network equipment in the Viper trunk went surprisingly smooth. All of the planning and measuring paid off and it fit like a glove. We powered up the server and the router and ran some connectivity tests while Matthew drove around the track. As long as we kept the Yagi antenna (attached to the netbook in our makeshift pits) pointed at the Viper, we never lost a single ping. That’s pretty impressive considering that the antenna was INSIDE the trunk. The car body is fiberglass (except for the carbon fiber rear spoiler) so there was nothing externally on which to stick the antenna.

Side note: One of the coolest parts of the whole project was seeing the looks when people walked around to the back of the car to see what was in the trunk.

The phrase of the day was, “You put a *server* in a Viper!?”

Everybody thought it was cool! So did we. My face hurts from grinning.

Using the netbook back at the pits, we logged into the HP MicroServer via RDP and ran System Information for Windows (SIW) to keep an eye on the internal temperature of the CPU and SSD drive with the trunk closed. Since it was such cool day, all the temps stayed nice and chilly in the server. In fact, the only moving parts in the entire trunk were one cooling fan in the server and another one in the UPS. The rig doesn’t build up much heat anyway.

By design, the Viper ACR doesn’t have electronic traction control. On a cold day with cold tires, the lack of traction control meant that Matthew couldn’t safely punch the pedal to the floor without risking having the Viper suffer the same fate as the Vette. We know what the car can do in warmer weather, so there’s no doubt that that we truly have The World’s Fastest Small Business Server on our hands.

PICTURES OF THE COMPLETED PROJECT:

A view of the Viper SRT10 ACR 8.4 liter 10-cylinder engine.	The blue tape keeps hot tire rubber from sticking to the paint.
Left – HP ProLiant MicroServer Right – APC Smart-UPS	Behold! The World’s Fastest Small Business Server.
Close-up – You can see Buffalo wireless B/G/N router in the front and the “Surfboard” underneath. The APC and all other equipment is mounted rock solid and can’t move even 1/4”.	This is what happens when you burn too much rubber – they have to literally scrape it off the track! I think they’ve been saving this for a while at the track, but I’m not sure how long.

If you’ve got questions about the project, please feel free to post them in the comments below.

PICTURES – You can see the rest of the pictures on Flickr (test fit before tie-down and different views of the car, etc.)

VIDEO – Matt Hester (IT Pro Evangelist for Microsoft) shot some video of Project Daffy today, so you may see it on his blog soon. If he does, we’ll link to it here.

THANKS – Super-special thanks go to Matthew Snoddy (Network Therapists) and Greg Starks (Hewlett-Packard) for making this dream a reality. Props to Andrew McIntosh too for the UPS, and to Lauren for assistance in the pits.
You guys absolutely rock!!

Title: Windows Small Business Server “7” Preview
File Size: 6.3 GB
Format: ISO
Download: http://connect.microsoft.com/sbs

System Requirements:

• CPU – Quad core 2 GHz (x64) or faster
• RAM – 8 GB minimum (10 GB recommended)
• Storage – 80 GB
• Optical – DVD-ROM drive
• NIC – 10/100 Ethernet adapter
• Video – SVGA (1024×768) or better

Description:
“SBS 7” is an update to the traditional offering with a refresh of the components inside, designed specifically to provide small businesses with a complete IT solution for their business needs.  It’s perfect for small businesses who already have a server or prefer to use email and collaboration tools hosted directly on premise.  Download the SBS "7" Brochure to learn more.

Note: This is a ‘beta’, so it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: “Don’t use Beta software in a production environment”

More Details:
http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/beta.aspx

Unless you’ve been living in a cave this week, you probably heard that at Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 Microsoft announced previews of two new products in the SBS family code named “Aurora” and SBS “7”.

If you didn’t make it to WPC, check out both videos from Microsoft Senior Program Manager Lead, Becky Ochs:

Windows Server Code Name “Aurora”

• Built on Windows Server 2008 R2
• Supports up to 25 users
• Remote Web Access
• Server and Client backup

Windows Small Business Server “7”

• Built on Windows Server 2008 R2
• Supports up to 75 users
• Remote Web Access
• Exchange Server 2010 SP1
• SharePoint 2010 Foundation
• Windows Software Update Services 3.0
• SQL Server 2008 R2 (Premium)

You can find out more about the preview products here:
http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/beta.aspx

You know her, you love her, and she’s back! We’re talking about none other than Beatrice Mulzer. Anyone who’s been around the SMB space for a while will remember Bea for her well known books like the Top 15 SMB Consultants the 70-282 Exam Prep and the Small Business Specialist Primer.

Bea is back and this time she’s joined by Walter Glenn and Scott Lowe and has just released a must-have book for those working towards certification on SBS 2008!

Title: MCTS Study Guide (Exam 70-653): Configuring Windows Small Business Server 2008
Authors: Beatrice Mulzer, Walter Glenn and Scott Lowe
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Published: August 19, 2009
ISBN: 0-7356-2678-2
Retail: $69.99 USD ($44.09 at Amazon.com)
Pages: 640

Description: Announcing an all-new SELF-PACED TRAINING KIT designed to help maximize your performance on 70-653, the required exam for the new Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): Windows Small Business Server 2008, Configuration certification or the Microsoft Small Business Specialist (SBSC) designation.

This 2-in-1 kit includes the official Microsoft study guide, plus practice tests on CD to help you assess your skills. It comes packed with the tools and features exam candidates want most:

• In-depth, self-paced training based on final exam content
• Rigorous, objective-by-objective review
• Exam tips from expert exam-certified authors
• Customizable testing options
• Real-world scenarios
• Case study examples
• Troubleshooting labs

Work at your own pace through the lessons and lab exercises. This official study guide covers deploying hardware and software for Small Business Server servers, migrating to SBS 2008, joining computers to the domain, modifying Remote Web Workplace (RWW) and RAS, and working with Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) and Exchange server technologies.

• Assess yourself using 200 practice questions on the CD, featuring multiple, customizable testing options to meet your specific needs.
• Choose timed or untimed testing mode, generate random tests, or focus on discrete objectives.
• Get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers—including pointers back to the book for further study.

You also get an exam discount voucher—making this kit an exceptional value and a great career investment.

Just because a port is open in RRAS or ISA (circa SBS 2003) doesn’t mean that it isn’t being blocked elsewhere, like at the ISP or because port forwarding isn’t setup properly in your firewall. Sometimes you need an outside view of the external ports on your internet connection.

DISCLAIMER – Only open the ports you absolutely MUST have. Example, if you’re not running the POP3 connector or FTP, don’t open those ports! If you’re not sure about a port, check the Port/IP Lookup on Sans.org or ask someone who knows!

To check all of the commonly used SBS ports at once:

1. Go to www.grc.com/default.htm
2. Scroll down & click ShieldsUP!
3. Click Proceed
4. In the center box on that page, paste this string:
   21, 25, 80, 110, 123, 143, 220, 443, 444, 500, 987, 1701, 1723, 3389, 4125, 4500
5. Click User Specified Custom Port Probe

This scan will come back with a list of ports you entered and show the status.

Below is a handy chart that I stole from Susan and Windows IT Pro and updated a couple of times over the years.

Common Ports for Small Business Server (SBS)

**Note: The ports listed above in bold are required by SBS 2008, per Microsoft TechNet article “Managing Windows Small Business Server 2008 Remote Web Workplace”, including port 3389, but see article below.

***Question: Should I open port 3389 for remote administration or remote desktop connections?
Answer from Microsoft: “You no longer need to open port 3389. Windows Small Business Server 2008 uses Terminal Services Gateway to redirect traffic from port 443 to a selected desktop or server for RDP connections. You would need to use RWW or configure the Terminal Services client to use TS Gateway.”
Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sbs/cc817589.aspx

There’s also a post on the Official SBS Blog that talks about an IPSec issue back in 2008 that affected ports 1645-1646, 1701, 1812-1813, 2883 & 4500.

I’ll try to keep this form updated as time goes on and will keep a permanent copy at http://www.nogeekleftbehind.com/sbs-ports/.