Under the slogan “Dream big. We'll take care of reality”, Microsoft launched its pair of Windows Essential Server Solutions. The Redmond company's Dream Server has two components, namely Windows Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008) and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (EBS 2008, both available starting with November 12, 2008. At the same time, Microsoft launched the Dream Server website, offering midsize businesses the chance to win a free Windows Essential Sever solution.

"Around the world, small and midsize businesses are the engine that drives economic growth and opportunity," revealed Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. "To help these businesses succeed, Microsoft has focused on creating integrated, affordable server solutions that are optimized to meet the needs of companies with limited IT resources. Small Business Server and Essential Business Server deliver a comprehensive set of capabilities that will help small and midsize business thrive and grow."

What Microsoft is attempting to do with its Windows Essential Server solutions is provide a breath of fresh airs in terms of the investment for approximately 1.2 million mid-sized companies and 32 million small businesses worldwide in the context of the global financial crisis. Via the two Windows Essential Server packages, the software giant is offering small and midsize businesses access to the same technologies as large enterprises.

“More than ever, small and midsize companies, what we call SMBs, can benefit from implementing infrastructure systems that allow them to do more with less. These companies are really the backbone of the global economy, and today they are facing the same economic challenges and global competition as larger companies. The new EBS 2008 and SBS 2008 products, like all of our programs and initiatives for this customer segment, are designed specifically to provide a number of options for SMBs in terms of affordable technology solutions that help solve today’s enterprise-sized challenges,” stated Steven VanRoekel, senior director of the Windows Server product group at Microsoft.