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Beside the default microsoft small business server 2011 licensing site and of course the small business server 2011 licensing FAQ.

Microsoft released this week a four part video overview with small movies, 4 – 6 minutes each, about Small Business Server 2011 Esentials, Standard and Premium add-on. The movies are clarifying some basic license questions. Including upgrade and downgrade rights, virtualization what is and what isn’t supported, what is included in the default client access license (CAL) and when are additional CALs needed, etc.

• License Assignment and Use Rights A brief overview of license assignment and use rights for Windows SBS 2011
• CALs and Access Rights A brief overview of client access licenses (CALs) and access rights for Windows SBS 2011
• Virtualization Scenarios A brief overview of license-supported virtualization scenarios for Windows SBS 2011
• Upgrades and Downgrades A brief overview of upgrade and downgrade rights for Windows SBS 2011

As the most of you know, Hyper-V does not support usb redirection. But with some relative easy steps we can redirect our usb disk to a Hyper-V virtual machine.

First on your Hyper-V Server host open Server Manager and select Disk Management

Then select your usb disk and right mouse click and choose Offline.

When done we close Server Management and open Hyper-V Manager. Select the settings of the virtual machine you would like to attach the usb drive to.

Select IDE Controller or SCSI Controller. Before you choose let me explain why I would choose the SCSI controller instead of the IDE controller for an usb redirected drive. A Hyper-V virtual machine can only boot from an IDE hard drive, you can only add a dvd drive on an IDE controller, you can only add 4 IDE devices. Another thing I would prefer to add an usb disk to the SCSI controller is I can add or remove disks to the virtual machine when it is running, to add an IDE controller disk I need to stop the virtual machine then add the disk and then start the virtual machine.

Now to add your usb disk to you virtual machine we choose Add

Now we choose for Physical hard disk: and choose the disk we would to add. If you have more disks available you can choose from a simple pull down list. You will only see here the disks that are set to offline so that was the first step we had to do. If you would like to add an internal hard disk you have to put it offline before you can add it.

Note: before you set another disk offline be sure there are no operating, system or application files on it because otherwise these or your whole server will crash.

When finished choose OK on the bottom of the screen and the disk is added to your virtual machine.

When we are going to look at your virtual machine and open Disk Management.

You will see the disk directly attached and you can use it within your virtual machine

If you would remove the drive from the virtual machine, go back to your Hyper-V Manager virtual machine settings on your host server.

Select the drive and choose remove and choose Apply or OK at the bottom of the screen.

After you have removed the disk from the virtual machine go back to Disk Management

Right click the drive and choose Online. Now the drive is available on your host server.

You can use this if you need to copy some files directly from the usb disk to the virtual machine or vice versa. Another thing you could use this is for is Windows / SBS backup this needs a local attached disk, although I don’t think this is a supported configuration! You can even if you have chosen for the SCSI controller change the backup disk when your virtual machine is running.

I often see or been asked the question what is the difference between the Exchange 2010 SP1 version available as part of Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 and the normal Exchange 2010 SP1 Standard.

The answer to the question is relatively easy, there isn’t.

Alright there is one little difference, if you have configured your Small Business Server with predefined wizards, there are automatically created 3 receive connectors (with 1 that accepts anonymous email from the outside) and 1 send connector. With a normal Exchange 2010 server installation you need to allow anonymous access and create a send connector manually.

Small Business Server 2011 includes the Exchange 2010 SP1 standard version without any limitation. And the Small Business Server Client Access License (CAL) covers the Exchange 2010 CAL.

If you would like to use the so called enterprise functionality like: Custom Retention Policies, Personal Archive, Voicemail, Information Protection and Compliance, Cross Mailbox Search, Legal Hold, Advance Mobile Policies, and Per User/Distribution List Journaling, you need to buy additional the Exchange 2010 Enterprise CAL.

Q. May I use the SBS 2011 CAL Suite to access the Enterprise functionality of Microsoft Exchange Server Enterprise server software?

 A. You may use SBS 2011 CAL Suite instead of Exchange Server 2010 Standard CALs to access base functionalities in instances of Exchange Server 2010 Standard or Enterprise in the Windows Small Business 2011 domain. In addition to SBS 2011 CAL Suite, you must acquire Exchange Server 2010 Enterprise CALs to access the following Exchange Server Enterprise functionalities in the Windows Small Business 2011 domain: Custom Retention Policies; Personal Archive; Voicemail; Information Protection and Compliance; Cross Mailbox Search; Legal Hold; Advance Mobile Policies, and Per User/Distribution List Journaling.

Taken from the Small Business Server 2011 Licensing FAQ.

Is there than nothing that cannot be done with Exchange Server in Small Business Server. Because Small Business Server is based on Windows server 2008 R2 standard, you cannot add the Exchange server to a Database Availability Group (DAG) this feature requires that your operating system is Windows Server 2008 (R2) Enterprise.

Go directly to SBS 2011 index file. With links to all articles from this serie.

After we have finished with Part 15 Configuring “Software update settings” we go to the Network page of the SBS console and choose for the connectivity tab.

In this part we are going to setup virtual private network (VPN) so people can connect to your network from a remote location / connection and access the network as if they are connected in the local office. First we are going to configure the server and further on how to configure a connection from a windows 7 workstation.

Server configuration:

On the right connectivity task bar we choose “Configure a virtual private network”.

The configuration of the server is really easy, choose Allow users to connect to the server by using a VPN.

And the server part is ready. Only thing that could happen is the wizard cannot automatic configure your router. If you choose View Warning Details.

You see that the only thing you have to do is open port 1723 on your router and let it through to your SBS server.

Workstation configuration:

How to setup a VPN connection from a windows 7 workstation, go to the Network and Sharing Center.

Choose Set up a new connection or network, a new wizard will start.

Choose Connect to a workplace (set up dial-up or VPN connection to your workplace.)

Now we choose Use my Internet connection (VPN) Connect using a virtual private network (VPN) connection through the internet.

Now we are going to setup the internet address, this is the fqdn or ip address the vpn connection must connect to. At destination name give a logical name for this connection.

The three other options on the screen are really straight forward, choose use a smart card if smart card logon is configured. Allow other people to use this connection if all people who use this computer may use this vpn connection and don’t connect now if you will not connect the vpn connection directly after configuration is finished.

Give in your user name, password and domain name. My opinion is never use the remember this password, because if anyone takes your workstation they can simply connect to your network.

Setup is finished, you can now choose Connect now to connect your vpn connection.

When you connect and haven’t checked the remember the password option you will get this username and password windows and you just have to enter your password.

And the connection is made, you are now able to access your network as if you were connected on the local area network.

Some additional information:

You can see if your VPN connection is connected, by choosing this icon on the right bottom part of your taskbar. You can also right click the connection to disconnect it.

If you got this Error 812: The connection was prevented because of a policy configured on your RAS/VPN server. Specifically, the authentication method used by the server to verify your username and password may not match the authentication method configured in your connection profile. Please contact the Administrator of the RAS server and notify them of this error.

Probably the user does not have the right to make a vpn connection. Go to the properties of this user.

And go to the Remote Access part, make sure the “User can access virtual private network” option is enabled.

Additional information: Here is a really good article that describes the whole VPN setup (it is for 2008 but this is almost the same in SBS 2011)

Go back to Part 15 Configuring “Software update settings”

When you try to reply or forward an e-mail via outlook web app (OWA) in exchange 2010 (in this case small business server 2011 exchange 2010 SP1) you get this error “An unexpected error occurred and your request couldn’t be handled.”

Request
Url: https://remote.domain.com:443/owa/?ae=PreFormAction&a=Reply&t=IPM.Note&id=RgAAAACGrFxHc9ijR44U4ykKtU4LBwAeKagN6lmQSpA1lJbfKp7EAAAALJcxAAAeKagN6lmQSpA1lJbfKp7EAAAcI3ykAAAJ&pspid=_1300011623710_69458484
User host address: ::1
User: User A
EX Address: /o=First Organization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=User A
SMTP Address: email@domain.com
OWA version: 14.1.218.13
Mailbox server: servername.domain.local

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Storage.InboundConversionOptions.CheckImceaDomain(String imceaDomain)
Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Storage.InboundConversionOptions..ctor(String imceaDomain)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.Utilities.CreateInboundConversionOptions(UserContext userContext)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.ReplyForwardUtilities.CreateReplyOrReplyAllItem(BodyFormat bodyFormat, Item item, ReplyForwardFlags flags, Boolean replyAll, UserContext userContext, StoreObjectId parentFolderId)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.ReplyForwardUtilities.CreateReplyItem(BodyFormat bodyFormat, Item item, ReplyForwardFlags flags, UserContext userContext, StoreObjectId parentFolderId)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Premium.Controls.ItemReplyPreFormAction.Execute(OwaContext owaContext, ApplicationElement& applicationElement, String& type, String& state, String& action)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.RequestDispatcher.DoFinalDispatch(OwaContext owaContext)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.RequestDispatcher.InternalDispatchRequest(OwaContext owaContext)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.RequestDispatcher.DispatchRequest(OwaContext owaContext)
Microsoft.Exchange.Clients.Owa.Core.OwaRequestEventInspector.OnPostAuthorizeRequest(Object sender, EventArgs e)
System.Web.HttpApplication.SyncEventExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute()
System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously)

Solution: The problem was caused with one of the accepted domains, probably a space or other illegal character at the end of the domain name. After reading this article and set the domain name again with the following command in the exchange management shell:

Set-AcceptedDomain -Identity “accepted domain name” -Name “domain.com”

Did this for the last added domain name, because that was when the problem started. After completing this and restarted the server, the problem was solved.

Go directly to SBS 2011 index file. With links to all articles from this serie.

After we have finished with Part 14 Configuring “Add a new report” we go to the security page of the SBS console and choose for the updates tab.

Here you see an overview of the windows updates if there are updates pending for approval or errors you can see them over here. Also By default Optional Updates are not installed automatically.

Right click an update and choose if you want to deploy or decline the selected update.

If you choose approve you get this warning message, to continue click OK.

And another message that it could take 4 till 24 hours before the update will be deployed to the computers on your network.

After you approved or declined all updates we are going to take a look on the software update settings. On the right taskbar choose “Change the software update settings”

On the Server Updates part, choose the update level you would set for your servers. Think carefully before you set this setting to high and approve every update automatically. If it may go wrong it concerns your server.

On the Client Updates part, you choose the same setting as on server updates but this time for client computers.

On the Schedule part you choose separate for server and client if you would install the updates automatic during a schedule or only notify the new updates are available.
Note!! Is you choose for automatic installation and an update requires a restart the client or server will automatically restart at that time. So think twice before you set this for a server computer.

On the Included Computer part, you can add or remove if a server or client computer must be part of the software update group. If you have some very important client computers that may never restart automatically. You can select the client computer and choose Modify…

And change the update group, so if you leave the settings for server not to automatically install and restart change the Update Group to the Server Computers. The selected client will now perform updates according to the Server Computers settings.

Go back to Part 14 Configuring “Add a new report”
Continue to Part 16 Configuring “Configure a virtual private network (VPN)”

When you open the SBS console and go to the Reports part. You receive the following error: “There was an error while loading data for this page.”

Also no Reports or information is showed and the Add a new report isn’t clickable after closing the error message.

When you take a look at the C:\Program Files\Windows Small Business Server\Logs\Console.log you see the following message:

[9224] 110302.203758.5574: Exception:
—————————————
An exception of type ‘Type: System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException, System.Data, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089’ has occurred.
Timestamp: 03/02/2011 20:37:58
Message: A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 – Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)
Stack: at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.GetConnection(DbConnection owningObject)
at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection)
at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory)
at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open()
at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.SystemHealth.Monitoring.MonitoringSQLDataStore.GetAlertCountPerType(ComputerType type)

Solution: It looks like the SBSMonitoring SQL Server instance is by default on disabled.

Go to Administrative tools, services and change the startup type to Automatic and start the service.

Go directly to SBS 2011 index file. With links to all articles from this serie.

After we have finished with Part 13 Configuring “Connect a computer to your network” we go back to the SBS console and go to the Reports section to setup reporting.

By default there are 2 reports created, 1 daily summary and 1 detailed weekly. You can change these reports as you like. For now we are going to create a new report. So choose “Add a new report” on the right Network Report Tasks section.

On the General part we give the report a name and description.

On the Content part we choose what content we want in our report.

In the E-Mail Option part we can choose if we want to e-mail the report and to who. You can choose to send it even to an e-mail address outside your organization.

On the schedule part we can choose to generate the report daily or weekly and at what time.

When finished choose OK.

Now when you select your report you have a few option on the right My report Tasks pain.

View Report properties, you can change the properties set before.

Generate report, the report is generated immediately and the results are displayed in the section below.

Generated and e-mail report, the same as previous only the report is e-mailed to the recipient(s) you have configured in your report.

View archives, you can select to view older reports.

This is a part of a summary report, where you can easy see if there are errors on your server. You see a Details option for the items you selected in your report.

And this is how a detailed report for Backup and E-Mail Usage and Mailbox Sizes look like.

So you can make as many reports and send them to different people, this could be very useful.

Go back to Part 13 Configuring “Connect a computer to your network”
Coninue to Part 15 Configuring “Software update settings”