Re: Small Business 5-Client vs. Standard Edition

[Mike van de Merwe [MSFT]]

Hi Scramby,
The two versions of Windows you refer to are quite different in makeup.

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition information can be found here (STD):
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/standard.mspx
Windows Server 2003 Small Business Server Edition can be found here (SBS)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/overview.mspx

The setup and running of SBS is geared towards small businesses and gives
you the tools necessary to perform most administrative tasks (creating
users/profiles/computer/deploying applications/etc) with great ease.
Additionally it contains Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition as well as
other client and server applications your company could surely use. Yes, it
comes with 5 Client Access Licenses (CALs) and if you would like more users
to be able to access this system you would be required to buy additional
CALs for them. If you would like all 10 of your machines to be able to
access the SBS server you would need 10 CALs (5 included in the box, plus an
additional 5 that you can purchase from your local reseller). You can find
more information about CALs here:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/sam/lic_cal_smallbiz2003_server.mspx.

Be aware that Standard Edition has the same types of challenges for
licensing as well. However, you will not get the added features that SBS
includes out of the box.

HTH,
-Mike

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"Scramby" <Scr...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:91055C34-D728-4B55...@microsoft.com...
>I finally got control of our IT department and first order of business is
> upgrading the software/hardware in the office. I'm starting with the
> server
> (currently running Windows NT 4.0). It's a small company, 8 employees.
> Before I run out and spend $1,000 on the Windows Server 2003 Standard
> Edition, I want to be absolutely sure I can't use the Small Business
> edition,
> only $600. It says 5-Clients. Does that mean only five of my boxes can
> connect to the server at a time? Or can All of my boxes, I have like ten
> in
> the office, connect?

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Scramby wrote:
> I finally got control of our IT department and first order of
> business is upgrading the software/hardware in the office. I'm
> starting with the server (currently running Windows NT 4.0). It's a
> small company, 8 employees. Before I run out and spend $1,000 on the
> Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, I want to be absolutely sure I
> can't use the Small Business edition, only $600. It says 5-Clients.
> Does that mean only five of my boxes can connect to the server at a
> time? Or can All of my boxes, I have like ten in the office, connect?

You need as many CALs as you have users or devices - SBS or any product.

SBS2003 includes 5 CALs, but you can (and will need to) buy more in
5-packs - not too expensive.

Note that as SBS2003 also includes Exchange Server and all kinds of other
nice things for a small office, the SBS CALs are a steal as well, as they
include Exchange, etc., at the same time - with the "regular"/enterprise
products, you have to buy separate CALs for each product. I usually choose
to us "per device" rather than "per user" CALs for my clients as I find it a
lot easier to manage, and it makes sense in the offices I support. YMMV.

I'd go for SBS2003 in your situation. And I speak as someone who, until
SBS2003 was released, really hated SBS.

The SBS2003 group is m.p.windows.server.sbs and you will find a lot of very
helpful (and zealous!) advice if you post in there.

PS: I'd definitely get new hardware if you're on an old box for your
server - you will also likely get hardware recommendations in the SBS group.
My minimum requirements are 2GB RAM, perhaps 2 processors (depends on a lot
of things) and SCSI hardware RAID. Don't skimp here.