There is of course, no true one size fits all when it comes to a business server infrastructure. Besides the typical constraints such as budgets, existing equipment, etc. you also have to contend with items such as legacy applications in the backoffice, multi-office scenarios, and much more. However we are constantly being asked questions regarding ‘what’s the best…” when it comes to equipment, software, and management tools for deploying Microsoft’s Small Business Server. To that end we have gathered up our favorites and evaluated discussions on the forums and newsgroups on these various topics to come up with our Ultimate SBS Configuration List. This list of hardware and software components is known to work well together since we have deployed it in dozens and dozens of our own client installations and is validated through the hundreds of other deployments by others.
- Server: Dell PowerEdge 2800.
We really like this product for its solid lineup of internal components, but mainly because it is by far the most flexible server we have ever come across. With multi-processor options of varying speeds and huge expandability you can configure this server for a small baseline business for less than $1500 all the way up to a mid-size firm fully decked out for over $10k. From a reliability perspective the thing just runs. The only server that has ever come close to having as solid a performance record as these have so far was the fantastic PowerEdge 2650. It’s a true monster in size but you can buy this in a minimal configuration today for your nascent business without worrying about having to replace it in a couple of years as it can expand right along with your organization. If purchasing SBS as a preinstalled OEM package with your server you should know that Dell is doing a much better job these days of insuring that there is adequate space on the system disk. Most vendors in the past (including Dell) tended to shortchange the system drive when it came to the partition size and really make it a pain to manage.
- Backup Software: Veritas Backup Exec For SBS. Sure you could use the built in backup tool with Small Business Server if you want…..but I sure wouldn’t. This robust suite features backup, restore, disaster recovery, single
drive library support, Exchange Server, SQL Server, and SharePoint
Services protection and recovery. A select family of powerful agents
and options deliver robust storage management tools to meet diverse
application needs for growing and upgrading storage management
capabilities. Now includes continuous disk-based data protection
helping eliminate backup windows, improve reliability, and deliver the
first web-based file retrieval functionality. In addition, the Desktop and Laptop Option (DLO) has turned out to be one of the best benefits of this package when it comes to backing up your individual company computers. Note that it now comes in two flavors, one for Standard Edition and one for Premium. The only real difference is that the one for Premium edition comes with the SQL Server backup option, so please order accordingly. - E-mail Tools/Management: GFI MailEssentials.
It seems odd to me that one of the tools that we now consider indispensable with any SBS installation is for functionality that you typically don’t think of when putting together your initial procurement list. But without question this is the one product that we simply insist on. Its main function is that of an anti-spam product for MS Exchange, but in addition it also adds functionality such as disclaimers for your e-mail messages, simple email list management, a more advanced POP-To-Exchange tool, etc. We could easily write an entire article on why doing anti-spam at the server level is so much better, and so much more important, than doing it at the email client level but this is one of those items that we just say “Trust Us”. Buy it. We have never had anyone complain about that decision. Besides, it’s cheaper than buying anti-spam software for each computer in your company anyway. - AntiVirus (Server/Clients): Sophos Anti-Virus SBE . This is by far the most contentious, most difficult question to answer…and probably the most asked. The truth of the matter is that we like the Sophos solution mainly because the procurement, deployment, and management can be done across both servers, desktops, and laptops all within a single product and a minimum of fuss. In addition we are not fans of “all inclusive” products that rollup
firewall, spam, anti-virus, etc all into a single product within a corporate environment. That narrows the field pretty massively with just those two requirements. So, in our Ultimate Configuration this product makes the most sense. But we also like Kaspersky, and NOD32 products with their lightweight footprints and high detection rates. Management and deployment however will take up a lot more of your time to get everything configured correctly. Regardless of which product you use in this category, please insure that any anti-virus product running on the SBS server has all of the exclusions necessary or else you could find yourself in a heap of trouble. - Backup Mechanism:
We have recently become huge fans of disaster proof hard drive systems. In fact, we are working with a manufacturer as we speak to develop one built specifically for SBS installations. In a nutshell, these are external hard drives encased in waterproof, fireproof enclosures. Typically these are USB and/or firewire and sometimes a NAS configuration, however we will be offering SCSI and eSATA options on our own units. Why is this such a big deal? In small business environments using a tape drive rotation usually means that you have a policy but it’s often forgotten, tapes gets overwritten, etc. And when you want to restore data you never seem to be able to actually put your hands on the tape you need. Don’t get us wrong, we aren’t anti-tape, we order an inexpensive internal tape drive with every server we buy. We just don’t like depending on human intervention in mission critical processes if they aren’t going to work. And as hard drive prices have decreased, and storage usage increased, the cost of tape drives and media capable of backing up all of that data is still very costly. We figured why not just use inexpensive disk-to-disk backup processes. It’s faster, it’s automated, and no tapes to remember and catalog. That’s great except for one thing….what if the building burns down, what about a flood, etc. Enter the disaster ready drive. Solves all of those issues. We’ve never looked back. We still use the inexpensive internal tape drive for periodic “archives”, but that’s it.
Future Items To Be Added (Additional)
- Remote Control
- Exchange Anti-Virus
- 3rd Party Firewall
- Router
- Wireless
- Desktop Software Config
- Laser Printer
- MultiFunction Printer
July 1st, 2006
Why I’m not a Microsoft MVP
a.k.a. Should I become a Microsoft MVP?
So, I’m meeting with a prospective client the other day and for the first time ever I am asked directly by the CEO why I am not a Microsoft MVP. While trying to buy time to think of how I wanted to respond I calmly asked him what brought that topic to mind. That led to some other tangent coming up that I quickly latched on to and we avoided a direct answer altogether.
It turns out that one of the competing firms who had presented earlier to this CEO had a MVP on staff who was doing the presenting, and apparently this person was extremely proud of their MVP status as I’m told they brought it up at least a dozen times in a one hour presentation and expounded on how important it was. Being that the entire contract hinged on expertise in Microsoft products and the fact that I had just completed countering a question about why they should use Microsoft products for their solution vs. an Open Source product they had heard of I didn’t feel I should be negative about the MVP program or the earlier presenter so I simply deflected the conversation with some deft maneuvering (translated: BS). After my firm won the contract the next day I followed up with this CEO as I was curious to how much impact this pushing of the value of a MVP actually made in his decision.
I have to say I was bit surprised when I learned that he initially found it extremely important. From his perspective they had decided to use Microsoft products, and if Microsoft was recognizing someone as a Most Valuable Professional then they must be truly outstanding with Microsoft products. He had no reason to doubt what the person had told him in regards to what it meant. We ended up winning the contract anyway, obviously our overall proposal and way of doing business still won out the end, so why I am worried about it? Why am I letting this get under my skin?
As to why I’m worried about, I always do a followup immediately following the clients decision in a competitive sales situation anyway. Whether we win or especially when we lose. Knowing why the client made that decision is just good business practice. Constantly tweaking your message based upon a deeper understanding of target clients is something I would recommend to everyone. As to why I’m letting this get under my skin?…. personality flaw I guess.
You see here’s the thing. Now that I sell to predominantly small and medium business clients I’ve quickly become less of a fan of the current MVP structure. Sure I’d love to be selected as a MVP , because I think the objective of the program is worthwhile and meaningful. Everyone likes to be acknowledged and I’m no exception. But I’d like that at a personal level. It would have absolutely zero impact on my business….or at least that’s the way I’ve always thought about it.
Before I explain I should state that I am a Microsoft Partner, a zealous touter of their wares, and a all-around ”Believer” if you will. Like the rest of us they aren’t perfect, but if I have to throw my hat into the ring with anyone it’s going to be them. I don’t care what you say about their business practices, the end product is great and no one provides a better program support for their partners…no one. I don’t mean monetarily, they’ve long since passed the days where they need to provide tons of huge financial incentives for partners and you will certainly find that the vast majority of partner programs provide richer rewards in that area. But that only means something if you can sell those other products. Nope, give me Microsoft any day.
However, where the MVP program is concerned I’m not the happiest camper right now. Let’s start with what a Microsoft MVP is:
Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professionals (MVP’s) are recognized, credible, and accessible individuals with expertise in one or more Microsoft® products who actively participate in online and offline communities to share their knowledge and expertise with other Microsoft customers.
If you really read it you’ll see that it’s entirely subjective. I don’t really mind that, a lot of things are subjective, but that doesn’t make them bad. But as most of you know I’m a prolific contributor to online communities and forums on Microsoft Products (Hall of Fame member in Experts Exchange “Small Business Server” forum as just one example). So to coin a phrase, “Why not me?”. Well, let’s look a little more at the process. How exactly does one become known to Microsoft in the first place?
The MVP’s are awarded through a nomination period where their past year’s contributions to the technical community are compared against those of their peers. Recipients of the award are determined through review cycles in that nomination period.
Cool! So I’m in right? Err, wait. What’s that really say? Kind of grey now that I think about it. How do they know what all my contributions were? How do they know what all of my peers contributed? Hey! Are they spying on me? Dammit, I knew I shouldn’t press OK those system error reports. Someone call the SEC!!
No, of course they aren’t ‘spying’ on me. And no they don’t know about all of my contributions to the technical community….at least not the full technical community. Surely I can find out more about how to become one:
Individuals are nominated to be considered for MVPs by their peers or Microsoft based on activities in the offline or online technical communities. The MVP Program and annual award is based solely on an individual’s contributions from the previous year and those contributions are then compared amongst the other candidates for any given nomination cycle to determine who will be awarded. Being that the contributions are the decision of the individual, the program is agnostic about what can or cannot prevent those contributions. We look at the entire year’s contributions, in total, and make the determination following the review process during the nomination cycle.
And there’s the crux of it. Basically you get someone to nominate you (or Microsoft does it themselves) and a pool of candidates is created. Yes, just by being nominated you are in the pool. From that pool then a certain number of selections are made to be awarded MVP status. That status is then good for a year. Where Microsoft contributions and selections are concerned the ‘technical community’ is predominantly the Microsoft newsgroups so I assume that’s the area that they can ‘compare’ to the other candidates. The reality is that you and I know that Microsoft can choose whomever it wishes for any reason whatsoever, and that’s why most of the language regarding MVP selection is so loose. Here’s the thing though, I don’t have a problem with that. In fact, as I mentioned earlier I totally support the objectives of the MVP program and what Microsoft desires to use it for. I have no doubt that if it was something that I really wanted (given the sales situation last week I may have to start wanting it more now I guess?) that I would have no issue becoming a MVP. I could just start making all of my posts into the Microsoft newsgroups and accomplish that pretty quickly I would imagine. Although after this article I might have to kiss that wish goodbye.
My objections are rooted in the fact that as a consultancy, or a client of consultancies, it isn’t cleanly delineated in any sort of hierarchy that makes sense. What should a MVP actually mean to those people? The right answer is that it should mean nothing, heck there’s no reason for them (or me) to even know much about the program, much less strive to obtain the title. But if someone presents it to them as an asset and makes them aware of it then the title “Most Valuable Professional” implies that the recipient of the title is a professional in the technology arena dealing with Microsoft products.
On the one hand you have a statement like this from a Microsoft MVP Group Manager:
Microsoft MVPs are credible technology experts who are among the very best, most accessible community members.
And on the other Microsoft says:
Microsoft MVPs represent a diverse group of people from various backgrounds and professions. MVPs are artists and technical trainers, authors and students, police officers, homemakers, firefighters, doctors and more. They range in age from 18 to 80 and live in all areas of the world. Many MVPs host websites, author best-selling books and train others, always finding the time to give back to the community. It is this “spirit of community” and desire to share technical expertise with a sense of dedicated professionalism that truly reflects the Microsoft MVP Award.
Homemakers? Firefighters? This latter statement when read by me is what the program is all about. There are a lot of folks out there who are incredibly knowledgeable and have a great deal to offer the community. They do so of their own free will, with nothing to gain from it, and Microsoft in their wisdom recognized their value and wanted a program that aknowledges that and to give them a reason to continue contributing to their community. Awesome. Who doesn’t think that’s a good thing? In fact it’s a damned noble thing and I applaud them for it. That former statement however, and the title of the award, conjure up a completely different meaning in the eyes of myself and my clients. All of a sudden these are “technology professionals” who specialize in Microsoft technologies and have been “recognized by Microsoft” as the “best of the best”. That would certainly mean something to me if I was hiring a consultant, wouldn’t it you? And yet that’s ridiculous, it’s a subjective program for all of the good reasons mentioned earlier. It’s not inclusive. It has no set structure for providing consumer confidence. For example, as a business I can register as a partner, and pass employee testing, client references, and criteria to make my way up a hierarchy. As an individual I can learn the necessary material, get the experience, and pass the tests to become a MCSE. No bias involved (well, unless you consider cash a bias), and the playing field is level. Should partners and certified professionals have to compete with MVP’s? And trust me, the client certainly found a “Microsoft MVP” description much more impressive than the generic “Partner” titles. He thought that the MVP must definitely be a higher level of skill or relationship where Microsoft was concerned.
Of course this was never an issue in my former business. When your clients are companies like British Airways, Cisco Systems, or Wells Fargo you can bet your life that the term ‘Microsoft MVP’ come up in a meeting. These were multi-million dollar projects and someone using the MVP term as a selling tool would have been laughed out of the room. But now that my firms only focus is the Small to Medium Business sector that term seems to creep up more than ever, and frankly it’s becoming a problem. In the past it was just something that appeared in group gatherings with other geeks who cared, or in the signature line of someones post online. But now that it is starting to involve a potential impact to my wallet…..well, let’s just say that as fanatical as I am about Microsoft I’m even more fanatical about money :)
So what say you friends? Do I push to get myself and my employees MVP status and leverage it even though I find the idea of doing so repugnant? Do I instead waste my valuable face time in front of a potential client explaining what the program is and what it isn’t so that it doesn’t effect my chances of a sale (also repugnant)?
I’d love to hear your comments on this one as I certainly don’t have any great answers, and I get the feeling that there will be a lot of opinions. To be clear before you start commenting, I’m not bashing MVP’s. I just don’t want them competing with me and using that as some sort of measuring stick. When people begin using the MVP title as a substitute for experience, well…..
The Bottom Line: Is Microsoft at fault here? I don’t think so. When the program was started Microsoft, like all other software companies, was focused on Enterprise sales. Did they envision terms like MVP becoming a problem for their partners sales efforts? Nahhh. They will have to be involved in a solution though. How about the guy pitching his MVP status in an inappropriate way to a potential client. Maybe, but all is fair and love and sales right? So how much can I fault him? It’s not like we don’t use every advantage I can find to make a sale. In other words, this is one of those issues in which I have a strong opinion but there isn’t necessarily a bad guy. Should there be some program changes? You bet. It just won’t happen tomorrow. Am I being reactionary because someone messed with my wallet? You bet. Chalk it up to just another one of the pains that companies like Microsoft have to struggle with in reforming their organization and products to better target the SMB customer and their partners who sell to them.
Matt Ridings
President
MSR Consulting
May 29th, 2006
Want to feel good about yourself today? How about a doing a mitzvot and help improve the future of spam detection? Oh come on, it’ll take 5 minutes out of your day and you can answer as many or as few as you want.
John Graham-Cumming launched
SpamOrHam.org in an attempt to build a repository of information that could be distributed to those involved in creating anti-spam filters. (“Ham” by the way is legitimate email, i.e. the opposite of “Spam”). In Graham-Cumming’s own words:
The basic idea is to get humans (that means you) to read a small number of messages (some are ham; some are spam) and decide what they are. I’m doing this because there are currently two usable corpuses of spam and ham: the SpamAssassin Public Corpus (which was hand sorted) and the TREC 2005 Public Corpus (which was machine sorted) … Once I’ve got enough human decisions (I’d love to get 10 per message; that means almost 1,000,000 human classifications) I’ll make all the data public.
In other words, if you visit the site, you can vote on individual messages, to say whether or not you think they are spam or legitimate. This voting will be very helpful to spam researchers, because an acurate “corpus” of spam and ham allows them to automatically test new anti-spam techniques. Graham-Cumming continues:
I’ll highlight any emails where people disagree with the current classification published by Gordon Cormack … I expect it’ll throw up some interesting data… for example, just how good are humans are sorting spam? Since we’ll be able to look at where the corpus and the humans disagree we’ll be able to spot machine errors and human errors.
So why does that interest me enough to post about it? I mean it’s not like I usually address these types of topics.
Put simply I find it interesting when people find good uses for the internet that aren’t about marketing, commerce, or the ilk and rely on either a unique proposition that interests people, or the altruistic side of human nature. Let’s see, you don’t have a commercial product, you have nothing that will provide immediate gratification to your visitor, yet you need a million people or so to take a look at something and give you their opinion….and it’d help if it happened sooner rather than later. Seriously, where else could that happen other than the web? So yeah, do me a favor and go to his site and vote on a few emails. Maybe we’ll all get a few less spam in the future.
Sigh. It makes me nostalgic for the “good old days” of the internet.
May 28th, 2006
