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Small Business Server 2008 Feature Brief

Kyle Hamilton — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:41:26 +0000

Small Business Server History

Microsoft has marketed server solutions to the small business community for quite some time. “Windows Small Business Server” has a history dating back to 1997 with the release of “BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0″. Since that initial offering, Microsoft has introduced a Small Business Server product with every major Windows Server release.

These offerings have attempted to bring all of the complicated features, used regularly by larger businesses, and packaged them into a single product that can be then implemented on a small scale. The idea is to also consolidate functionality onto a single piece of hardware, minimizing investment costs and complexity of maintenance and troubleshooting. Microsoft also attempts to group complex tasks into wizard-driven interfaces, helping less technical users to administer the server and perform daily tasks such as backups and user management.

Small Business Server 2008 Overview

Microsoft has officially announced the pending release of Small Business Server 2008. Microsoft has broadly targeted the “second half of 2008″ as the release time frame for SBS 2008. With it comes some exciting new technology and polish for the ever evolving product line.

SBS 2008 comes in two editions (Standard & Premium), each taking advantage of the latest release of Windows Server 2008.

Standard & Premium Editions included technologies:

Server 2008 Standard Technologies (Operating System)
Exchange Server 2007 (Email Solution)
SharePoint Service 3.0 (Collaboration Environment)
Windows Live OneCare for Server (Anti-Virus and Backup)
Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange (Email Virus and Spam Protection)

Premium Edition technologies only:

Server 2008 Standard Technologies - 2nd Copy
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Technologies

Small Business Server 2008 Feature Highlight

Server 2008 is the foundation of the offering, leveraging the new advances in Active Directory administration and domain management. Server 2008 brings many enhancements over 2000 and 2003 Server products. Information about the release and improvements over previous Server releases can be found here.

In addition to the latest release of Windows Server, Microsoft includes a full-featured messaging and collaboration tool set. This includes the latest Exchange Server release (Exchange Server 2007) as well as SharePoint Services 3.0. These products bring large improvements over the previous generations. Features and benefits of each can be reviewed: Exchange Server 2007 - SharePoint Services 3.0

Microsoft has also included security and maintenance applications to help small businesses secure their networks and maintain current patch levels across the entire business network. These include: for email security, including virus filtering and spam control - “Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server”; for server anti-virus maintenance and backup services - “Windows Live OneCare for Server”; and for patch level management of server and workstations - “Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1″

Users of SBS 2008 Premium will receive a second copy of “Windows Server 2008 Standard” and “Microsoft SQL Server 2008″. This will allow a second server to be deployed on the network for SQL services.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 is the latest release in a long line of Small Business Server products. At Opti-Vise, we feel it is a strong offering with many benefits. It looks to be a fantastic value to a small business intending to use Microsoft technologies to manage and maintain their network. It will support businesses with up to 75 users or devices. The streamlined administration console allows for control of the server without in-depth knowledge of the underlying technologies. There are many other features and benefits included in Microsoft’s new Small Business Server 2008 product that are not discussed in this brief overview. You can find more information and technical documentation at Microsoft’s Small Business Server website.

Author: Kyle Hamilton

Microsoft Office 2007 Changes of Note

Kyle Hamilton — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:13:45 +0000

At Opti-Vise, one of the questions I keep running into with customers has to do with some of the changes made to Microsoft’s latest office suite. Microsoft Office 2007 is the latest version of everyone’s favorite (or least favorite) productivity suite.

In this revision, Microsoft made some pretty major changes. You will very quickly notice a difference just by looking a the interface. There was a complete rework of the menu and user interface. Microsoft calls the design “The Microsoft Office Fluent User Inerface”. The new interface attempts to group the options into logical caegories based on what you are currently working with. I have found that some users very quickly adapt and like the new interface, but I have also seen the opposite.

My personal observations have led me to the conclusion that Office power users seem to struggle with the new User Interface simply because the options they are used to finding in the toolbars of old are now placed into groupings they are not used to. If you are interested in my opinion, I find the interface usable and nice, but I would definitely not consider myself an office power user. I am the type of user that has to find what I need instead of knowing what I am looking for.

Another major notable change has to do with the file format used by Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint 2007(.pptx). Microsoft changed the programs to use what is called the “Office (2007) Open XML File Format“. The format was reworked to improve interoperability, data integrity and recovery functions, as well as other things. The key thing to note with the file format change is that 2007 files cannot be opened in previous versions of Office withouth first downloading the “Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint 2007 File Formats“. This applies to all version of Office from 2000 to 2003 and will allow the new formats to be used.

Author: Kyle Hamilton

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Is Out

Kyle Hamilton — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:00:53 +0000

Windows XP SP3 Overview

Microsoft is preparing the long awaited release of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). This is a fairly significant update for the aging operating system. SP3 is a collection of previously released fixes and updates. It also includes a few new features. These features include compatibility updates for the new Server 2008 platform as well as some other network security enhancements.

SP3 can be installed on any version of Windows XP (Pro, Home, Media Center, etc.), except for the 64 Bit version. That product is on a different platform related more closely to the Server 2003 update cycle.

SP3 includes all changes and updates available in the two previous service packs, making it unnecessary to install either of them before it. SP3 is expected to be the final major service pack to be released for Windows XP.

You may wonder if a service pack is even necessary or why Microsoft would even bother after the release of Windows Vista. The truth is that many companies are still dependent upon, and are integrating, XP workstations and need this release to better streamline the process. There have been over 100 updates to the OS since SP2 was released. Rolling these updates into a single package can make the implementation and management of the OS much less daunting. For more technical info click here.

Impact on Opti-Vise Customers

What does the service pack mean to an Opti-Vise managed services customer? If your an Optimize-IT, or Monitor-IT customer, any Windows XP workstations you currently have being monitored will automatically download and install the service pack (unless specifically prevented).

Fix-IT customers may see the service pack become available in Windows Update and can manually install it on their workstation. Or they can contact Opti-Vise to schedule a Preventive Maintenance visit and we can bring your XP workstations up to the latest patch level.

Author: Kyle Hamilton

A Briefing on Battery Backup

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:06:17 +0000

One of our clients emailed me the following question: “How important is it for us to have individual battery backups since we have a generator that kicks in within a few minutes if our power goes off?”

Key fact: no computer or network device can sustain operations in the event of any noticeable power failure. You’ve watched your computer reboot at the smallest “flicker” in the power. Your building may be equipped with a generator, but that doesn’t protect your computer or network device from a power outage.

A computer system “crash” caused by power events can be devastating to your network. Beyond physical damage, the loss and/or corruption of data looms as most damaging to your business. The cost of resulting downtime or data recovery efforts can easily eclipse the cost of battery protection.

Battery backup devices provide two (2) major functions. First, they sustain power to your computer and network equipment in the event of a power outage. Additionally, most good battery backup units also provide some level of power conditioning. The better battery systems (often used on servers), can even provide protection from voltage sags and surges. In case of an extended outage, battery backup units can implement an orderly shutdown of your equipment.

Our client has a generator system for the building, but that only underscores the necessity of a complete battery backup solution. Typically, backup generators are equipped with a delay circuit that senses the absence of power for a specified time before the generator starts and switches into the building power. If battery backup devices cover all facets of your network, all operations can continue uninterrupted while waiting for building power to be restored by the generator.

Opti-Vise highly recommends that, at a minimum, battery backup systems be provided for all servers on your network. We also recommend that critical network devices (firewalls, routers, switches, etc.) be considered for battery units, as well. For the highest level of protection, workstations should also be included.

Repair or Replace?

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:02:04 +0000

It’s a frequent client call: “Can you repair my workstation?”
A client recently asked us to reload Windows 98 on a 7-year-old workstation with a known power supply problem. Another client wanted to replace a cracked screen on notebook purchased four years earlier. Still another was looking for a memory upgrade on a 5-year-old workstation. The list goes on and on.
We do our best to talk clients out of these types of repairs and upgrades–even if it makes us look like the bad guy. In a recent situation where the client insisted, we spent over $500 in labor trying to repair a 4+-year-old workstation. We finally resolved the issue by refusing to continue, and referred the customer to another company.
Unless the resolution is well defined, repairing a workstation beyond warranty coverage is usually not cost-effective. Patching up old technology results in a workstation that is still . . . old technology. The $300 - $500 spent in the repair effort goes a long way toward the replacement of the item, providing the latest technology (faster and more powerful) and a new warranty.
When it comes to notebook computers, this general rule is even stronger. If the notebook is out of warranty, don’t spend money repairing.
Some may say our philosophy is too costly, but experience tells us once an older PC or notebook begins to show problems, things go downhill pretty fast. And don’t forget the costs associated with downtime and poor computer performance. This should also factor into your decision to repair or replace.

Author: Kent Hamilton