Microsoft to Launch Windows Small Business Server 2008 On Nov. 12

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An early release version of Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) 2008, Microsoft's mid-sized business product, will also be released on November 12. Microsoft announced this at the Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston on Monday.

SBS 2008, code-named "Cougar," and EBS 2008, code-named "Centro," are part of Microsoft's new Windows Essential Server Solutions line. The products in the Essential line combine Microsoft's Windows Server OS with other software products the company deems necessary to running a business. Microsoft's goal with these products is to provide what it describes as an all-in-one, easy-to-install software stack for companies that may only have a small IT support staff.

SBS 2008 is an integrated offering of Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition, and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. It also includes Microsoft's Office Live Small Business service and 120-day trial subscriptions to Forefront Security for Exchange and Windows Live OneCare for Server. The premium edition of the software includes an additional license for Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008.

Essential Business Server includes three copies of Windows Server 2008 running on three hardware servers. The first server is a domain controller and management server that includes Microsoft's system-management software. The second server in the EBS stack is for e-mail; it runs Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition. The third server is a security server running Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Forefront Threat Management Gateway. A premium edition of EBS will include a fourth version of Windows Server 2008 on a fourth piece of hardware running SQL Server 2008.

Dell, along with Europe's Wortmann AG, will build and sell servers and other products powered by Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008.

The small- and mid-sized business markets represent lucrative growth markets for tech vendors. IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending by SMBs will grow at a rate of 7% annually through 2012, compared to a 5.2% growth rate for the IT market overall during the same period.

Pricing for Windows Small Business Server 2008 starts at $1,089. Windows Essential Business Server 2008 starts at $5,472.