THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS DIVA

Based on the questions on this post - http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2012/09/04/the-future-of-sbs.aspx let's revisit this.

Q.  Does any version of Windows 2012 have Remote Web Access? 

A.  Well, no.  While Server 2012 has Remote Gateway, it' s the specific web portal access piece that many are used to in SBS that is only in the Windows Server 2012 Essentials product.  In addition, any other direct via RDP to desktop solution bouncing through the RDgateway has to have Remote Desktop cals to be legal.  They give SBS (and thus Essentials) a waiver due to a slight legal loophole whereby the full TS role isn't installed on the box.  (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2472211 as to the dism command we have to do to get the full TS management console up there).  Can you use remote web publishing or another ways to get similar experiences?  Yes, but again if you want Remote Web Access, Server 2012 standard does not have the same thing, it's a custom web site coded up by Microsoft.

Q.  Can you have the AD roles and the HyperV on the parent?

A.  No.  It breaks the 1+2 licensing agreement to have anything but the HyperV role installed on the parent.  In addition it's not recommended to put the DC roles on the HyperV parent.  Read this blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2008/11/24/the-domain-controller-dilemma.aspx in a small setting your best bet is to leave the parent as a workgroup, and then have the DC underneath as a virtual machine.  Thus there's a fully functional domain running as children (guests) on the Parent.  The Parent is in the same IP range as the server.

Q.  I'm used to SBS where we bought SBS cals, what kind of cals are we going to need now? 

A.  For the Essentials box, if all you deploy for your clients is the Essentials box and nothing else but the Essentials box you need no cals.  Essentials is a cal-less box.  It's licensed based on users.  25 max.   When you then add my idea of two additional server instances, any Windows 2012 instance needs server cals in order for the workstations to access them for file server access.  Right now they are prices at US$30 (per my understanding) for server cals, per person.  You'll also need an Exchange license and Exchange cals.  (Remind me to go look those prices up) Yes, I fully expect the price tag will go up in this scenerio but if you have a client who wants to be on premise, this will be the "premise tax" for those that want control. 

Q.  Shoot Susan, this sounds like a really expensive solution to set up a virtual server like this.  Got any other ideas?

A.  Yes, there's ClearOS Foundation as well as Kerio to look at.   Also keep in mind that SBS 2008's and SBS 2011's support is going for many more years.  Both are going to get rollups to support Windows 8 on them.  So you have some years to hang tight with your clients and see what shakes out of the tree.  The construction crews are still out there planning and building roads ahead, so you can hang tight and let all these new releases shake out before making any rash decisions.

Q.  But what's this transmorg thing you talked about?  What happens if I hit 25 users?

A.  When you hit 25 users on Essentials there's a process to purchase a normal Windows Server 2012 sku code, enter it into the product key section and it 'transmorgifies" to a normal server but keeping the Essentials wizards up to 75 users.  You are no longer stuck in the FSMO roles all on one server world of SBS.  The add exchange user wizard will still work.  The Remote Web Access still works even though you transmorg'd yourself.  Now you will need to buy server Cals once you transmorg as the minute you put the key number in, you are no longer under the "user" umbrella of Essentials, but now need the cals of Server.  So if you have 24 users when you transmorg it, you'll need to buy 24 windows server cals. 

Q.  Will the transmorg work and allow me to migrate to the next version of Essentials? 

A.  Given the fact that Microsoft wouldn't be telling me their plans that far out in advance, I can't answer that.  Honestly I think that's asking a lot and we'll have to wait and see how many customers end up in this 25-75 range.  I also think a lot will change in 3 to 5 years and we'll be talking about all sorts of different solutions and remote access by that time to really be this nitty gritty on planning ahead.  :-)

Q.  So how can I figure out more about setting up HyperV?

A.  I have a wiki post starting up here - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/12636.hyperv-server-for-smbs-how-to.aspx if you have any questions, just holler.

Q.  When will Windows Server 2012 essentials be released?

A.  By the end of the year is what Microsoft is saying.  You know the drill, the small business stuff always comes out after the Enterprise stuff.  We let them find the bugs ;-)