Microsoft Small Business Server is the Microsoft answer to Linux; a small-scale server for a single-server network environment…ideally an organization’s first dedicated server. Pricing is in the $499.00 range for a total of five users. The system includes Windows 2003 server, SQL Server, Exchange Server, and a host of ancillary server and service products all designed, (that is, restricted) to work on a single machine.  There is an upper limit of the number of connections. 

The programs come on five CDs.  By booting the first CD, you go into a typical Windows 2003 server setup routine, and you end up with a Windows 2003 server, which then runs several scripts to install additional software, including Active Directory, and Exchange.

Once installation is complete, you receive a screen with a “to-do” list which suggests other bits of SBS to install, and and which discusses security issues, and how to solve problems that arose during the installation.

 I installed this on an older Dell workstation with a 40 gigabyte hard drive and a 2.8Mhz processor, and 512K of RAM.