Microsoft has launched a new flavour in the Microsoft Server suites, Windows Server 2008 Foundation.  Basically it’s the little brother of the very popular Small Business Server.   It’s target market is the smaller business with 15 or fewer users.  Its low cost of purchase, easy licensing and a host of other benefits  make it attractive for the small office / branch office.  Unlike the other Server suites, it is only available by purchasing server hardware from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo etc.  If your a small company on a tight budget, this just might be the right fit.
What does this mean to the small business owner?

• You can have all your data centralized (ideal for backup and disaster recovery)
• Sharing of information and resources
• Control security access rights of sensitive data to staff
• Ability for remote access
• Low cost of ownership (but must be purchased with server hardware from specific vendors)

It is an ideal ‘first server’ to run on your core business and network that can help manage security risks. A low cost option for small businesses that don’t already have a server running in a ‘workgroup’ type peer to peer networks. Windows Server Foundation is not sold as a standalone product but only available through OEM hardware vendors (Dell, HP and IBM) and comes pre installed on new hardware. The starting costs for these bundled systems are expected to be under $1000.

If you are a small business owner with 15 or fewer users not expecting to grow that fast, looking for an affordable solution, this may be the right server for your business. The affordable cost will make it possible for businesses to grow, innovate and stay competitive in today’s market.

However, if your on the growth track, or expect to have more than 15 employees in the next 3 years, it would probably be advisable to move up in the stack to Small Business Server.

Feel free to let us know your comments or questions and we will do our best to answer any queries you may have.