Yes, we're taking that into consideration. Another other alternatives, though?
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Options for outgrowing SBS2003
I have a client who has nearly 60 users on their Small Business Server 2003. In order to grow past 75 users, I understand that I need the Transition Pack to convert SBS CAL licenses into regular licenses. This seems fairly costly (like $10k just to covert the licenses we have to non-SBS!). Are there any other alternatives? We may consider leaving Exchange and going with a different email solution if that would help... Does anyone have any good solutions / options??
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Answers
Sure... buy everything new from scratch. All the CALs, the Windows Server LIcense and the Exchange License. It's more expensive then the transition pack, since you're repurchasing everything, but it's another option.
Or move to linux. Frankly, if you're not a Linux person, this would be the MOST EXPENSIVE option (how can it be expensive, Linux is free). Sure... the LICENSE is free. The support is not and your TIME learning costs money. In the end, its VERY LIKELY that if you aren't already well versed in Linux you will end up spending MORE money (or wasting more time... or both), trying to migrate to linux.
People are so quick to jump on the "I'll use something else" bandwagon... remember, TIME COSTS MONEY. Is it cheaper to waste hours or even days of ones time researching solutions, testing them, implementing them, and learning to manage them than it is to simply pay a few hundred to a few thousand in licensing fees and stay with what you already know and, presumably, works for you? Could the time spent doing those things be spent doing something else, like contacting customers and potentially SELLING?
For example, if I also sell my company's products and on a typical day, I'm able to generate $500 in net profit on sales but instead of being able to do that, I have to spend two days learning new software and implementing it, then that $2500 savings (estimate) on Exchange licenses is now only a savings of $1500. And how much disruption will it cause my co-workers? If you/your business is going to nitpick over a few hundred dollars on major upgrades, then even if you stay with Exchange, you'll just be wasting money debating the problem. Sit down, itemize your expenses for everything - licenses, support costs, interruption in worker time, base products, implementation costs and look at the numbers. If you don't see a CLEAR win - over MULTIPLE years - then I would not advise you to move to something else.
If staying with Exchange (plan a) means a one time fee of $3000 (picking a random number) plus ongoing costs of $500 per year, and switching to another product (plan b) means a one time fee of $1000 plus ongoing costs of $1500, over 5 years, the total cost of a 5 year Plan A is $5000 vs. Plan B $7000.
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by: leewPosted on 2009-09-03 at 08:43:32ID: 25251857
SBS gave you huge discounts at the time of purchase. The transition pack essentially removes those discounts. It does not cost (significantly) more than it would have cost if you purchased non-SBS components to begin with. So when you look at it from that perspective, the cost is not unreasonable.
That said, Microsoft, with Server 2008 introduced EBS - Essential Business Server - which is designed for businesses with 25-250 or so employees. It's a complete solution that includes two exchange licenses, system center essentials for management, and 3 total server licenses. There should be discounts for installing into an existing network, plus the license costs are discounted by roughly 20%.
Switching off Exchange is not necessarily the best idea - consider, you already know how to manage it. And any different software would incur transition costs plus time learning. If you look at the check you write for the transition pack as the only costs, you're forgetting about some pretty significant costs in terms of added support and training.