Windows Server Essentials


Windows Server Essentials is an integrated server suite from Microsoft for businesses with no more than 25 users or 50 devices. It includes Windows Server, Exchange Server, Windows SharePoint Services, and Microsoft Outlook. Application server technologies are tightly integrated to provide and offer management benefits such as integrated setup, enhanced monitoring, Remote Web Workplace, a unified management console, and remote access.
Starting with Windows Server Essentials 2022, this product is only available through OEM providers. This product offers the same licensing terms and restrictions regarding the number of users/devices and cores; however, it also offers the same features as Windows Server Standard 2022.
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History

As Small Business Server

Initially, Microsoft marketed the Small Business Server an edition of Microsoft BackOffice Server. With the release of Windows 2000, however, Microsoft spun off Small Business Server 2000 as a separate offering. Until this point, the Premium editions of SBS included SQL Server, ISA Server, and FrontPage. SBS 2003 and later all bear the "Windows" brand and are editions of Windows Server.
SBS 2008 came with an edition of Windows Server 2008 bears the name Windows Server 2008 for Windows Essential Server Solutions, also known as Windows Server 2008 Standard FE. This edition of Windows Server 2008 is available outside the product suite, supporting a maximum of 15 Client Access Licenses. SBS 2008 Premium edition does not include ISA Server but includes SQL Server 2008. Those upgrading to SBS 2008 Premium edition via Software Assurance were compensated with a free license for the latest version of ISA Server. In December 2008, Microsoft also introduced a Windows Essential Business Server product aimed at medium-sized businesses, but this was discontinued in June 2010 due to low demand.
SBS 2011 was available in Essentials, Standard, and Premium editions. The Essentials edition is a scaled down version for 1 to 25 users; the other editions are based on the Windows Server codebase and include Exchange Server, Windows SharePoint Services, and Microsoft Outlook in addition to what comes with Windows Server.

As Windows Server Essentials

Starting with Windows Server 2012, Microsoft renamed SBS to Windows Server Essentials. Four versions of Windows Server Essentials were released along with their Windows Server siblings: 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, and 2019. Windows Server 2019 Essentials removed many features found in previous versions of Windows Server Essentials because the "Windows Server Essentials Experience" role was not included in any of the Windows Server 2019 SKUs. This includes Essentials Connector, Client PC Backup, Office 365 integration, Remote Web Access, and the Windows Server Essentials Dashboard.

Discontinuation

In September 2018, Microsoft stated that Windows Server Essentials 2019 could be the last version of this product. Following the release of Windows Server 2022, Microsoft announced that Windows Server Essentials 2022 would only be made available to OEMs as a customized licensing scheme for the Standard edition of Windows Server 2022.
At the time of discontinuation, Microsoft offered the same software as part of its Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure plans.

Versions

  • October 22, 1997 – BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0
  • May 24, 1999 – BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5
  • February 21, 2001 – Microsoft Small Business Server 2000
  • October 9, 2003 – Windows Small Business Server 2003
  • July 29, 2006 – Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2
  • August 21, 2008 – Windows Small Business Server 2008
  • December 13, 2010 – Windows Small Business Server 2011
  • October 10, 2012 – Windows Server 2012 Essentials
  • September 9, 2013 – Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
  • October 12, 2016 – Windows Server 2016 Essentials
  • November 13, 2018 – '''Windows Server 2019 Essentials'''

Licensing

Normally, Microsoft licenses its on-premises server products on a per-seat or per-user basis, i.e., the licensing cost depends on how many users or computers use these products. Businesses that install them require to obtain client access licenses. Windows Server 2012 Essentials and later do not need any CALs. However, this has not always been the case. Earlier versions – Windows Small Business Server – had their own types of CAL, and included the user CALs for Windows Server, Exchange Server, and eventually SQL Server. The SBS CALs cost more than the Windows Server CALs, but less than the sum of separate access licenses for the two or three servers.
Windows Small Business Server has the following design restrictions:
  • Only one computer in the domain can run SBS. The domain supports multiple servers running any other operating system, such as Windows Server, but only one SBS.
  • SBS must be the root of the Active Directory forest.
  • SBS cannot establish a trust relationship with any other domains or have sub-domains.
  • SBS is limited to 75 users or devices depending on the type of CAL.
  • SBS 2003 and earlier are limited to no more than 4 GB of RAM. SBS 2008 supports a maximum of 32 GB. It requires a minimum of 4 GB for installation, but needs more for performance.
  • SBS 2003 R2 and earlier are only available for the IA-32 architecture.
  • SBS 2008 is only available for the x86-64 architecture.
  • The SQL Server that comes with SBS 2008 is "SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition for Small Business.". It cannot be installed outside a network that has a domain controller, and must have fewer than 75 PCs or users
  • Remote Desktop Services on SBS is restricted to two simultaneous sessions. Terminal Services in application sharing mode needs to be run on a second server running a separately obtained copy of Windows Server.
To remove these restrictions and upgrade to regular editions of Windows Server, Exchange Server, SQL Server and ISA Server, there was a Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 Transition Pack.