Windows SBS 2003 R2 Brings 'Green Check' Functionality

Published: July 12, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft Monday announced a new release of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003, a bundle of operating system and popular productivity apps designed for groups of users with 75 people or less. The main new feature in SBS 2003 Release 2 is the "Green Check" capability that automatically makes sure computers are loaded with the latest security updates.

SBS 2003 is a collection of server software based on Windows Server 2003 that's geared toward the small business that's moving up from PCs into the world of server-based computing. The product is available in two versions, including a standard version that includes Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2, the Sharepoint portal, Outlook client access licenses (CALs), and fax and firewall functionality, and a Premium blend, which adds the SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition database, ISA Server 2004 firewall, and FrontPage 2003 Web development tools to the mix.

The new Green Check capability is designed to protect the health of networks by ensuring users that all PCs and servers have the latest Microsoft security patches installed. If the administrator doesn't get "green checks" across the board, the software guides him through the process of updating the product so that he can get green checks.

The R2 release of SBS 2003 also expands the Outlook mailbox limit from 16 GB to 75 GB and brings a new integrated data management and reporting tool to the Premium edition.

Microsoft also dropped pricing for the product. The standard edition will cost $599 while the premium edition will cost $1,299, a 13 percent decrease compared to the previous edition, Microsoft says. SBS 2003 R2 is available now in English and German, and will be available in other languages from Microsoft and its OEM partners within 60 days.