Is SBS 2008 R2 the same as SBS 2011?

There is no SBS2008 R2, SBS2011 includes Windows 2008 R2.

Hi,

Yes, you're correct:

SBS 2011 is based on Server 2008 R2 and Exchange 2010
SBS 2008 is based on Server 2008 and Exchange 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/compare-features.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Small_Business_Server

Sam

No they are different. The reason you see SBS2011 when searching SBS2008 is probably because MS will stop selling SBS2008 and all their marketing material have been replaced by the latest version (2011).

My recommendation is to stay with SBS2008 R2 - I will usually stay off something new, in particullar MS products, giving them 6-9 months to "fix bugs" or fine tuning. :)

Demazter is correct - there is no such product as "SBS 2008 R2"  

SBS 2008 consists of Server 2008 and Exchange 2007
SBS 2011 consists of Server 2008 R2 and Exchange 2010

I would love to know what company is claiming you can purchase SBS 2008 R2 - I would be happy to correct them

ormerodrutter, there is no such version as SBS2008 R2.

To be clear, Windows 2008 R2 is very different from Windows 2008, it is not the same as the R2 upgrade for Windows 2003.

SBS 2003 came in to editions, SBS2003 and SBS2003 R2, then there is SBS2008 and SBS2011, there is no R2 version of SBS2008

If you are buying SBS now, from a vendor it will be SBS2011, there may still be some vendors shipping SBS2008 but this is based on Windows 2008 (not the R2 version)

OK...then is sbs 2008 SP2 the same as SBS R2?  i'm confused.

no. SP2 is for Windows 2008, there is an SP1 for Windows 2008 R2.

SBS2008 is different from SBS2011.  The version of Windows on SBS2008 is the non R2 version of Windows 2008, the R2 version of Windows 2008 is a completely different OS, it's not an upgrade or a bolt on.

It's like upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7.

OK...so when I purchase my SBS 2008 standard, I need to purchase the SBS Standard 2008 SP2.  This is a clean install on a new server.  

I guess i'm not understanding what is the difference between sbs 2008 SP2 and sbs 2008 r2?

>>>I guess i'm not understanding what is the difference between sbs 2008 SP2 and sbs 2008 r2?

As already said, there is no such product as SBS 2008 R2.

If you purchase SBS Standard 2008 it is more than likely to be inclusive of SP2 so yes, you will be purchasing SBS Standard 2008 SP2.

However, I really would recommend purchasing SBS2011 now rather than SBS2008

I suppose what's throwing me off is that (for the fun of it and comparison), I set up a dual boot on SBS Standard 2008 SP2 and then downloaded the 2011 evaluation version from MS.  When the system finally finished installing, I have a choice of which operating system to choose from.  One is the 2008 and the other says sbs 2008 r2.  When I boot to the 2008 R2, it is showing SBS 2011 in the system properties.  That's why I'm all mixed up.

I'd be suprised if it actually said SBS 2008 R2, unless of course you are using a preview version of SBS2011?

Anyway, the answer is still the same.

On Dell's website, there is not an option to purchase SBS 2011.  Only SBS 2008 SP2 and SBS 2008 R2.  Please see the attached photo of choices.
2008R2.jpg

Dell hardware, or even their OpenManage software does not yet support SBS2011, there is no SBS2008 R2 listed on that image you have posted.

There is, in order:

Windows Server 2008 SP2 (iclusive of Hyper-V)
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard Edution
Windows Server 2008 SP2 Stadard Edition
Microsoft SBS2008SP2 Premium Edition
Microsoft Small Business Server 2008SP2
Windows Server 2997 R2

I can see no mention of SBS 2008 R2 in that list.

That's what I'm asking.  I just don't know enough to ask the right questions I suppose.

SBS is the only one that comes with Exchange, correct?  I'm not sure what the other Server 2008 components are and why you would want one over the other.  I'm sure there's a book that could be written on that.  

So, in summary, I should purchase SBS 2008 SP2 Standard for anyone who is running a small business until the kinks get worked out of 2011.  I just saw the R2 on my installation and on Dell's site and it threw me for a loop.

Thank you demazter.  I appreciate it.  I was going by an earlier post that advised me to wait 6-9 months for the "kinks" to be worked out.  If I can get 2011, I want that.  If I can't, 2008 Standard SP2 is what I'll go for.  

If you can't get SBS2011 then you want one of the following:

Microsoft SBS2008SP2 Premium Edition
Microsoft Small Business Server 2008SP2

Why buy 3 year old software?  You are spending money on old technology and as SBS 2011 has been released - insist on that, not SBS 2008 as the shelf-life for support of it's components is going to run out much quicker.

It's time Dell pulled their finger out!

Or, if Dell won't supply it just buy the hardware with no software and buy an OEM product from somewhere else for SBS2011

Sadly this is one time where it isn't Dell's fault. The SBS team announced the RTM of SBS 2011 back in December and the blogpost was misleading about the differences between RTM and GA. Where consumer products have a set "GA" date, MS is moving away from a big gala "GA" date for future server products (not just SBS.) They will RTM, ship those bits to OEMs, and OEMs will start shipping after they've done their integration. The time between RTM and GA has, in the past, been about 3 months and will continue to be so....there just won't be a hard date attached to GA anymore.

That message was very unclear with SBS 2011. SBS 2011 keys are still not available to action pack subscribers, is only in limited availability in OEM channels, and has a negligable retail presence. It is, for most intents and purposes, not at what most advisors would call a "GA" mile marker yet.

To drive home that point, while SBS 2011 RTM'ed back in December, *this* just showed up on the official blog late last week:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2011/03/17/get-windows-small-business-server-2011-standard-now.aspx

This makes it clear that MS does see the distinction (as well as OEMs) between RTM and general availability. Now that MS is ramping up their marketing efforts for SBS 2011, I expect you'll see Dell officially offering it in short order. When I talked to my Dell rep, it was available for order through him (but I am a Dell partner, so that doesn't necessarily it is available to everyone yet). As such, I expect you'll see Dell quickly expand that channel from partners to end-user orders via phone and website within days...

-Cliff

Thanks, Cliff.  I also spoke with my Dell rep (I am a premier partner) and he said that  there's some type of SKU problem and they are working to correct it.  He said he can offer that to me; but, it is not on the general site as of yesterday.  I haven't checked today.

If you decided to go with SBS2011 then good luck. I still remember the PAIN we suffered when we upgraded 20 computers to Vista not long after VIsta was launched. It took Mircosoft some considerable time before they get Vista fixed/stable. That's why I wouldn't recommend anything too "new" from the market.

But I must say Win7 is OK from the start.

Consider:
SBS 2008 was based on Server 2008, which is the SAME code base as Vista Service Pack 1
SBS 2011 is based on Server 2008 R2, which is the SAME code base as Windows 7

(In both cases, the Exchange Component is already at Service Pack 1 at least).

While slightly off-topic, since it has come up, I'm completely with Lee on this. SBS 2011 may be new, but its core components have all been out for a year (Sharepoint Foundation 2010, 9 months) and Windows Server 2008 R2 has been considered very stable, like Win7, right out of the gate, and now has a service pack under its belt (compatible with SBS 2011) so I see *no* reason to be hesitant of SBS 2011 and intentionally choose an older version (2008) because of that hesitation. Simply not an issue.

-Cliff

Ormerodrutter:  Not to be ugly; but, did you say Vista and Stable in the same sentence?  That makes me even more scared of SBS2008 Standard.  I'm running it and having very few performance issues but it always seems to have a critical error in my daily email report and when I go to those reports, whatever didn't work has already fixed itself.  My question would be why is it breaking?  I know that's another topic all together.  

My opinion is that anything built with the same code as Windows 7 should be near a sure fire winner.  Even techs/software developers that are anti-microsft have even said (not to be quoted) "they did a decent job on this."

OK, I have worked with SBS2008 since the early beta's and I have to say, it has always been resource hungry, it is stable though.

SBS2011 I have worked with since it's early beta's and again, it is very stable, and not so resource hungry.

Look at it this way, SBS2011 is built on Windows 2008 R2 (Released October 2009), Exchange 2010 (released November 2009) and Sharepoint Foundation (released June 2010)

They are tried and tested technologies, Exchange and Windows 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 is now available and Exchange SP1 is built in to SBS2011.

I will second what has already (third maybe?) been said above, there is no reason to not upgrade to SBS2011 now instead of SBS2008

Demazter:

I wanna be like you when I grow up.  LOL

Thanks :) I think :-/