This week saw the official launch of WESS (Windows Essential Server Solutions) from Microsoft this week.

WESS consists of two products:

Small Business Server 2008
Essential Business Server 2008

Small Business Server 2008 essentially costs of the same components as the previous 2003 version (with a couple of security additions).  These include:

Windows Server 2008
Exchange Server 2007
Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0
Windows Server Update Services
Forefront Security for Exchange Server
Windows Live One Care

There is also a premium version.  However this requires a second server to be installed & the additional licences will include a second copy of Windows Server 2008 and a copy of SQL Server 2008 Standard.

The Essential Business Server product is aimed at slightly larger organisations (typically in excess of 25 users) and would be configued on multiple servers.

Server 1 (Management Server)
Windows Server 2008
System Centre Essentials 2007
Windows Sharepoint Service 3.0

Server 2 (Messaging)
Windows Server 2008
Exchange Server 2007
Forefront Security for Exchange

Server 3 (Security)
Windows Server 2008
Exchange Server 2007
Forefront Threat Management Gateway

Server 4 - Premium Version Only (Database)
Windows Server 2008
SQL Server Standard 2008
 

Novotronix are pleased to be deploying Small Business Server 2008 to our clients & we will be releasing more information relating to a client in Birmingham shortly.