Emma Explains Microsoft Licensing in Depth!: Transition path SBS 2003 to SBS 2008 and EBS 2008

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August 31

Transition path SBS 2003 to SBS 2008 and EBS 2008

Designed for small businesses, Windows Small Business Server 2008 is an affordable, integrated server solution that helps customers protect their business data, increase productivity and present a more professional image to their customers – giving them the tools they need to help grow their business capacity.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition
- Comes with 5 CALs
Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition
- Comes with 5 CALs
Windows SBS 2008 CAL Suite
- User or Device - 1, 5 or 20 packs
- Applicable for SBS 2008 Standard Edition and applicable for SBS 2008 Premium Edition for those users/devices not accessing the premium features of the server software (i.e. SQL Server)
Windows SBS 2008 CAL Suite for Premium Users or Devices
- User or Device -1, 5 or 20 packs
- Applicable for SBS 2008 Premium Edition for only those users/devices accessing the premium features of the server software

Product Migrations

Existing or New Small Business Server customers may want to move to the Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) 2008 product offering (when it becomes available) based on their business growth. .
Existing or New SBS customers may want to move to the stand alone components of the SBS suite – i.e. standalone Windows Server, Exchange Server, SQL Server (in the case of Premium Edition).
Migration paths is now executed via a new program called Solutions Pathway, as below

With the launch of the 2008 offerings, we have introduced the "solution Pathway", basically it will offer a tiered discount that will be applicable to all mobility scenarios, i.e., into, within, and out of WESS family of products, and will replace previously offered SKUs to achieve the same outcome.

You will be able to make the purchase from MS COM Web sites. Upon entering your product key, the system will automatically validate and recognize what product you have and will provide the possible migration paths available to you. It will also automatically calculate the appropriate discount, depending on what changes you are making. The tiered discounts will be available to Partners and Customers and the range of the discounts will be announced

Check out the solution pathway on the links below

Windows Small Business Server 2008

Windows Essential Business Server 2008

SBS Transition Path

SBS 2008 provides a wide range of new features and technologies, such as the newest Microsoft server products, new security services, marketing and collaboration capabilities, and management features.

SBS 2003 R2 CALs with SA will upgrade to SBS 2008 CAL Suite or SBS 2008 CAL Suite for Premium Users or Devices, depending on which edition of SBS server software your SA rights entitle you to.

SBS Premium Edition will have an additional copy of Windows Server 2008 with SQL Server Standard Edition - vs. Workgroup Edition in SBS 2003 Premium - to run on a second hardware box. This is in response to loud and clear feedback from partners and customers that they want that second box as a platform for critical business applications. Premium Edition can now also be used for Terminal Services access to applications.

Note: With the release of SBS 2008, there will now be 2 CALs to align with the SBS Editions. In previous SBS releases, there was only one CAL that was applicable to both server editions – this is no longer the case, we will offer Premium and Standard CALs dependant on features and functionality accessed by devices

The product components that make up the SBS 2008 solution differ from SBS 2003 R2. Software Assurance customers will therefore be granted one-time licenses for the following :

SBS 2003 R2 Component Product

ISA 2006 + separate copy of Windows Server 2003 R2** until such time ISA successor product, Threat Management Gateway 2010, is released upon which, a TMG 2010 license will be granted.

*Premium Edition
** ISA 2006 does not run on Windows Server 2008

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Changes and notables:

· Customers will be able to purchase single CALs, so they will pay only for the exact number of employees using the products.
· SBS CALs now extend to other copies of Windows Server, SQL Server or Exchange Server on a SBS network – no additional CALs required.
· ‘Premium’ CALs are required for ONLY those users or devices who are accessing the premium features (i.e. SQL Server 2008 for Small Business); all other users or devices can purchase ‘Standard’ CALs.
SBS2008 will remain up to 75 Users/Devices and EBS2008 will support up to 300 users/Devices - more info

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