When local area networks (LANs) first appeared in the business world, their primary functions were to share files and printers. These are still critical applications for most business networks, but networks are able to provide many other functions as well. Virtually all business owners want to provide their users with access to the Internet and email, but they must be able to do so securely. Many businesses also want to host their own websites and run specialized applications. Windows Server 2008 R2 provides many of these functions, and other Microsoft products provide those that it does not provide. For example, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1 provides comprehensive email services and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 provides a robust database management environment.

Installing and configuring these Microsoft products usually requires a certain amount of experience and expertise. Companies with the appropriate resources purchase the products they need and hire IT personnel to install and maintain their networks. However, there are a great many small businesses that cannot afford to keep full-time IT people on staff, or even purchase some of the more expensive networking software products. It is for this reason that Microsoft developed the Small Business Server 2011 product.

Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 is a combination product that includes Windows Server 2008 R2, Exchange Server 2010, several other components, and (optionally) SQL Server 2008 R2, all for an attractive price. Even more attractive to the small business owner, however, is the fact that the product includes a setup program that installs and configures all the software components at once, using a standardized configuration that requires almost no user interaction.

In addition to the setup program, Windows SBS 2011 includes Windows SBS Console, a management program that provides simplified access to the most commonly used administrative controls. The end result is a sophisticated network environment that can support up to 75 users, and that many small businesses can afford to purchase, deploy, and maintain without full-time professional IT talent.