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Windows Small Business Server 2003 Outpaces SBS 2000 Sales

At the one-year anniversary of the release of Windows Small Business Server 2003, the packaged server for small business is outpacing sales of the previous version of the product, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft announced Tuesday that it has sold 262 percent more Small Business Server licenses in the year since launching SBS 2003 than it did in the 12 months after the launch of SBS 2000. Microsoft also said more customers purchased Windows Small Business Server 2003 in the first four months after launch than purchased SBS 2000 in the entire first year of its availability. The company declined to provide the specific number of licenses involved.

Derek Brown, director of product management for Windows Small Business Server, attributed the faster acceptance in part to pricing and the new mix of technologies in SBS 2003.

Microsoft changed the packaging with the 2003 version by splitting Small Business Server into a Standard Edition and a Premium Edition. The Standard Edition, with a $599 base price, is designed to be packaged in complete server systems that ship for around $1,000.

The foundation of both editions is Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, and both benefit have wizards and pre-packaged functionality built around Windows SharePoint Services, Remote Web Workplace and Windows Shared Fax services. The Premium Edition adds Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server 2000.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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