Windows & Interoperability: Windows SBS 2011 Powerful yet Pricey

Windows SBS 2011 Powerful yet Pricey

by P. J. Connolly

Basic Setup Checklist

An administrator logging into SBS 2011 is presented with a task list that is broken down into initial setup chores and ongoing maintenance responsibilities.

Network Setup Made Simple

Connecting an SBS 2011 server to the Internet is a simple process, thanks to the setup wizards for network connections and higher-level functions.

Control at One's Fingertips

The SBS 2011 management console puts key features in a sidebar, with frequently accessed tasks in the main window.

Set Storage Quotas

SBS 2011 allows administrators to apply storage quotas and other policies based on one or more templates, which can be modified as needed.

Folder Creation Done Right

Folder creation through the SBS 2011 console keeps security uppermost, by putting permissions and policies first.

All in This Together

An SBS 2011 group of users can be strictly for e-mail purposes, or it can control access to network resources, or both.

Manage Updates Centrally

SBS 2011 includes Windows Server Update Services, which provides a central depot and management facility for patches and updates to the OS and other software.

No-More-Tears Reporting

SBS 2011 comes with a variety of canned reports that cover all aspects of system status, offering everything from a high-level summary to detailed log files.

Patches

Patch management in SBS 2011 is made easy through the use of one policy for servers in the domain, and another for clients.