Windows Server 2003 VS Small Business Server 2003

[TechnoPro]

My prices are from Microsoft.com, as follows:

Windows Server 2003 (Standard Edition) including 5 CALs = $999.

+

Exchange Server 2003 (Standard Edition) + 5 CALs (@ $67) = $699 + $335 = $1,034.

VS

Windows Small Business Server 2003 (Standard Edition) including 5 CALs = $599.

...

Am I missing something? I get the full functionality of Server 2003 AND Exchange Server 2003 for roughly one third the price if I buy SBS 2003? What's the real deal here?

 

[mikecel79]

SBS is geared toward small businesses. They push it as a all-in-one box for small businesses. I believe that SBS 2003 also does not support more than 75 users but I'm not sure about that.

What type of environment are you looking to put this in?

 

[jdustinb]

I'm putting a server together for a small business and I'm wondering what the better solution may be.

Windows Server 2003 (Standard Edition) vs. Windows Small Business Server 2003 (Standard Edition)

Currently there are about 20 clients in the office. They want to create a domain and use the server as a file/printer server. Other than that they don't have future intentions for the server at the present time though they do a lot of graphic design. This is something I'm trying to keep in mind as I wouldn't be suprised if they decided to want to start using this server as a place to do some rendering, etc.

This business is just getting their feet off the ground though so it doesn't appear like they'll be expanding much past 30-40 employees on the network over the next year or so.

I'm pretty sure SBS 2003 only supports 75 users as well but not sure what the windows server 2003 standard edition supports.

One other thing, any hardware recommendations? Mostly wondering what kind of processer to shoot for. Have been looking at the Athlon XP, specifically the newer socket 939, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't make this machine extremely stable and go for the opteron and use ECC Registered RAM. Also, they have three hard drives. One for the OS and any applications, one for the files, and one for the back-up. They want the back-up to be removable but might it be a better solution to use the one for the files and back-up and just raid them together?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[stash]

Server 2003 standard is only limited to how many licenses you buy.

Some other limitations of SBS are that it must be a DC, it must be the first DC in the domain, there can only be one SBS DC in the domain (you can have 2003 standard or enterprise DCs), and the SBS domain cannot trust any other domains. This means, among other things, you can't have any child domains.

None of these things are generally issues for customers that SBS was designed for.