THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS "DIVA"

On the MS Website it states: "Windows Server Foundation can be used as an Active Directory server or domain controller (within Active Directory domains that are running Windows Server Foundation only)."

The part within the parentheses suggest to me I couldn't use it with my SBS or in my branch networks.

Susan - thanks for the two posts in two days on this matter. I was initially concerned about your first post just "repeating" Joe Wilcox analysis but I am much more pleased with your second post up today. I have cited you twice in my blog on this topic here:

harrybrelsford.wordpress.com/.../windows-server-foundation

THANKS!

harrybbbbbb

Why is Microsoft releasing both as separate products since they're so alike?

technet.microsoft.com/.../dd252609.aspx

They clearly state that there is a WinWESS product with Hyper-V and another without.  They don't ship SBS that way though, so it can't be referring to the base of SBS.  They also state specifically that WinWESS doesn't include the integrated components of SBS.  Why would they state that unless it was for a shippable product?

Why have an entire tech doc designed around licensing considerations for WinWESS too?

Ok the EU thing explains the Hyper-V stuff - sort of.

Since Microsoft had no intention of supporting Hyper-V on SBS, why bother including it at all, what with them already having a version without it?

Also, why all the public technical info about setting up CAL licensing for a product that isn't supposed to exist as shippable in that state?  Why would anybody purchase SBS for the purpose of using the limited licensing scheme of the core OS?

You kind of misquoted what Mary Jo said.  Up to the point where she said "Let me try that again", she completely scratched that previous part out because it's actually incorrect.

If you read it closely, she said it "will allow users to join a domain but not act as a standalone domain server".  She was wrong.

This is from Microsoft's site for Foundation:

"Windows Server Foundation can be used as an Active Directory server or domain controller, and can also join a domain as a member server or domain controller (but the 15 user limit still applies across AD scenarios)"

She corrected her statement in the last sentence, although the wording that it "can support" a standalone server is a bit misleading.  THE SOFTWARE supports the AD DC role.  I think that's what she meant to say, because that's what it really is.

Ok, so that out of the way, let's compare:

Supports standalone DC role:

Foundation:  CHECK

WinWESS:  CHECK

Limited to 15 users:

Foundation:  CHECK (doesn't use CAL's)

WinWESS:  CHECK (uses CAL's, but alternatively supports device CAL's - CAL's must be installed within 30 days of OS install)

Must be the root of AD:

Foundation:  CHECK*  (see note below)

WinWESS:  CHECK

Can't trust other domains:

Foundation:  CHECK (this is according to Mary Jo - Microsoft doesn't mention this)

WinWESS:  CHECK

Can't have child domains:

Foundation:  CHECK (also according to Mary Jo - Microsoft also doesn't mention this specifically)

WinWESS:  CHECK

Can work with other AD DC's:

Foundation:  ?  (according to Microsoft's own page it's yes, but Mary Jo says no because it doesn't support CAL's - this needs clarification)

WinWESS:  ?  (only one server can run WinWESS in a domain, so it depends on whether or not the CAL's are specifically for WinWESS)

Includes Hyper-V:

Foundation:  No

WinWESS:  Optional

The confusing part is about how well each of these works with other DC's.  With WinWESS, you can't have another server running WinWESS in a domain (like SBS), but I'm guessing you can add a Windows Server 2008 BDC like you can with SBS (this depends on the CAL format for WinWESS, since it's limited to 15 CAL's).  In Foundation, the licensing with the (lack of) CAL's is the odd part.  Unless the CAL's are hardcoded, I couldn't see how you could use Foundation with another non-Foundation DC.  I could understand it if you could use multiple Foundation servers together though, even if the limit is still 15 users.  With that in mind, at least one Foundation server would have to be hosting the primary copy of AD though.

So aside from a few licensing switches, there's isn't a whole lot different, at least according to the information so far.

PS:  Getting back to square-one here, you still didn't answer this question regarding WinWESS: If WinWESS isn't a "product", why all the public technical info about setting up CAL licensing for it?  It's technical instructions too, so it would only be for users of the software, not just  some legality issue.  FYI:  Mary Jo denies it's a product too.

Also, that info on TechNet was updated March 10th.

I like Lego!

For the SMB space it would be nice to see the Client Backup feature packaged and made available as another brick.

Susan,

It doesn't come with Sharepoint but can you install WSS on the server?  For 7 users that don't need Exchange internal, SBS is overkill but we do love Sharepoint for centralized document management.  Other than wizards, if we setup it with WSS, DHCP, DNS and AD it could be a great starter server to start the "centralization" process.  But I didn't know if WSS was blocked...or how about System Center Essentials?

Thanks,

John