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6 CHAPTER 1 INSTALLING WINDOWS SMALL BUSINESS SERVER 2008

This can prove to be a bit tedious, but it’s set up this way because there are some very dra-

matic differences between SBS 2008 and SBS 2003 — or any other given edition of Windows, for

that matter. No other edition has quite held the range and scope of applications and features,

so it doesn’t exactly ‘‘play well with others.’’ (I’ll cover upgrading in more detail in Chapter 3.)

Special Installation Types

SBS 2008 includes several special types of installations with Premium edition, including Server

Core and a Read-Only Domain Controller.

Windows SBS 2008 Server Core

It may come as a surprise, but SBS 2008 supports Server Core — that is, of course, if you pur-

chase the Premium edition. Just in case you’re unfamiliar with it (since Server Core is new to

Windows Server 2008), Server Core represents a lightweight, command-line-only server instal-

lation that is used to provide a fairly quick and stable installation of Windows Server.

You might be wondering why you would want a Server Core installation of SBS 2008. The

answer is that, unless you’re using Premium edition, you probably wouldn’t. But, if you are,

there are some advantages to running a Premium edition server without a GUI. In the long run,

administrators of smaller networks don’t tend to mess around much with command-line instal-

lations because the overhead involved with it is drastically more time-consuming than using

the GUI. In case you’re wondering what Server Core mode looks like, check out Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1

Windows Server Core

installation

Windows SBS 2008 Read-Only Domain Controller

Another fancy feature from Windows Server 2008 Standard edition that is transferred over to

the new SBS 2008 is the ability to use SBS 2008 as a Read-Only Domain Controller. This is really

convenient for users looking to deploy a Premium edition copy of SBS 2008 in an exposed area.

It allows users to look at, but not alter, Active Directory and use its features.

Installing Windows Small Business Server 2008

Upon purchase or receipt of Windows Small Business Server 2008, you will receive a DVD

that contains the master installation DVD ﬁles. This DVD is bootable and usually contains a