RE: [OT] Office X-serve vs windows standard server 2008

["Paul Gordon" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think you would be *insane* to choose an Apple server solution over
SBS...

Yes, SBS does demand certain things as far as being the domain controller
goes, - that's because it is designed to be the only box you need for up to
75 users. It plays perfectly well with everything else that any other
"ordinary" Windows box would, but it has some restrictions
imposed - such as not being able to make trust relationships with other
Windows domains. - This is designed into the product purely to stop it
being used as a "back door" way for large enterprise scale
organisations to get the included products at a ridiculously knocked-down
price. SBS is stupidly cheap compared to the combined cost of the seperate
products it includes.

You *can* install other domain controllers into the SBS domain to provide
redundancy/resillience etc. You *can* install other member servers into the
domain to provide additional application services or storage etc. The only
thing you can't do is support more than 75 users in the SBS domain.

If/When you get to the point of having 75 users and you outgrow the SBS
solution, there is an upgrade path to the "full" Windows server
platforms that is also very reasonably priced.

The newest version of SBS has just recently been released, and by all
accounts is the best so far (although I haven't had time to play with it
yet).

I just noticed that in your post, you refer to the Apple server integrating
with "the Exchange server" - does this mean you already have
Exchange server? - if so you must already have a Windows domain up &
running, so why are you talking about SBS? - if you *don't* currently have
your Windows & Exchange service, and you need to implement them, then
SBS is the cheapest and easiest way of doing that by a country mile. Plus
if you needed to implement a Windows & Exchange server, why on earth
would you want an Apple server as well?

Having said all that about SBS, in the interest of balance & fairness,
I must confess that I know absolutely nothing whatsoever about the Apple
server solution, I have never encountered one, and I have no idea what it
is capable of... - and having spent 20 years in the IT industry, perhaps
that alone should speak volumes?....

Just my 2p-worth...

Paul G.


________________________________

From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx on behalf of Ho Yin Ng
Sent: Fri 17/10/2008 13:39
To: UKHA Group
Subject: [ukha_d] [OT] Office X-serve vs windows standard server 2008



I have had several consultants look at my office and they are
suggesting two different approaches.

One is saying we should use an Apple Xserve rather than a windows machine.

They state that the SBS requires to be the controller of everything
and does not play well with others. Whereas the Xserve provides a
lower total cost of ownership when compared to MS server and provides
similar services and will integrate seamlessly with the exchange
server.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

We are a 45 strong office looking to expand. Currently we only run
Windows PCs, but we many have a couple of Macs later.

The Xserve seems cheaper than a similar HP DL360 5450 others are proposing.

Be interesting to get your opinion on this.

Thanks

Ho-Yin

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