14 DAY TRIAL // Customers looking to buy the Essentials SKU of Windows Small Business Server 2011 can do so through any channel they wish. Enrico Toro, Senior Product Manager from Windows Server Marketing revealed that as of July 7th, 2011, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is available through retail, preloaded on OEM hardware, as well as via volume licensing agreements.
As a reminder, the Redmond company released Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials to manufacturing the end of March 2011.
“Today we are happy to share the news that three months after its release to manufacturing and 12 months after its initial announcement at WPC 2010, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is now available through all channels,” Toro explained.
“Our customers will able to purchase a copy of the server through Volume Licensing, Retail, and from most of our OEM partners, with more offers and OEM products becoming available in the next few months.”
The Essential edition of the offering is a basic variant of Windows Small Business Server 2011 offered to small businesses. SBS customers can also opt for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standards, which is a more complete solution.
HP is one of the original equipment manufacturers offering small businesses a product integrating Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials.
“With SBS Essentials 2011, Hewlett Packard and Microsoft are providing small businesses with simple solutions that enable them to level the playing field and operate their company with similar technology as larger organizations without the added complexity and cost of managing an intricate IT infrastructure,” noted Maciek Szczesniak, Director of SMB Business Development for Industry Standard Servers at Hewlett Packard.
Microsoft also tapped long-time partner Dell to power server offerings with Windows SBS Essentials 2011.
“SBS 2011 represents the culmination of thousands of hours of partnership between Dell and Microsoft to bring our customers an enterprise class, affordable, all-in-one small business solution. SBS 2011’s advanced security and data protection capabilities running on robust, reliable Dell PowerEdge servers is an unbeatable combination when you need your business to thrive," added David Troeger, PMP, Product Marketing Manager Dell.