Windows Small Business Server and Essential Business Server Documentation : Operations

Wanna map drives while logged on through SBS 2008 Remote Web Workplace?

sbsdocsteam — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:13:00 GMT

A common problem that RWW users encounter is that they cannot create drive mappings while they are logged on remotely. The reason for this is that the default setting of Remote Web Workplace on Windows SBS 2008 does not allow this. However, it is easy to update the server to permit this. Our thanks to community member and Microsoft Support Engineer Edwin Joseph for contributing an article that walks you through the necessary steps. If you have been waiting for someone to clear up this enigma, download "How to Enable Windows Small Business Server 2008 Users to use Remote Web Workplace to Map Drives, Print, and Use the Clipboard" from the Microsoft Download Center.

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

New Documentation: Integrating Windows Small Business Server 2008 with Exchange Online

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:52:00 GMT

Are you curious about how you can take advantage of the online services that are provided by Microsoft? Exchange Online is one of the online services that Microsoft provides. Exchange Online uses the best practices that have been developed with customers and partners. Exchange Online guarantees a high level of availability, which enables you to reduce the workload on your IT staff so they can focus on projects that move your business forward.

To learn more about this exciting new technology, see the new solution paper titled Integrating Windows Small Business Server 2008 with Exchange Online.

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

Coming soon . . . Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Administrator's Companion!

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:45:00 GMT

Microsoft Press just announced their first book on Windows EBS:

Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Administrator's Companion, by J.C. Mackin and Charlie Russel

Publication date is May 13, 2009, so order your copy today, or check soon with your favorite bookseller. List price: $49.99.

According to the Press, "We decided to focus first on the many aspects of Windows EBS that are unique to the product — aspects such as planning for your Windows EBS network and using the Windows EBS Administration Console. In the remaining chapters, we provide an overview of the Windows EBS component technologies so that you can get started administering your network. As a result, Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Administrator’s Companion is an indispensable guide for Windows EBS deployment and administration, as well as a great introduction to this exciting new product if you are simply exploring it as a solution."

Sounds like super content to us, and we look forward to seeing more titles on EBS from MS Press and other publishers!

Meanwhile, be sure to visit the Windows EBS Technical Library for the latest (did we mention free-of-charge?) technical documentation about this server suite for midsize businesses.

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.”

New Documentation: Managing Software Updates in Windows Small Business Server 2008

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:11:00 GMT

Abstract

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Update Services provides centralized update management for computers that are on the Windows SBS 2008 network and that are running one of the Windows operating systems that support Microsoft Update. By using Update Services, you can help protect the Windows SBS 2008 network by keeping Windows-based computers that are on the network up-to-date with the most recent Microsoft software updates. Update Services uses Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) as the underlying technology for managing updates.

Link: Managing Software Updates in Windows Small Business Server 2008

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

New articles help you troubleshoot and repair problems with Windows SBS

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:36:00 GMT

So, you've been up and running on your new Windows SBS 2008 network for a while now, but you've run into a glitch. Maybe it's the hardware, maybe a software incompatibility. There's no way it could have been something you did. Whatever the reason, you need to fix something and make it right again. Well, we might be able to help!

We're pleased to announce the publication of our first batch of "Day 100" repair topics in the Windows Small Business Server 2008 Repair Guide at the Windows SBS 2008 Technical Library. Along with other helpful topics, the initial offering includes information that can help you correct problems with the Window SBS Console, with your e-mail anti-spam software, and with your client deployments. We plan to add more topics to this section of the library in the future.

From all of us on the Windows Server Solutions Group User Assistance team, we wish everyone great success in 2009!

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

SCE Season for EBS

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:19:00 GMT

Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) just launched (woo hoo!), the winter gloom has settled here in Redmond, and our thoughts turn to … SCE! No, not skiing, although that will come soon enough. We mean Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007, one of the key server technologies that make up the Windows EBS server suite. SCE provides the monitoring and management capabilities that help you see the health of your network at a glance from the Windows EBS Administration Console.

In the spirit of the season, we've published Monitoring Windows Essential Business Server in the Windows EBS TechNet Library. (You can also download the document here.) When you're not on the slopes, get acquainted with the monitoring data from SCE that shows up the Administration Console, learn how to manage alerts, plus start finding out about all the other monitoring-type stuff you can do with SCE (agentless exception monitoring, anyone?). Happy reading!

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

Is your self-signed certificate about to expire?

sbsdocsteam — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:03:00 GMT

Ok. This isn't exactly hot off the press, but many of you know that the self-signed certificate that SBS 2003 creates during installation expires 5 years after it is issued. So..... (and I'm relying on some shaky calendar math here), if you installed SBS within minutes, hours, or days of release back in '03, those self-signed certificates are about to expire! If that happens, the faces of mobile and remote users will begin to turn varying shades of red and frowns will appear when they can no longer access their Remote Web Workplace Web sites. Nobody wants that to happen! Certainly not us! So like our developer and support partners before us, we are also jumping on the bandwagon and reminding you to recreate your self-issued certificate before it expires. Better yet, purchase a low cost trusted certificate from a certificate authority!

To help inform you about the wonder of certificates, and to instruct you on how to create, obtain and/or install them - we've just published a handy guide about the subject. If you're in need of this information, just curious about it, or just want to check our spelling, take a gander at the topic "Creating, Obtaining, and Installing Trusted Certificates in a Windows SBS 2003 Network Environment" in the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Technical Library.

Cheers!

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

New Documentation: “Adding a Server Running Windows Server 2008 to a Windows Small Business Server 2003 Network”

sbsdocsteam — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:47:00 GMT

If you have been waiting for the release of Windows Server 2008 to add or update a member server, check out this helpful information.

Windows SBS 2003 allows you to add computers running Windows Server 2008 to your network; however, you cannot use the wizards in Windows SBS or the http://ServerName/connectcomputer Web site to do so.

Before you tackle this (not very scary) task, find out what you need to know in “Adding a Server Running Windows Server 2008 to a Windows Small Business Server 2003 Network” in the Windows SBS Technical Library. This document describes system requirements and deployment scenarios, and provides step-by-step instructions to get you through the process.

As always, we want to hear from you! Please rate our documentation by responding to the question “Was this information helpful” at the bottom of each page. Do you have more to say? Click Comments (under Page Options), and tell us specifically what you like or do not like about the information. Definitely let us know if we did not document a procedure or solution thoroughly or accurately!

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.

Putting Vista clients to sleep on your SBS network

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:01:00 GMT

Ok. You've had a long day at the office and you just want the Vista clients on your network to go to sleep! But no. They just want to stay awake and play when you leave the office. You've tried fiddling with the power settings, but you're not getting the results you expect. Why does this happen? And what can you do make them rest and save you a bit of energy at the same time? Two words..."Group Policy."

For the full skinny, check out "Interested in Conserving a Little Power?" on Sean Daniels blog.

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

Prepare Your Server for Extended Daylight Savings Time!

sbsdocsteam — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 02:51:00 GMT

Are you ready for Extended Daylight Savings Time? If not, your computer's system clock may not show the correct time during the four week extension that starts on March 11, 2007.

The SBS Documentation Team strongly encourages you to read the excellent article "Extended Daylight Saving Time and SBS 2003" that Chris Puckett posted in The Official SBS Blog. Chris cites a number of key updates and helpful resources that will help you prepare for this adjustment.

Don't delay! Do it today!

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

New Documentation: Installing WSS 3.0 on a Server Running Windows SBS 2003

sbsdocsteam — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 00:25:00 GMT

I know, I know. This notification is late in coming. But better late than never! Of course, based upon the huge number of downloads thus far, it seems as if most of you have already found this gem. So I'll make this short and sweet.

Are you itching to run Windows SharePoint Services on Windows SBS 2003 or Windows SBS 2003 R2? If so, you'll want to download this document and discover how to go about doing it. For the full scoop, download “Installing Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 on a Server Running Windows SBS 2003” from the Microsoft Download Center.

There. 'Nuff said. Go get it!

The SBS Documentation Team wishes you all a safe and prosperous 2007!

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

Documentation Update: Deploying Windows Mobile 5.0 with Windows Small Business Server 2003

sbsdocsteam — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:59:00 GMT

A while back, we heard from a few of our loyal customers who mentioned that they could not use the instructions in the subject document to successfully install a certificate on their mobile devices. It turns out that some rather key information was missing from the doc. So allow us to extend a hearty thank you to the vocal minority! We are pleased to pass your knowledge and passion along to everyone who relies upon this document to take advantage of the mobile features of Windows SBS. The updated version of this document includes corrections to Step 4 that make it much more clear how to install a Windows SBS certificate on your Smartphone, Pocket PC, or other device running Windows Mobile 5.0. You can download Deploying Windows Mobile 5.0 with Windows Small Business Server 2003 and other documentation from the SBS Product Documentation Web pages.

Remember; please share your feedback with us! It truly does make a difference.

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

SBS 2003 Help Topics are now available on the Web!

sbsdocsteam — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 19:51:00 GMT

It's been a long time coming but we have finally published all of the Help
Topics found on the server to the Web. That means quick access when you are
not sitting at the server, and easier updates when new information becomes
available. Some of the topics were updated during the publication process.

You will soon find links to this information on the SBS Product Documentation Web pages as well as from TechNet.

In the meantime, you can use this link to go directly to the Help Topics.

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