14 DAY TRIAL // After releasing to manufacturing Windows Small Business Server 2011 recently, Microsoft is also providing customers with a tool designed to help customers running the server offering ensure that their settings are optimal. Windows Small Business Server 2011 Best Practices Analyzer is live on the Microsoft Download Center and can be downloaded free of charge.
Customers running Windows Small Business Server 2011 can grab the Best Practices Analyzer and assess their infrastructure in order to make sure that they’re making the best out of the offering from the software giant.
The diagnostic tool has the Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer (MBCA) technology at the core, the company informed.
“Windows SBS 2011 BPA scans a computer that is running the Windows SBS 2011 server software, and compares the existing server settings to a predefined set of recommended best practices,” Microsoft stated.
Windows SBS 2011 BPA is designed to play nice with the two editions of Windows SBS 2011: Windows Server 2008 R2, SBS 2011 Standard and Windows Server 2008 R2, SBS 2011 Essentials.
“Windows SBS 2011 BPA performs the following tasks:
•Gathers information about a computer that is running the Windows Small Business Server 2011 server software
•Determines if the server settings comply with a set of best practices that are recommended by Microsoft
•Provides a report of the scan results, which identifies variances from the recommended best practices
•Identifies conditions that may lead to problems with the server
•Recommends solutions to potential problems,” Microsoft explained.
According to the Redmond company, all BPA scans require MBCA 2.0 to be already installed on the server as well as on the machines that are being evaluated.
Windows Server 2008 R2, SBS 2011 is a collection of products rather than a single solution. Windows SBS 2011 standard for example packages offerings such as Exchange Server 2010 SP1, SharePoint Foundation 2010, and Windows Software Update Services.
Windows Small Business Server 2011 RTM Best Practices Analyzer is available for download here.