SBS not complying with licensing requirements - need advice 2

[DanielUK]

OK, I've learnt a lesson here but need to know what my options are.

I purchased two Dell servers with SBS 2003. I was hoping to join our existing Windows 2000 server domain which already has a Win2k server PDC and a windows 2000 dc with global catalog.

Although it wouldn't let me join the existing domain initially, it fnally did when I reloaded SBS on both servers and didn't let it go through the wizard for setting it up as a DC, joining it via properties in My Computer instead.

I thought everything was fine until I started getting messages broadcast to all clients saying that the new servers are not complying with licensing requirements. having searched a bit more on this I find that this aetup is not meant to be and that SBS must exist in its own domain.

Having spent hours loading these servers up with software for our new sales system, I'm wondering what to do. Can I upgrade to 2003 standard where it will allow me to join my existing domain as a member server? I'd rather not have to wipe it all and have to start again.

What are my options?

Thanks for any help, Dan

 

[ShackDaddy]

My advice: Call Dell and see if they can change your purchase. Beg them. Spend the extra money on having full versions. SBS will be worthless in your environment unless you want to convert your place to an "SBS shop," in which case a lot of things will need to be changed and you will still only be able to use a single SBS server.

If you want to turn the server into a Standard Server, there is a Transition Pack that you can use, but my advice to you is to start over. You will have the SBS-ness of those servers haunt you for years if you don't.

If you buy the transition pack, you will essentially be paying retail for two copies of Exchange along with two copies of Windows 2003 Standard, and that's not what you want. Is your time spent setting up the sales apps worth the retail cost of two copies of Exchange? Plus the debris?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[DanielUK]

Thanks Shackdaddy, guess I'll be on the phone to Dell tomorrow. I suppose I could always sell the licenses if they are not helpful...I'd hate to have paid for this and not be able use them or get my money back

Dan

 

[ShackDaddy]

Problem is that people buy SBS because it's cheap and has extra features without realizing what would be involved in bringing it into an existing network. It's a much better product to start from or to migrate to. It doesn't play well as an add-on.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[markdmac]

There is an advantage of using the transistion pack. It lets you retain the Remote Web Workplace features of SBS which is a sweet bit of code that will be in the Medium IT Server when that is released with Windows 2008.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[DanielUK]

OK, sorry to revive this thread but I need some more advice. Dell are saying that they can probably do some sort of exchange but I'm waiting on Microsoft to get back to them.

Unfortunately, I need these servers up with a usable OS this week as I have smoe developers coming in to work on them. I'm a bit stuck because I can't go out and buy server 2003 if I'm waiting for an exchange on SBS from dell.

My question is, can I load my old win2k server software on it, have the work done and then upgrade to 2003 standard when the software eventually comes through? I don't particularly want to wipe it again!

Thanks

Dan

 

[markdmac]

There is no downgrade path on SBS.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[ShackDaddy]

If you're willing to go through some of the work of a swing migration, you could keep one of the SBS servers and migrate your Active Directory to it. That would also give you Exchange 2003. You could then install another Windows 2003 Standard server if you get the swap from Dell.

http://www.sbsmigration.com

As far as bringing an SBS server online in a non-SBS capacity, you can do it, but after a couple of days it will begin to restart itself every 100 minutes until the SBS-portion of the server installation is complete.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[DanielUK]

Thanks Shackdaddy, looks like it's going to be a long one with Dell as they are in effect saying "tough".

If I do keep one of the SBS and transfer the roles etc from the existing PDC, can I still have global catalogue on my other Win 2k DC as a spare in case the SBS PDC goes down?

Thanks

Dan

 

[ShackDaddy]

Yes, you can, but there are the FSMO roles that only the SBS server can hold that keep you from having full redundancy. But both servers can be GCs.

Also, since this is the Win2000/2003 world, let's just talk DC's, and not PDC's (even though the PDC Emulator role is one of the roles that the SBS box has to hold).

I suggest looking at the sbsmigration.com product to help you manage this. It's about $200 bucks and well worth the knowledge that it will give you. It will likely save you many hours of work on this project. And no, I don't get a commission from the guy who wrote it: I've just found it very useful.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[DanielUK]

Thanks again ShackDaddy,

Just trying to get my head around the limitations when it comes to redundancy. So, what happens when the SBS server goes down/is taken offline that's different to what would happen now if my win2k DC went kaput and I had to rely on my backup DC?

Also, I found a great Microsoft support article on integrating a SBS 2003 into an existing AD (

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453)

which makes it look quite straightforward. Being that our AD isn't particularly large (15 or so accounts and corresponding machines) how long should it take and is there any pitfalls I should look out for?

Thanks again

Dan

 

[ShackDaddy]

Not a lot different, but in a non-SBS environment, you'd be able to choose which servers wore which FSMO hats. In either situation, you'd have to seize the roles with the DC that didn't crash, but that operation is a bit more complex when it's the SBS box that crashed. But it's not hard to find articles covering that eventuality.

That's a great article, and it covers some of the material that the Swing Kit (sbsmigration) deals with. I think the more complex part may come when you try and migrate your Exchange org to the SBS box, but there are walkthroughs for that sort of thing too.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[DanielUK]

Thanks ShackDaddy, luckily I don't use Exchange so I guess it's a relatively straightforward operation.

I'll read into the differences with seizing the roles. I've done it before with a DC that went down which was not replaced, so the backup DC became PDC. I have documentation for that but I guess I'll have to update it!

Thanks again,

Dan

 

[markdmac]

Daniel, no such thing as a PDC anymore. There is a PDC Emulator, but your domain controllers are all peers with Win200x.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[DanielUK]

Thanks for the clarification Mark. Dan

 

[DanielUK]

OK, one more thing that I've just run into.

Am I right in saying my existing CALS on my win2k DC can't be used with the SBS server when it takes over? So, I'll need to purchase as many SBS CALS as I had on the old DC?

Thanks

Dan

 

[ShackDaddy]

Since SBS CALs include licensing for Exchange and other SBS doo-dads, you can't load the Windows 2003 Standard CAL packs on the SBS box. But every license you buy for SBS will also license a connection to your other servers, if you are buying the licenses on a per-seat basis.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting