Product Roadmap

One of the key benefits of SBS is its integration. When a new standalone version of a component is revised, it directly affects the services, integration, and management tools that are unique to SBS 2003 R2. Product updates, such as new service packs, are typically made available at no cost for download or at a small cost for the media and shipping. A standalone product update should not be installed until the SBS product team has had the opportunity to test the new combination and make an announcement as to its suitability.

Product upgrades, such as new product versions, are not freely available and must be purchased. Installing a standalone product version on top of SBS is not supported in any instance unless it is expressly approved on the SBS Web site.

No. Exchange Server 2007 is only available as a 64-bit product; it cannot be installed on a 32-bit operating system, including SBS 2003 R2.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 is the next release of Windows Small Business Server. It will be available following the release of Windows Server 2008 and will be available as a 64-bit product only.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard and Premium Edition components can be found on the Editions product page on the Microsoft Web site.

A public beta for Windows Small Business Server 2008 will become available in Spring 2008.

You can visit the Windows Small Business Server 2008 product pages on the Microsoft Web site. You can also subscribe to the Official SBS Blog for the latest information.

You need an update for your server to ensure compatibility between Windows SBS 2003 with SP1 or Windows SBS 2003 R2 and Windows Vista and Office 2007. Microsoft Update will automatically install this update on your server starting in March 2007. If you need to update your network before then, install the updates described in the Knowledge Base article “Update for Windows Small Business Server 2003: Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 compatibility (KB 926505)” at the Microsoft Web site.

Yes. You can add the Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise versions of Windows Vista (including 32-bit and 64-bit editions) to your Windows SBS 2003 network. However, you need to install the updates described in the “Update for Windows Small Business Server 2003: Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 compatibility (KB 926505)” at the Microsoft Web site. Windows Vista Home editions are not supported in a Windows SBS 2003 network.

Yes. However, the Windows SBS 2003 client setup tools do not deploy Outlook 2007 to client computers. You must manually install Outlook 2007 on your client computers. For full compatibility, you also need to install some additional updates. For example, if you are running the Premium Edition of Windows SBS 2003, you need to install Service Pack 2 for Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) 2004 Standard Edition, or else the e-mail will not get synchronized. For more information about the updates, see "Using Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 in a Windows Small Business Server 2003 Network" at the Microsoft Web Site.

Yes. However, you must maintain your existing http://companyweb Web site as a Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 installation. Upgrading the http://companyweb Web site to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 is not supported. To install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 on a Windows SBS network, you must install it side-by-side with Windows SharePoint Services 2.0. For step-by-step instructions on how to install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 side-by-side with Windows SharePoint Services 2.0, see “Installing Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 on a Server Running Windows Small Business Server 2003” at the Microsoft Web Site.