Mixing SBS2003 & SBS 2011?
Let me start by saying my job is primarily desktop support, so to be honest I'm very green about dealing with servers. I have no formal training or education on them.
So Im about to (forced to really) upgrade two of my company's three servers. The 2 being replaced are application/file servers, and the other which is not being replaced is the domain controller/exchange server, which is running SBS 2003.
The 2 new servers would be running SBS 2011 Std. Is it a major headache to get these two OS versions to work together?
Also, anyone care to recommend some links or other recommended reading as far as getting started? I remember back in college learning about forests and trust and things to that effect. I assume I'm going to have delve into all that to get all 3 server playing
nice together?
July 27th, 2012 8:56am
Please ask this question in SBS forum as SBS is different than other Server editions.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/smallbusinessserver/threadsI do not represent the organisation I work for, all the opinions expressed here are my own.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.
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July 27th, 2012 9:12am
You shouldn't have a problem... all you need to make sure of is to add them to the same domain.
July 27th, 2012 10:16am
You can only have 1 SBS server in a domain, you can add windows server standard to the domain but ONLY one SBS per domain. Cannot create trusts so creating separate forests is excluded.
The only time you can have 2 SBS servers in the same domain is when you want to migrate them for example from 2003 to 2008 and that is for a limited number of days 30, 45,...don't remember exactly but you get errors in eventlog reminding you of the
expirying period.
Here are the restrictions for SBS (wikipedia):
Windows Small Business Server has the following design restrictions:
Only one computer in the
domain can be running Windows Small Business Server. That is not to say that the domain only supports a single server. The domain supports multiple servers (including additional
domain controllers) running any other operating system, such as Windows Server Standard Edition.Windows Small Business Server must be the root of the
Active Directory forest.Windows Small Business Server cannot trust any other domains. It cannot have any child domains.Windows Small Business Server is limited to 75 users or devices depending on which type of CAL (SBS 2008
FE supports a maximum of 15 CALs).All Windows Small Business Server versions up to SBS 2003 are limited to 4 GB of
RAM. 2008 requires a minimum of 4GB for installation, it needs more for performance. 2008 supports a maximum of 32GB.Windows Small Business Server versions prior to Windows Small Business Server 2008 are only available for the x86 (32-bit) architecture.Windows Small Business Server 2008 is only available for the
x86-64 (64-bit) architecture. This is due to the requirements of Exchange Server 2007, whose production version is 64-bit only. The 32-bit version of Exchange Server 2007 is only supported for testing and non-production scenarios.The SQL Server which comes with SBS 2008 is "SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition for Small Business. It cannot be installed outside of a network that has a domain controller and fewer than 75 PCs and/or users.Only the Remote Desktop for Administration mode is available because Small Business Server always runs on the
domain controller, and only two simultaneous
RDP sessions are allowed. (Change from SBS 2000 policy) Terminal Services in application sharing mode needs to be run on a second server on the network. This however is possible with
SBS 2008 Premium edition which includes a
Windows Server 2008 license for running the second server.To remove these restrictions and upgrade to regular editions of Windows Server, Exchange Server, SQL Server and ISA Server, there is a Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 Transition Pack.
Conclusion, if you have more servers buy Server standard. SBS (like foundation) is designed fo small companies that can't afford/don't need more than one server.
Hope it helps.
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July 27th, 2012 12:27pm
You can only have 1 SBS server in a domain, you can add windows server standard to the domain but ONLY one SBS per domain. Cannot create trusts so creating separate forests is excluded.
The only time you can have 2 SBS servers in the same domain is when you want to migrate them for example from 2003 to 2008 and that is for a limited number of days 30, 45,...don't remember exactly but you get errors in eventlog reminding you of the
expirying period.
Here are the restrictions for SBS (wikipedia):
Windows Small Business Server has the following design restrictions:
Only one computer in the
domain can be running Windows Small Business Server. That is not to say that the domain only supports a single server. The domain supports multiple servers (including additional
domain controllers) running any other operating system, such as Windows Server Standard Edition.Windows Small Business Server must be the root of the
Active Directory forest.Windows Small Business Server cannot trust any other domains. It cannot have any child domains.Windows Small Business Server is limited to 75 users or devices depending on which type of CAL (SBS 2008
FE supports a maximum of 15 CALs).All Windows Small Business Server versions up to SBS 2003 are limited to 4 GB of
RAM. 2008 requires a minimum of 4GB for installation, it needs more for performance. 2008 supports a maximum of 32GB.Windows Small Business Server versions prior to Windows Small Business Server 2008 are only available for the x86 (32-bit) architecture.Windows Small Business Server 2008 is only available for the
x86-64 (64-bit) architecture. This is due to the requirements of Exchange Server 2007, whose production version is 64-bit only. The 32-bit version of Exchange Server 2007 is only supported for testing and non-production scenarios.The SQL Server which comes with SBS 2008 is "SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition for Small Business.".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4">[5]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5">[6]</sup>
It cannot be installed outside of a network that has a domain controller and fewer than 75 PCs and/or users.Only the Remote Desktop for Administration mode is available because Small Business Server always runs on the
domain controller, and only two simultaneous
RDP sessions are allowed. (Change from SBS 2000 policy)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6">[7]</sup> Terminal Services in application
sharing mode needs to be run on a second server on the network. This however is possible with SBS 2008 Premium edition which includes a
Windows Server 2008 license for running the second server.To remove these restrictions and upgrade to regular editions of Windows Server, Exchange Server, SQL Server and ISA Server, there is a Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 Transition Pack.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7">[8]</sup>
Conclusion, if you have more servers buy Server standard. SBS (like foundation) is designed fo small companies that can't afford/don't need more than one server.
Hope it helps.
July 27th, 2012 12:30pm
I agree with Bhandarkar, please ask in SBS forum.
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July 30th, 2012 10:34pm
I agree with Bhandarkar, please ask in SBS forum.
July 30th, 2012 10:39pm
You can only have one SBS server on a domain, this if you are installing two more servers, I would recommend Server 2008R2
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/smallbusinessserver/thread/e5312140-354c-4dc4-97d8-8898f07a3d8c
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August 1st, 2012 5:24am
Hi Everyone.....
I find myself here by following a post in the SBS forum, and having read the responses in this list thought I would add a couple of items for clarification.
First, the suggestion as to the locks and limits of their being only one SBS per AD is correct. Also that their cannot be trusts.
However, there is absolutely no limit on the number of servers, or even the number of DC's in an SBS AD/domain. While there is little reason for a second DC, you most certainly can do it.
As witness to the ability to install additional servers, MS has created another SKU, called Premium Add On, which can be added to either SBS Standard or SBS Essentials. This SkU delivers a full copy of Windows Server 2008 R2 and a full copy of SQL
Server for Small Business, which is the exact same code with the limit that the SQL can only be installed into an SBS S or SBS E domain.
Plus, with the PAO you get 1+1 rights which allows you to install the SBS and the Standard as VM's in the Standard's HyperV role.
Larry Struckmeyer[SBS-MVP]
August 1st, 2012 9:44am
Thanks, your input is very much appreciated.
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August 1st, 2012 10:26am