[Today's post comes to us courtesy of Chris Puckett from Product Quality]

Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2008 Update Rollup 4 is now available on Microsoft Update and WSUS. This rollup package addresses the following issues in Windows Small Business Server 2008.

• Issue 1
  You may be unable to rename and to join a computer that is running Windows 7 to your Windows SBS 2008-based domain by using the Windows SBS client Join wizard.
  
• Issue 2
  If the PublicFQDNPrefix registry entry is not set on the computer, you may be unable to install an update rollup for Windows SBS 2008, and you may receive the 6BA error code.
  
• Issue 3
  The following four new alerts are added to the Event Log errors list:
• The server shut down unexpectedly
• The server restarted
• An error prevented Backup from starting
• An error prevented Backup from completing successfully
  
• Issue 4
  The delivery of the network report may be delayed because it takes a long time for the server to query the status of the offline clients.
  
• Issue 5
  Internet Address Management Wizard may stop responding after you delete a Windows SharePoint Services site on a computer that is running Windows SBS 2008.
  

NOTE: This update also includes all updates from Update Rollup 1, Update Rollup 2, Update Rollup 3 and supersedes those previous update rollups.

How to obtain this update

• This update will be downloaded and automatically approved for installation via WSUS on SBS 2008 provided that KB 961048 has been previously installed. Otherwise it will require manual approval in the SBS Console.
• This update is also available from the following Microsoft Update Web site:
  http://update.microsoft.com
• This update is also available for direct download from the following Microsoft Update Catalog Web site:
  http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Search.aspx?q=KB979454

[Today's post comes to us courtesy of John Bay from Commercial Technical Support and Chris Puckett from Product Quality]

When you reboot an SBS 2008 server, you may experience some of the following symptoms:

• The SBS server will be unable to browse to the Internet.
• Users will not be able to connect remotely to the SBS server using utilities such as remote web workplace or Outlook web access.
• Client PCs that rely solely on the SBS server for DNS may not be able to browse the Internet.

If you run ipconfig on the SBS 2008 server you will notice that the default gateway is blank.

If you manually assign the default gateway the connectivity will be restored until you reboot the server. After you reboot the server, the default gateway may again be lost.

This issue occurs because of a problem with the netsh utility in Windows Server 2008. The issue is documented in knowledge base article 973243: The default gateway is missing on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista after the computer restarts if the default gateway is set by using the Netsh command

In certain conditions, the netsh command improperly adds a Unicode Null character before the real value for the default gateway in the registry. Note: The Small Business Server Connect to the Internet Wizard uses the netsh command to set the default gateway on the server.

Use the following steps to resolve this problem.

1. Go into the TCP/IP properties of the network card and enter in the proper default gateway.
   
   
   
2. Download and install the hotfix associated with article 973243. This fix will prevent the netsh command from adding the Null value in the future.
3. Manually edit the affected registry key to remove the improper value set by the netsh command.
   1. Run regedit.exe
   2. Navigate to
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Para
      meters\Interfaces\<GUID>\DefaultGateway
      Where <GUID> is the interface value for the network card.
   3. Double click the value for DefaultGateway
   4. Remove any blank lines in the value.

   Here is an example of an incorrect registry value:

   

   After you remove the blank line, the registry value should look like:

   

   If you receive the following warning while saving the registry value, simply click OK

   

4. Once the update is installed and the registry change has been made, you must reboot the server.

[Today's post comes to us courtesy of Damian Leibaschoff and Justin Crosby from Commercial Technical Support and Chris Puckett from Product Quality]

UPDATE 4/19/2010

The Exchange 2000 security update, 976703, contained an identifier in the metadata that was not unique enough for a WSUS API call used by SBS 2003 to differentiate 976703 from the Exchange 2003 security update, 976702.  This resulted in the error in the SBS 2003 console and the Server Status Report.

The Exchange 2000 security update, 976703, has since been expired and simultaneously re-released with modified metadata. The issue with the SBS 2003 Console and the Server Status Report will resolve itself after the next WSUS Sync.  If you did or did not decline 976703 before, there is no need to take any further action after WSUS has synced again.  You can wait for the next sync to occur as scheduled or sync manually if you wish.  After successfully re-syncing you may need to close and re-open the SBS console for the error to disappear.

Symptom:

After synchronizing updates released on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, the Update Services node in the SBS 2003 Console returns an error: The element already exists in the collection. Parameter name: value.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Server Error in '/UpdateServices' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The element already exists in the collection. Parameter name: value

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.ArgumentException: The element already exists in the collection. Parameter name: value

Source Error:
Line 194:                              </div>
Line 195:                              <%Response.Flush();
Line 196:                                RenderPage();%>
Line 197:                              <div id="divForm" style='display: none'>
Line 198:                              <form id="formMain" method="post" runat="server">
Source File: c:\inetpub\UpdateServices\Home.aspx    Line: 196

Stack Trace:
[ArgumentException: The element already exists in the collection.
Parameter name: value]

   Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.WsusCollection.CheckItemIsValid(Int32 index, Object value) +152
   Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.WsusCollection.OnInsert(Int32 index, Object value) +20
   System.Collections.CollectionBase.System.Collections.IList.Add(Object value) +106
   Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.UpdateSummaryCollection.Add(IUpdateSummary value) +10
   Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.BaseApi.UpdateSummary.BuildSummaryCollection(GenericReadableRow[] rows, GroupBy groupBy) +476
   Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.BaseApi.ComputerTargetGroup.GetSummaryPerUpdate() +117
   Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.DataProvider.GetPendingUpdateCollection() +420
   Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.DataProvider.GetPendingUpdateCounts() +5
   Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.StatusPage.Utility.GetStatusItems(Boolean waitingForSyncStart) +2705
   Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.StatusPage.formHome.RenderPage() +23
   ASP.Home_aspx.__Render__control1(HtmlTextWriter __output, Control parameterContainer) in c:\inetpub\UpdateServices\Home.aspx:196
   System.Web.UI.Control.RenderChildren(HtmlTextWriter writer) +27
   System.Web.UI.Control.Render(HtmlTextWriter writer) +7
   System.Web.UI.Control.RenderControl(HtmlTextWriter writer) +243
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +1926
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.1.4322.2443; ASP.NET Version:1.1.4322.2407

The Server Status Report may also fail to deliver.

Event Type:        Error
Event Source:    ServerStatusReports
Event Category:                None
Event ID:              1
Description:
Server Status Report:
                URL:                       http://localhost/monitoring/perf.aspx?reportMode=1&allHours=1
                Error Message: The element already exists in the collection.
Parameter name: value
                Stack Trace:           at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.WsusCollection.CheckItemIsValid(Int32 index, Object value)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.WsusCollection.OnInsert(Int32 index, Object value)
   at System.Collections.CollectionBase.System.Collections.IList.Add(Object value)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.UpdateSummaryCollection.Add(IUpdateSummary value)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.BaseApi.UpdateSummary.BuildSummaryCollection(GenericReadableRow[] rows, GroupBy groupBy)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.BaseApi.ComputerTargetGroup.GetSummaryPerUpdate()
   at Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.DataProvider.GetPendingUpdateCollection()
   at Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.DataProvider.GetPendingUpdateCounts()
   at Microsoft.SBS.UpdateServices.StatusPage.Utility.GetStatusItems()
   at usage.frmPerf.PopulateStatusItems()
   at usage.frmPerf.renderReportWorker()
   at usage.frmPerf.renderReport()

Resolution:

Decline the Security Update for Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 3 (KB976703) using the steps below.

1. Click Start, Administrative Tools, Windows Server Update Services.
2. On the Action menu, click Search.
    
3. In the text box, enter 976703 and click Find Now.
   
4. When the result is returned, right-click the 976703 update for Exchange 2000 and click Decline.
    
5. 5. Click Yes on the pop-up.
   
6. Click Close in the Search dialog.
7. If you happen to have one or more Exchange 2000 Servers in your environment, you will want to install Security Update for Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 3 (KB976703) manually from Microsoft Update or from the Microsoft Download Center.

[Today’s post comes to us courtesy of JoAnn McKimpson from the SBS Marketing Team]

Easily and Securely Add Computers to Your Domain Network by Using Domain Join

These days, we're all focused on how to do more with less. In this blog, we've covered quite a few ways that you can save time and money by using the great new features included in Windows Small Business Server (Windows SBS) 2008 and in Windows 7. Today, we'll focus on how you can use Windows SBS 2008 and Windows 7 Professional to create a network that makes it easy to manage your computers and user accounts.

If you have a small business with only five employees, you could buy a laptop that runs Windows 7 Home Premium for each of your employees and not network them. However, with this setup, you would have to manage each computer separately. Alternatively, if you purchased a laptop that runs Windows 7 Professional for each employee and a Windows SBS 2008 server, you could use Domain Join to add each user to the domain and then manage the entire domain from one intuitive console.

When your users are joined to the domain, you'll get:

• Centralized network administration. A centralized view of the entire network from any computer on the network provides the ability to track and manage information about users, groups, and resources in a distributed network. This single point of administration for multiple servers simplifies the management of workstations and servers, such as installing patches and upgrading applications.
  
  
  
• Single sign-on for resource access. A user needs only one account and password to use multiple network resources, such as file shares and databases. As an administrator, you can provide discretionary access to these resources for individual users and groups.
  
  
  
• Group Policy and certificate autoenrollment. Administrators can manage Domain Join clients through Group Policy. By joining the domain, your clients can take advantage of the prefabricated Group Policy objects that are available on every Windows SBS 2008 installation. Group policies provide not only fine-grained management of settings on the computers but also a rich set of controls to apply specific policies to specific sets of computers.
  
  
  
• Application publishing. IT administrators can publish applications to the domain. Users who are joined to the domain can then search for and install the applications from a single location. This saves time remembering file server names and shares or requesting the administrators' help.
  
  
  
• Device sharing. Users can search for printers, fax machines, and other devices that have been published in Active Directory.
  
  

As you can see, thanks to Windows SBS 2008 and Windows 7 Professional, Domain Join can drastically ease the pain of connecting computers and devices to your company's domain.

Although you can connect your own computer to the domain manually, adding a computer by using Domain Join saves time and ensures correct setup. Before using Domain Join there are a few prerequisites that must be met. First, make sure you have completed the Internet Connection Wizard and the Internet Address Wizard. Next, make sure that the most recent SBS 2008 Update Rollup, currently Windows SBS 2008 Update Rollup 4 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979454), is installed. Once you’ve installed the update rollup, run the easy-to-use wizards to add a new user account and computer. The user can now join the domain with only the name of the local domain and a valid user account on the domain. The entire process takes only a few minutes.

Add a New User Account

Let's say you're the IT administrator at a small financial firm. You know that Kim, a new hire, will be starting work tomorrow. You want to get her set up so that she can be productive on her first day, so you create a new user account for her.

To create a new user account, follow these steps:

1. Browse to the Users and Groups tab. 
   
   
   
2. In the Tasks pane, click Add a new user account.
   
   
   
3. Fill in the fields with the appropriate user information, and then click Next.
4. Provide the password for the new user, and then click Add User Account.
5. Click Finish.

A confirmation screen is displayed:

Kim's user account has been created, so all that remains is to add her computer to the domain.

Add a Computer

To add Kim's computer to the domain, follow these steps:

1. Log on to the computer.
2. Start Internet Explorer, and then visit https://connect.
3. Click Start Connect Computer Program.
   
   
   
4. Click Run.
5. Click Yes if you are prompted by User Account Control.
6. Click Set up this computer for other users.
7. Click Next.
8. Enter your network administrator user name and password, and then click Next.
9. Provide a name and a description for the new computer, and then click Next.
10. Select the user who you want to assign to this computer, click Add, and then click Next. For this example, select Kim.
    
    
    
11. Click Next again.
    
    
    
    Note: During this step, if Kim was an existing employee in a Workgroup environment, you could choose to migrate her local profile (user settings and files) to her new domain profile.
    
    
12. Assign local administrator permissions for Kim as needed, and then click Next.
13. Confirm Kim's data and permission selections, and then click Next.
14. Click Restart to complete the wizard.

Now that Kim has a user account and is joined to the domain, you can give her access to your printer and fax machine.

To share the printer or fax machine on the network, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Printers.
2. Right-click Fax, click Run as administrator, and then click Sharing.
   
   
   
3. Click to select the Share this printer check box, accept or type Fax in the Share name box, and then click OK.

Tomorrow morning, Kim will be ready to start work with a computer that is connected to the domain and that is ready to print or send and receive faxes. This will help her be successful on her first day of work and will minimize the time you have to spend getting her up to speed.

Thanks to the Domain Join feature in Windows SBS 2008, you can provide your users with secure access to resources on your Windows SBS 2008 server. The intuitive wizards help you get set up quickly so that you can focus on what's important: running your business.

For information about managing user accounts and computers, read the following TechNet article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc794289(WS.10).aspx

For more information about how Windows SBS 2008 and Windows 7 Professional are better together, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/windows7.aspx

For information about a trial version of Windows SBS 2008, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/trial-software.aspx

For a test drive of Windows 7 Professional, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/business/windows-7-test-drive/

[Today’s post comes to us courtesy of JoAnn McKimpson from the SBS Marketing Team]

Search your own PC and the servers, PCs, and devices connected to your network to find items regardless of where they're stored.

You've probably run into a situation similar to this: your employee meeting is scheduled for tomorrow when you get an e-mail from your HR representative. She's out with the flu and needs you to give the presentation. The e-mail doesn't mention where the files are located or what they are called, and she's not answering her phone.

You need to be able to quickly search for the presentation and the related files, whether they happen to be stored locally or on the server. Windows 7 Professional and Windows Small Business Server (Windows SBS) 2008 can provide solutions to this everyday problem.

On any computer running Windows 7 Professional, you can go to the search box and quickly find all related information, across all Libraries that are configured on the computer. You can add server folders to your Libraries; this will let you search for files on your local hard drive as well as shared files on the server with just one search. Of course, Windows Search always checks for file permissions, so you only get back results for files that you're allowed to see.

But a search is only as good as the index it is based on. So, Windows 7 Professional provides quick real-time indexing. If a new document gets saved to the server, it will show up the next time you perform a search—even if it's only been a minute.

Windows 7 Professional Libraries provide a great way to organize and work with information, whether it is stored locally or on indexed network shares. Libraries gather information from multiple locations and show this information as if it was all in a single folder. By bringing all of your information together in one place, Libraries give you a single data view, with easy sorting by categories, such as author, date, subject, and location.

This post will show you the benefits and functionalities of Windows Search and Libraries, both of which are designed to work best with Windows 7 Professional and Windows SBS 2008.

How Windows Search Works

Windows Search, formerly Windows Desktop Search, is the search technology that lets you quickly find almost anything on your computer or publically available on your Windows SBS 2008 server. A standard component of Windows 7 Professional and Windows SBS 2008, the search engine is a system service that works in the background to maintain its index. Windows Search has instant search capabilities for most common file and data types, such as e-mail, contacts, calendar appointments, documents, spreadsheets, and other formats extended by third parties. For a full list of the file types that are natively supported, refer to What Is Included in the Index.

Windows Search is optimized so that you can easily deploy and manage the installation of Windows Search across all the users and computers in your organization. It is simple to integrate Windows Search with resources or other search solutions such as Windows SharePoint Services. The technology is designed to be secure, and your users can only see content to which they have access. Additionally, Windows Search is designed to have minimal impact on network performance. Users can perform searches with Windows Search from their own desktops from the Start button or from any Windows Explorer window.

Windows Search should not be confused with Microsoft Search Server Express, a free, enterprise-class search server that enables high-performance searching of corporate data across multiple business systems and repositories, including documents, Web sites, intranet and extranet content, and external Web links. Search Server Express provides users with a Web search interface that is very similar in appearance to a Windows SharePoint Services site. Aside from the interface, the key difference between Windows Search and Search Server Express is that only Windows Search can search for items on a desktop as well as on the server.

Note: Due to compatibility issues, Microsoft Search Server Express should not be installed on Windows SBS 2008.

How to Install Windows Search

Windows Search is enabled by default in Windows 7 Professional. In Windows SBS 2008, Windows Search is included as an uninstalled option. To install Windows Search, follow these steps:

1. Start Server Manager.
2. In the left pane, expand the Roles node.
3. Click File Services.
4. In the right pane, scroll down to the Roll Services section.
5. Click Add Role Services, and then click Next.
   
   
   
6. Click to select the Windows Search Service check box, and then click Next.
   
   
   
7. Select the storage device that you want to add to the index, and then click Next.
8. Click Install.

After you install Windows Search on the Windows SBS 2008 server, you should add Public Folders on the Windows SBS 2008 server to the Libraries on your local computer. For detailed information about how to do this, read the How Libraries Work section.
How to Search for Files Locally and Throughout Indexed Network Locations

Now that we've got Windows Search set up, we can find the presentation and the related files for tomorrow's employee meeting. We'll perform a search by using Windows Search from the Start button in Windows 7. To search for the employee meeting presentation, follow these steps:

How Libraries Work

Libraries in Windows 7 Professional provide a great way to organize and work with information, whether it is stored locally, in a shared folder on the server, or on any other network share. Libraries gather information from multiple locations and show this information as if it was all in a single folder. Libraries don't actually contain your data; they simply provide a window through which you can see files from many locations—all in one place—and browse them by using metadata. By bringing all of your information together in one place, Libraries give you a single data view, with easy sorting by author, date, subject, location, and more.

Libraries help you organize files by using metadata about the file, such as author, date, type, and tags, instantly. You're not limited to browsing files by folder hierarchy. When you save files in Libraries, Windows indexes the files. You can use the features in Libraries such as the Arrange By control to instantly browse the files in Libraries by metadata. Or, you can use the Search Builder, which is built into the search box in Windows Explorer, to instantly search the files in Libraries by metadata.

Libraries make the actual location of the files irrelevant. Whether files are located in different shared folders on the server or even on a different PC in a network that Windows Search has indexed, Libraries help you consolidate all the files and their locations so that you can browse and search them as if they were in one location.

Libraries are automatically indexed by Windows Search, so viewing and searching is fast. And because it's easier to get to all your items, you won't end up keeping multiple copies of the same file in different folders. This means that you can use your disk space more efficiently.

Windows 7 Professional has four default Libraries: Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music. You can create your own Libraries and add folder locations to them. Each of the default Libraries starts with two folder locations: one from your profile folder and the other from the Public profile folder.

To browse the default Libraries on your computer, follow these steps:

1. Start Windows Explorer.
2. In the navigation pane, under Libraries, click the default Libraries to open them.

To create a new, empty library so that you can quickly access your meeting materials, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, click New Library. A new library appears in the Libraries list.
2. Type a name for the library. In our case, we'll type Shared Resources.
   
   
   
3. Press ENTER.

To add folders to the new library, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the new library, and then click Include a folder to add content to the library.
2. Browse to the folder that you want to use. In our case, we'll browse to Human Resources.
   Note: You must type the path for public folders that are located on the Windows SBS 2008 server.
   
   
   
3. Click Include folder. The contents of the Human Resources folder on the Windows SBS 2008 server are displayed in Shared Resources, our newly created library.
   
   
   

To add folders to an existing library, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the Incoming library, and then click Properties.
   
   
   
2. Browse to C:\Users\Name\Downloads (where Name is your user name), and then click Include folder.
3. Click Include a folder again, browse to C:\Users\Public\Downloads, and then click Include folder.
4. Confirm that the Incoming Properties dialog box resembles the following image, and then click OK.
   
   

To include a specific folder in a library in Windows Explorer, follow these steps:

1. Start Windows Explorer, and then select the Details view.
   
   
   
2. Click the folder to select it.
3. Click Include in library, and then click the appropriate library in the list.
   
   

To save a file in a library, follow these steps:

1. When the file is open, click Save As.
2. In the navigation pane, click the Documents library.
   
   
   
3. Click Save, and then close the file.
4. In Windows Explorer, click the Documents library. Notice that Notepad saved the document in the My Documents folder. This is the default save location for the Documents library.
   
   

To change the default save location for the Documents library, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the Documents library, and then click Properties.
2. In the Library locations list, click Public Documents (C:\Users\Public), and then click Set save location.
3. Click OK.
   
   

For more information about Libraries, watch the following video: 

Use Windows Search and Libraries for Increased Productivity

Windows Search and Libraries are both included in Windows SBS 2008 and Windows 7 Professional. These features are designed to work better together with Windows SBS 2008 so that you can work faster and smarter. Windows Search can help you find hundreds of file types, no matter where they are located. In the example that we described here, you were able to find the files that you needed by searching for a keyword. Then, you used Windows SBS 2008 together with Libraries to organize files easily by providing an aggregated view of related files from various folders. You can find these files even when they're on different computers, servers, or devices. This all-in-one view can help eliminate the need to hunt-and-peck your way through countless folders because you can browse files by metadata.

For more information, visit the following Web sites:

• Read Windows Search Features on TechNet.
• Read the Windows Search topics on MSDN.
• Read a TechNet article about Organizing with Windows 7 Libraries.
• Read about how to share folders that are not located in public folders in the Group Policy for Windows Search article on TechNet.

[Today’s post comes to us courtesy of JoAnn McKimpson from the SBS Marketing Team]

The recent economic downturn has made business owners think carefully about the best way to allocate resources. However, as history has shown, times of economic uncertainty also offer opportunities to plan strategically for the future. Investing in IT is a key differentiator that can help improve productivity, accelerate agility, and reduce costs.

With the recent release of Windows 7, there has never been a better time to migrate to Windows SBS 2008 and to upgrade your infrastructure. Windows SBS 2008 is designed to work hand-in-hand with Windows 7, giving you the most efficient, easy-to-use interface yet. You can purchase or upgrade Windows 7 and Windows SBS 2008 through Microsoft or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) financing. With Microsoft Financing, you can afford to upgrade your small business management software and even your hardware while keeping your monthly payments low. Financing is also available through OEMs such as Dell or HP.

Microsoft Financing

With Microsoft Financing, you can benefit from predictable payments instead of up-front cost, and you save yourself the hassle of seeking an independent source of financing. You can spread the cost of new software, services, and partner products over monthly or semiannual payments. You can increase cash flow with Microsoft Financing? Financing means you can increase your liquidity and preserve capital for core business needs.

In fact, you can increase your cash flow with Microsoft Financing by increasing your liquidity and preserving capital for core business needs.

Microsoft Financing lets you:

• Get the IT you need to achieve business goals.
• Manage software, services (such as deployment), and hardware as one investment.
• Align IT benefits with costs.
• Enjoy a fast, easy, and responsive lending process.

Microsoft Financing lets you purchase or upgrade copies of Windows 7, Windows SBS 2008, and other software to create an integrated server solution; select the licensing and financing solutions you want; and effectively manage the costs. You can finance any amount above US$3,000 to pay for software licenses, hardware, and even partner services. Financing is available for 24 to 60 months, depending on the financing program. There is generally no requirement for down payments.

You can get financing with two available program offers:

• Software License Financing: predictable payment options customized to fit your needs and budget, enabling your company to keep IT and still free up corporate lines for other investments.
• Total Solution Financing: a financing solution that includes not only your software licenses, but also services or third-party or partner products as one investment

To take advantage of either of these offers, you can choose to work with a local small business specialist or a volume licensing representative. Each option offers its own benefits. Local small business specialists undergo special training to help them better respond to the special technology needs of small businesses. Meanwhile, volume licensing representatives offer names you recognize and brands you trust, and they can assist you with large purchases.

For more information about Microsoft Financing, visit the following helpful Web sites:

• http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/how-to-buy/financing.aspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/buy/software/buy-software.aspx 
• http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/buy/software/microsoft-financing.mspx

OEM Financing

You can get Windows SBS 2008 and Windows 7 already loaded on a new PC that has been built by an OEM. This type of purchase can be the cheapest option for your business, but the OEM license has some restrictions.

OEMs frequently offer financing programs. For example, Dell offers QuickLease, which gives you low payments and flexible end-of-term options that allow you to own or rotate your technology. Dell also offers a revolving line of credit that lets you pay off your balance, make monthly payments, and purchase additional technology anytime. Similarly, HP offers several options that make upgrading or replacing your infrastructure as painless as possible. HP currently offers low-rate financing, a 90-day bill-me-later option, and other financial solutions for transactions as low as US$349.

For examples of OEM financing options for small and medium businesses, visit the following Web sites:

• http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/finance/dfs_financing?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~ck=dfs&~ck=anavml.
• http://h20330.www2.hp.com/hpfinancialservices/cache/274697-0-0-225-121.html

Invest in Productivity

Don't let old technology hold back your business. Take advantage of the productivity-enhancing features of Windows SBS 2008, which is designed to seamlessly integrate with the new Windows 7. With Microsoft or OEM financing, you can reduce the up-front cost of purchasing the information technology that your business needs to be more efficient and effective. Receive the benefits of your technology investment now—and pay over time. Save your cash reserves and line of credit for other needs so that you can keep your business agile and responsive.