Computer Systems Integrators for Small Business Server

Wondering what kind of skills the typical Small Business Server computer systems integrators bring to the table?

You're certainly not alone. Microsoft wondered the exact same things when planning early versions of Small Business Server.

About the Computer Systems Integrators 

Microsoft found that when planning their SBS suite, there wee also many small business systems integrators who were NT “veterans”. 

These computer systems integrators may have started with NT back in the 1993/1994 timeframe and were extremely comfortable with the native NT Server administration tools and related BackOffice Server products. For this group of small business systems integrators , SBS is nothing more than a version of BackOffice customized for small businesses.

Considering the widely divergent profiles of these different small business systems integrators, the SBS product group had quite a few challenges when it came time to figuring out what systems integrators know about NT Server, BackOffice Server applications, and SBS. 

The Middle of the Road "Compromise" For Systems Integrators

In essence, Microsoft needed to reach a common ground that would satisfy both the systems integrator who is completely new to SBS as well as the seasoned NT Server and BackOffice Server systems integrators who want to diversity into small business networks.

Just as with SBS 4.0, SBS 4.5 carries forward and enhances many of the wizards and preconfiguration choices that make it possible for a small business systems integrator new to SBS to get up to speed quickly.

For example, the Setup Computer Wizard allowed novice small business systems integrators and administrators to “automatically” connect a Windows 95/98, NT Workstation 4.0, or NT Server 4.0 to the SBS network with almost no configuration choices or intervention required. 

The Setup Computer Wizard automatically configures the computer and domain names, automatically detects and installs the network card, installs TCP/IP support with DHCP enabled, installs the preselected client applications, and creates shortcuts on the desktop for company and users shared folders.

So the Setup Computer Wizard allowed novice small business systems integratorsand administrators to quickly, correctly, and consistently setup the Windows 9x and NT client desktops on the SBS network.

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