Hey Microsoft... UP YOURS!

Sometimes the idiot things that Microsoft does just blows my mind. Take for example their small business server product. Here is a little excerpt from their FAQ about the small business server:

  • Only one computer in a domain can be running Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server.
  • Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server must be the root of the Active Directory forest.
  • Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server cannot trust any other domains.
  • A Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server domain cannot have any child domains.
  • Each additional server must have a Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server client access license (CAL).

Lets step through this... Only one computer in a domain can be running SBS. OK, I know this is for small businesses but it's just ignorant to assume that an organization will only have ONE server. I have never worked for a business (no matter how small) who has had less than two servers. Being able to only run one server is asinine.

SBS must be the root of the AD forest. This just makes no sense, you can only run one SBS server per domain anyhow so the whole concept of a forest is non-applicable.

SBS can't trust any other domains. Well that about screws you for mergers. What if your company gets purchased by another company and they want to merge your existing AD into theirs? You're both screwed.

SBS can have no child domains. This is the only restriction that makes sense. How many small businesses really need child domains?

And finally, all others servers must have an SBS CAL. No point, you can only run one server per domain with SBS. Foolish.

And for the clincher, you can't even join an SBS server to an existing domain, even if it is not serving in a server roll. If you join an SBS server to your existant domain (ours runs on 2K3 Standard) it will send out an unlicensed message to all your users and then shut itself down every 60 minutes. How stupid, it might as well just format itself off the box because that's exactly what I plan to do. Server... say hello to Linux!