Windows Small Business Server and Essential Business Server Documentation : General Information

Happy (Belated) Anniversary to our Blog!

sbsdocsteam — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:42:00 GMT

Can you believe it? The milestone slipped by quietly, but November 15th marked the 5th anniversary of the Windows SBS and EBS Documentation blog. Incredible. True, it may not be the most cutting edge of blogosphere rags, and it is not the most active, but we sincerely hope that you find our occasional bits and bytes helpful and of interest. I can say with certainty that your comments and feedback over the years have helped our small but driven group to continually enhance both the content that we deliver, and also the way that we deliver it. We have learned much from you, and you inspire us to reach our potential as much as we strive to help you achieve yours. Thanks for being a part of our world.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Hey you big business IT PRO's out there. Think SMALL!

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Windows Small Business Server - that is!

Are you accustomed to deploying and managing servers in the enterprise space? Do you want to broaden your horizons and tackle the computer networking needs for small businesses and organizations at the heart of the national infrastructure? Then Windows Small Business Server 2008 is just what you are looking for. Why Windows SBS? How does it differ from Windows Server? Well, if you're new to the small business space (and to this blog), we have just published "An Introduction to Windows Small Business Server 2008 for the Enterprise IT Pro." This topic is available in the Windows SBS Technical Library. The topic discusses the design philosophy that Microsoft used to develop Windows SBS 2008, and includes key information about the product features and deployment considerations that you should be of aware of before you take on your first Windows SBS 2008 installation.

The "S" part of the SMB sector represents a huge portion of the IT pie. Is it time for you to take a byte out of it?

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Free Health Check: New Microsoft IT Environment Health Scanner

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:48:00 GMT

Does your network need a checkup? The team that develops Windows Essential Business Server (Windows EBS) just released a new tool that administrators of small and mid-size networks are sure to want to download: the Microsoft IT Environment Health Scanner. In just a few minutes, the tool runs more than 100 checks to help you assess the overall health of your Active Directory and network infrastructure, including the configuration of Active Directory Domain Services, DHCP, DNS, Exchange Server, network adapters, and domain controllers. If the tool detects problems, it links to Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and other Web content for resolution information. The IT Environment Halth Scanner doesn't change anything on your network -- it just reports the information.

Besides being a great addition to your adminstrative toolkit, the tool is invaluable for finding subtle (or not so subtle) issues in your Active Directory and network environment that can hang up server deployments, infrastructure upgrades and migrations, and the like. For example, we've heard that it has been a big help to some of our partners preparing for a migration from Windows SBS 2003 to Windows SBS 2008.

Note for those of you who are deploying Windows EBS or are considering it: the tool runs almost the same set of checks as the Windows EBS Preparation Wizard, which makes sure that your existing network environment is functioning properly and ready for a Windows EBS deployment. For more information about that, see Preparation and Planning for Windows EBS in the TechNet Library.

Here's to your continued good (network) health!

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Are you in the know? Watch this screencast to discover how you can share your knowledge!

sbsdocsteam — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:11:00 GMT

Sure. We're good at what we do. We love to help you learn about how our software works and how you can use it in your organization! But let's face it. We're great with the nuts and bolts, but you work with our systems every day! Most of you know more about the in's-and-out's, pro's-and-con's, and if's-and-then's of our software than we do -- because you live it!

So don't be shy! Share your knowledge!

The Microsoft technical libraries at the TechNet and MSDN Web sites include a feature called "Community Content" that allows you to contribute technical information. It's easy to use, and it's a fantastic way share what you know, help others, and strut your stuff a bit at the same time.

As a slight nudge of encouragement, we recently published a screencast that introduces you to the concept of Community Content, and walks you through the basics of how to use the feature.

So plan now to set aside 11 minutes of your busy day to view "Introducing the TechNet and MSDN Community Content Feature." You might just find it inspiring. We sure hope so!

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Observations from TechEd '09 - Tuesday

sbsdocsteam — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:07:00 GMT

I knew it was going to be a good day. The drive in to downtown from my home office in nearby Burbank was smooth, and quick by L.A. standards. My friendly navigator (affectionately known as "Maggie") directed me right to the parking garage without a hitch, and there was virtually no one in front of me at the registration stand.

If you were there - I didn't see you. However, I did observe a throng of technical professionals as they moved from classroom to classroom, booth to booth, and kiosk to kiosk. I must admit that there doesn't seem to be quite as many attendees this year as there were a couple of years ago in Orlando, but I can say without a doubt that I feel the same full energy and passion from folks as they discover, research and demo a plethora of products and technologies from Microsoft and an abundance of partners and providers.

I spent most of my day yesterday slowly walking the Expo floor - twice. Like anyone, I lingered at booths and stations of key interest and meandered past those of little interest or for which I have limited technical knowledge. I don't know why, but I always feel a bit embarrassed about not being able to hold up my side of a conversation about a technology that might as well be quantum physics. But it's not like I was being assaulted by street vendors trying to hawk a knock-off. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE that I came in contact with (or meandered past) greeted me with a welcoming smile and invited me with words or gestures to check out their cool and sometimes ground-breaking offerings. Some personal favorites on the day include demos from TechSmith, KnowledgeLake, and ComponentOne. And it was sooooooo cool to sit down and play with Microsoft Surface. The potential in this technology is vast and exciting.

So what's the buzz this year? SharePoint, SharePoint, SharePoint! Mix in healthy doses of Win7, WinServer, and Server Virtualization, and you have the basic fixings’ for TechEd Pie!

I'm going for another recipe on Thursday. I'll let you know what I find.

-Steve Holland

This is one of the longest lines at the show. What are these attendees so excited about?

Would you believe... Starbucks?

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

EBS Has a Community Corner

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:33:00 GMT

The talented SBS MVPs are making contributions to the SBS documentation in the Windows SBS MVP and Community Corner.

Now the EBS folks have the same opportunity in the newly opened EBS Community Corner. Interested? E-mail us at ebsdocfb@microsoft.com.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Tip: Using Site: Query Feature to Narrow Search Results

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:13:00 GMT

Scenario
You want to find information about Remote Web Workplace in SBS 2008. You use Google or Live Search and enter the search terms "remote web workplace" (in quotes). Lots of potentially useful links show up but you want the authoritative documentation from Microsoft. Here's a simple and easy way to narrow your search.

Search tip
In the Google or Live Search search box, enter: "remote web workplace" site:technet.microsoft.com

Using the site:<domain> query narrows your search to the specified domain and cuts out the clutter. Very useful!

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Documentation Updates: Product Help and Migration Guide chm files

sbsdocsteam — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:29:00 GMT

Hi everyone!

We have just published updates to the Windows SBS Product Help and Migration files that you can use to replace the versions currently installed on your server. These updates include more than forty documentation fixes that were submitted by users and testers since the product was released. You can download these updates and copy them to the c:\program files\windows small business server\bin directory of your Windows SBS 2008 server.

You can quickly access these files from the Downloadable Documentation page of the Windows SBS 2008 Technical Library or directly from the Microsoft Download Center at the following locations.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Product Help
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=122144)

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Migration Help
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=122143)

Keep the feedback coming. We're listening!

“This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.”

The Case of the Missing TOC!

sbsdocsteam — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:45:00 GMT

Maybe not a best-seller, but I thought this was interesting enough to share.

I had this horrible affliction. I was rummaging around in the Windows SBS Technical Library, and all of a sudden, the Table of Contents disappeared! What happened? What did I do? Did I break something? I search frantically on the Web site to see if there is some setting that I goofed up. Nope. Nothing there. I open my browser settings to determine the same. Ok, that's dumb, but I'm confounded. WHAT THE HECK!!

So, I put up with this condition for days on end, figuring that I would become the gumshoe once again and discover what went wrong once and for all. Yah right. Like, I have way to much time on my hands that I can dedicate to doing something other than playing around with that annoyance. Instead, I turn to Jim Holtzman, trusted co-writer on the SBS Team and plead for advice. In about 5 minutes he directs me to an article on the Exchange Team Blog.

And suddenly, life is a bit rosier. Thanks Jim! And thanks to Alison Hirsch for sharing this nugget of TechNet technomagic.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

SBS Welcomes EBS to the Documentation Blog!

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:48:00 GMT

We're using an eye-catching (popping?) theme to help you take note of a big change to our blog. We are very pleased to announce that from this day forward, the Windows SBS documentation team will share this space with our younger (but no less striking) sibling - the Windows Essential Business Server documentation team!

TA DAHHHHHH!

Welcome EBS!

Oh yah. Don't worry. We'll change the page theme to something a bit less, uhhhh.... loud, very soon.

Cheers!

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Eriq Neale: An MVB - (most valuable blogger)

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:57:00 GMT

Hey, here is an interesting tidbit. NetworkWorld.com invited Eriq Neale, one of our SBS MVPs, to blog about Windows SBS 2008. We’re looking forward to reading his posts! Eriq will also be contributing an article to our Windows SBS 2008 Technical Library in the near future. His article will discuss setting up ISA 2006 with Windows SBS 2008. It will appear in our new Windows SBS 2008 MVP Corner.

Are you interested in contributing articles about Windows SBS 2008 for the technical library? Let us know! Send us e-mail at sbsdocfb@microsoft.com.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

New Documentation: Windows Essential Business Server Technical Library

sbsdocsteam — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:56:00 GMT

We’re proud to announce the Windows Essential Business Server Technical Library! This is our first public documentation for Windows Essential Business Server (WEBS), Microsoft’s server solution for midsize businesses, which is scheduled to become available in the second half of 2008. (SBS 2008 and WEBS 2008 are siblings in the Windows Essential Server Solutions family of products. If you haven’t read about WEBS, you can check out the Windows Essential Server Solutions site and the Essential Business Server Team Blog for more information.)

We published the WEBS Technical Library just in time for the public preview of WEBS 2008. If you are interested in trying WEBS in a test environment, sign up for the bits. We stocked the Technical Library with deployment and operational content to help you get started and stay running.

As with our SBS content, we value your feedback. Each page in the WEBS Technical Library has a Click to Rate and Give Feedback control that you can use to grade our content and provide detailed comments to the user assistance team. There’s a Community Content feature, too, where you can add and edit content notes, similar to a wiki. Anyone is welcome to contribute or edit content in the library. (To get started with the Community Content feature, you sign in with a Microsoft Passport or Windows Live ID and agree to the site terms of use and the participant Code of Conduct. Learn more about Community Content here.) Happy browsing and annotating!

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Search function not working for SBS Technical Library

sbsdocsteam — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:53:00 GMT

It has come to our attention that the search functionality on the SBS Technical Library Web site is not working. We are investigating the problem and will provide an update as soon as we know more. We apologize for the inconvenience.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

New Documentation: “Deploying Windows Mobile 6 with Windows Small Business Server 2003”

sbsdocsteam — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 02:46:00 GMT

The Windows Mobile team provided us with this great solution document that helps you integrate mobile devices that run Windows Mobile 6 in your business environment. What? You say that you are still running Mobile 5 or Windows Mobile 2002? No worries. You can still find that information at the Windows SBS Technical Library as well.

And Coming Soon…

Next week (February 8^th), we will publish an update to the “Migrating Windows Small Business Server 2003 to New Hardware” documentation, which includes additional information about preparing your ISA Server 2004 installation for migration. Beyond that, we expect to publish “Adding a Server Running Windows Server 2008 to a Windows Small Business Server 2003 Network” the first week of March.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Introducing the Windows SBS Tech Center!

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:23:00 GMT

Check it out!

Building upon the ever popular Microsoft TechNet foundation, The Windows SBS Tech Center delivers a fresh new interface that helps you find the information you need - with less hassle. With fewer "navigation" pages, the SBS Tech Center quickly guides you to the technical and support information you need. And guess what? Our very own Technical Library has its own tab in a place of honor right next to the Home tab! How cool is that? No more rummaging through lists of white papers! It is truly a one-stop shop for your technical reading pleasure.

Ok then. It's time to update your bookmark for the TechNet - uhhh - Tech Center site. That would be "http://technet.microsoft.com/sbs." Take advantage of this great resource for accessing the full load of information that is available to you.

Enjoy!

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.