14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is making consistent efforts to permit customers to test-drive its products, in order to catalyze a boost in adoption. An illustrative example in this context is the trial-version of Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Standard.
Labeled as for “evaluation and testing purposes,” the bits are offered via the Microsoft Download Center, and are available as a free download. The mid-size businesses, the consumer segment targeted by the Redmond company with the product, have a chance to try out the offering, without paying a single cent upfront. Additionally, Microsoft is advertising Windows Essential Business Server 2008 for the price advantage offered, in comparison to the individual licenses included in the package.
“Evaluating Windows Essential Business Server 2008 software does not require product activation or entering a product key. If you need more time to evaluate Windows Essential Business Server 2008, the 60 day evaluation period may be reset (or re-armed) three times, extending the original 60 day evaluation period by up to 180 days for a total possible evaluation time of 240 days. After this time, you will need to uninstall the software or upgrade to a fully-licensed version of Windows Essential Business Server 2008,” Microsoft revealed.
Windows Essential Business Server 2008 is designed to deliver to mid-size businesses a variety of Microsoft software bundled together, but also pre-configured and integrated, with Microsoft offering streamlined manageability via a single administrative console. The Standard flavor of Windows Essential Business Server 2008 brings to the table Windows Server 2008 Standard, Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007, Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition, Forefront Security for Exchange Server, and Forefront Threat Management Gateway.
Microsoft is delivering Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Standard Edition exclusively for 64-bit infrastructures. The trial version available for evaluation weighs in at over 11 GB.
Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Standard Trial Software is available for download here.