THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS DIVA

Before we drove home from Santa Ana, I read a message from Jason Miller.  He said that he was reading “Windows Server 2008, the complete reference” by Danielle Ruest and Nelson Ruest.

He said "I get to Page 6: "

“... it is often best for this type of organization to use Windows Small Business Server 2008, because it is less expensive and it includes more comprehensive applications for e-mail and database services.  Nevertheless, some organizations opt for Windows Server 2008 anyway, because they are not comfortable with the limitations Microsoft has imposed on the Small Business Server edition.  For example, it is always best and simpler to have at least two domain controllers running the directory service because they become automatic backups of each other.  SBS08 can only have a single server in the network and therefore cannot offer this level of protection for the directory service.  This is one reason why some small organizations opt for Windows Server 2008 even if it is more costly at first.“

Anyway, the rest of the book is favourable – I’m enjoying the heavy influence that hyper-v and virtualization is taking on the discussion of design, configuration, and administration of WS2008. "

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/topmyths.mspx

Just like in the SBS 2003 era, just like in the SBS 2000 era, just like in the SBS 4.5 era, and just like in the SBS 4.0 era, the reality of SBS from then to today is the same.  Even though it's a fact that SBS from 4.0 all the way to 2008 can have 74 additional servers, all of which can be 74 additional domain controllers if people really want to, there is something about the product that make people want to keep the myth of "SBS can only support one server" alive.  At least for EBS it ships with multiple DCs so it won't have to fight the myth of a single server/single DC for it's life span.

I'm hoping that in the SBS 2024 era that someone will finally believe the fact that SBS can support additional domain controllers and authors will not mistakenly misstate this myth.

Once again, for the record books, SBS 2008 CAN support additional servers, and in fact in the SBS 2008 Premium sku they throw you additional Server License so that if you want this "redundancy" of DCs you can.

I've heard lots of good things about the Ruest's expertise in virtualization as well.  But in this one specific area, like other authors they've unfortunately blown it on the multiple server myth that is getting reinforced again.

While this "myth document" was written for the SBS 2003 era the same facts are true now for SBS 2008:

1. I cannot add additional servers to a Windows SBS domain.

You can add additional servers to the Windows SBS domain. Windows SBS has the following design constraints:

Adding additional Windows Servers in a remote office:

The server running Windows SBS must be the root of the Active Directory forest

So that paragraph on page 6 SHOULD have read:

SBS08 can have additional servers in the network and therefore can offer this level of protection for the directory service.  Unfortunately the continuance of the myth of a single domain controller is one reason why some small organizations opt for Windows Server 2008 even when it is more costly at first and in the long term and does not provide the same features (Remote Web Workplace) as SBS and EBS offer.“