Windows SBS/EBS (Small/Essential Business Server) but for Schools?

[jamesfed]

Decided to install SBS 2008 (Small Business Server) on my testing PC today and certainly like what I see.

The main advantage is the management console that’s been geared to making administration simple with most tasks in a single place. Its kind of like a Business version of what RM have with their ‘Community Connect’ line.

What I was wondering is if anyone else had used SBS/EBS in either a testing/production environment and if it would be worth pushing Microsoft into developing something like this aimed at schools – it would certainly give RM a run for their money.

 

Few links for anyone who wants to know more-

http://www.microsoft.com/ebs/en/us/default.aspx - EBS website

http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/default.aspx - SBS website

[dhicks]

What I was wondering is if anyone else had used SBS/EBS in either a testing/production environment

 

When I arrived we had a Windows SBS 2003 machine serving the senior ICT room. It was completely unsuitable for its role, being limited to 5 client machines, but I can see the point if you have a small business.

 

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David Hicks

[jamesfed]

When I arrived we had a Windows SBS 2003 machine serving the senior ICT room. It was completely unsuitable for its role, being limited to 5 client machines, but I can see the point if you have a small business.

 

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David Hicks

 

As far as I understand you buy extra CALS and can add up to somewhere in the region of 90 and 300 to each version (respectively).

[powdarrmonkey]

Five licenses is only the base pack, you can add more licenses similar to the normal editions.

[dhicks]

As far as I understand you buy extra CALS and can add up to somewhere in the region of 90 and 300 to each version (respectively).

 

That worked out rather pricey to scale up to a whole-school solution for us. Things might be different for you - we're a private school, and get different pricing, have to pay VAT, etc. Also, what we consider "pricey" might be considered fair in other places, especially if you get all-in-one configuration, but I'd check before you committed to using SBS for a whole school.

 

SBS doesn't work well with other servers or networks - if it finds another domain controller it sulks and shuts down - so it's not the kind of thing you can extend and add bits to later on, it's an all-or-nothing sort of system. Schools tend to have changing requirements, with extra features being added as you go along.

 

In response to your original question, Microsoft release software to make money, and if they can't make money out of a school-specific Ranger / Community Connect / SBS system then they won't bother developing one. I'm guessing that they are making plenty of money selling standard Windows servers to schools at the moment.

 

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David Hicks

[powdarrmonkey]

SBS doesn't work well with other servers or networks - if it finds another domain controller it sulks and shuts down - so it's not the kind of thing you can extend and add bits to later on, it's an all-or-nothing sort of system.

 

I thought it would allow additional domain controllers as long as it held the master roles and was the domain and forest roots and so on? Anyway, I agree with you it's not really suitable for anything other than a small business (hence the name).

[jamesfed]

That worked out rather pricey to scale up to a whole-school solution for us. Things might be different for you - we're a private school, and get different pricing, have to pay VAT, etc. Also, what we consider "pricey" might be considered fair in other places, especially if you get all-in-one configuration, but I'd check before you committed to using SBS for a whole school.

 

In response to your original question, Microsoft release software to make money, and if they can't make money out of a school-specific Ranger / Community Connect / SBS system then they won't bother developing one. I'm guessing that they are making plenty of money selling standard Windows servers to schools at the moment.

 

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David Hicks

 

I was never looking at it for use in this school merely interested in its potential as a solution to the way that RM seems to be taking over many UK schools with its out of date software.

 

To true about Microsoft though - either way if they could re-brand EBS (and allow it to be used with additional users/clients) they would have a practically ready made product.

[ahuxham]

Can confirm the following:

 

You can purchase more licenses to extend its capability.

You can have secondary DC's as long as the SBS server is the Primary and has all FSMO roles attached. (I.e. Being the Schema Master)