E-Bitz - SBS MVP the Official Blog of the SBS "Diva"

WSUS on SBS

Overheard by an SBSer at a T2 presentation.

“ “It’s AWFUL! It rebooted all of a clients machines in the middle of the workday, including the SERVERS.” ”

Uh...folks... you SET the timing of the reboot, or you can let the end user manually download.  You 'chose' it to reboot in the settings that you selected. 

Read the instructions carefully..... and I have some pictures here.

...thanks to Happyfunboy for surviving a TS2 presentation without getting up and slugging a couple of folks....

SBA on SBS [the unsupported instructions to get the datafile ON the network]

So you build a Small Business Accounting Program and you call it a multi user version...and then you don't install it on SBS in such a way so that the msde datafile is 'on' the server, but rather on a desktop inside the office.

Okay ....lemme get this straight... why does EVERYONE see the word 'multi-user' and translate that to “Peer to Peer” except for me?  I WANT that datafile ON the Server.  I mean that's WHY I have a network you know so that data can be better protected over there.  I don't see peer to peer networks as being of value to me.  I WANT a server.  I WANT the active directory goo.  I WANT the control.  So what's a gal to do? 

She gets advice from her fellow geeks who hack up the way to get it on the server. 

So here is the unofficial, unsupported instructions to get SBA on SBS 2003.

“What I have done is install Small Business Accounting on SBS2003.  This results in an MSDE instance called MICROSOFTSMLBIZ being installed there.  The instance can host the BCM database as well.  You would install BCM on your workstation, set it up for sharing and add users.  Then shut down Outlook and SQL on your workstation, copy the BCM database and log file to the server and use SQL Enterprise Manager to attach them there.  Restart SQL and Outlook on the workstation.  You should now be able to redirect Outlook to the copy of the database on the server.

Unfortunately this method is not supported by Microsoft as I mentioned in the meeting.  In fact, if you have SBS Premium you can upgrade the MSDE instance to full SQL to remove any database size or number of user limitations.”

Remind me to email Dennis Clark and give him feedback to take back that they DO start supporting SBA on SBS.  I mean... it just makes sense, you know?

How to sell to a Beancounter

There is one way to a Beancounter's heart. 

Free CPE.

So for all you SBSers out there that realize there is a potential to upgrade the Accounting industry and possibly get them off of Win9x and Word Perfect, here's the game plan for you:

In many areas of the Country there are local CPA chapters that are regional divisions of the larger State CPA Society.  These CPA Societies are the ones that can certify your presentation as CPE.  Do NOT make it 'sales-ishy', you must make it a learning experience.  Put a hook of Security in there.  Talk about how Gramm-Leach Bliley Act requires Financial Privacy.  Thus this weekend when I was watching the Hurricane coverage and they were showing ads for “Gotomypc” and the announcer was talking about how it was not problem getting the Firm's Financial Statement off of the Home PC without having to go home, boy was that a fun thought in my mind that if an employee would think nothing of leaving confidential client info on their home PC.

Contact that larger CPA society, and find the location of the local chapter.  See if they have a Technology committee that meets. Offer to do a presenation.  You do realize that for 4 years I ran the local Technology Committee here where I live before I became the State Technology Chair.  It was a fun gig because all these vendors would call and offer to present a program.  Write up an Outline, do 'death by Powerpoint' and plant the seed.  Remember how “I“ first got turned on to SBS?  In a CPE class.

Here are some ideas to help the Beancounter see the Advantage of a network

• Centralized Storage - ensuring that all the data is in one spot ensures that it's fully backed up and properly secured.  Charlie Anthe showcased an upgrade that he did where every workstation was mapping drives to each other's local drives and that totally blasts the rule of only set up those rights and privileges you minimally need.  All that mapping means that there is data everywhere and it's not getting backed up.
• Data never leaves the server - I purposely make the choice to NOT set up Outlook over Http.  Because I 'don't' want any offline data file storage on a laptop that may be stolen.  The fact that I can remote back in and never pull data off that server is wonderful in my book.
• Security - Compare and contrast the security of Remote Web Workplace to PCAnywhere.  Because, yes, that is the app you are competing with.  Point out that PCAnywhere uses two static ports and that if that router gets reset, there goes your access.  Whenever a software program starts off with “We use a proprietary encryption algorithm“ run in the opposite direction as fast as you can.  Notice that by version 11.5, they finally junked that and are using AES 256 encryption.  Now class what does RDP include?  Oh just these standard RSA RC4 encryption thingys.  So your first question should be ...what version of PCAnywhere are your running because it looks to me like those older versions need to be junked and fast.
• Multi-user means a network.  Now I'll be the first to admit that Microsoft has this problem too.  They build a package for 'multiuser' and we have to hack the package to get it on the server.  Come on gang.... a Network is just a workgroup with more toys.  All those mapping of drives from one system to another means that you've got major major goo and a major major eggshell network setup.  We can't set up this stuff like this anymore.  Especially not in a network for an industry that needs to realize that we have responsibiltiies to our clients to protect data.  SBS 2003 with XP sp2 puts firewalls on each computer only opening up those ports that are needed for operation and blocking all others.  It's called defense in depth.
• Sign them up for the MPAN program [which btw offers free CPA and an alternative to Quickbooks in the new Small Business Accounting]
• Oh and KILL OFF THOSE WINDOWS 98 WHILE YOU ARE AT IT

...do that and I'll stop yelling at them in the CPA listserves I'm in.

So it looks like they haven't changed in 5 years.

Let's see class how many wrong statements are in this list that was posted by “HappyFunBoy's“ blog post?

• sbs sucks...and is stupid - Hardly ... I think that partner is for having a closed mind
• sbs is slow, which is stupid  - Slow? What are you installing it on?  The minimum specs?  You know how they lie.
• running exchange on a dc is stupid  - If you only know how many firms I find running Exchange on a DC... you'd be amazed.  This is 2003 era anyway.
• putting everything on one server is stupid - Actually I prefer it all on the same box... I monitor it better than if it were strung out
• not being able to add other servers is stupid  - uh... did you miss the part where we can add additional servers in SBSland?
• sbs is a good idea for companies that will never ever grow, but stupid for anybody else - You do know about the transition pack?
• ms is stupid for not putting all this [cool] stuff in their "real" products - That's probably the ONLY good statement in this list.... except we ARE real.

You know... it really makes me question if I want to send customers over to “Microsoft Partners” if 5 years later they are still so stupidly closed minded to how SBS can absolutely ROCK for a dynamic small company.

But like HFB says... if you want to pass these customers by.... more work for him.

[BTW to make it clear... HappyFunBoy heard these comments by the TS2 attendees, partners that just don't get SBS even still.  He'll be the one reaping the rewards of SBS sales, not them.  I'm just surprised he didn't get up and slug some of these partners for saying this stuff.]

Dear Mike Healey

Dear Mike:

First off I have to apologize.  I'm picking on you because your name was in a CRN article about SBS.  You see you were labelled as a partner who “dislikes” SBS and that will instead push the midmarket bundle.  “Discounted software” you said and “let the actual customer needs dictate the number of servers”.  Yes Mike, let the customer needs dictate the solution, but don't close your eyes on SBS.

In 1998 I went to a class on networks and computers and in that CPE class I was first told about SBS 4.0.  I knew that it would be a perfection solution for my firm.  So I found a consultant who knew NT, but not SBS.  We muddled through, didn't screw it up too much.

So along comes SBS 2000 era and I went searching again for a SBSized partner.  And this time I was told “we don't recommend SBS”, “we find firms outgrow it”.

Yeah, right.  So here I am how many years later and still, there are Microsoft partners who turn a blind eye at their customers needs.  Oh they say they are listening, but I see the same pattern that I as a customer encountered.

You see, Mike, unless that mid market bundle, which right now is just a pricing bundle and has no 'specialness of SBS', has anything like SBS's killer apps of a monitoring email and Remote Web Workplace, all you are doing is hurting your Small Business customer.

Remember we 'can' add additional servers, member servers, additional domain controllers.  But if I'm a business owner that is in the target size for SBS, you'd really better show me a business value for 'not' being on SBS.  And it better be a good reason too. 

Rick Richardson at the Illinois Business and Technology show asked the audience “when's the last time you saw a killer app” to a room full of Accountants.  He said Visi-calc.

I said Remote Web Workplace.

I think I'm right.

Rollin' the dice

Today Mary Jo Foley talks about new enhancements to SBS in the 2006 and 2007 time frame.  Looks like I'll easily snag the R2 version under my 3 year Software Assurance...but we will have to see about that Cougar version in 2007 as my Software Assurance only goes through June of 2007.

I thought it was interesting that Harry was talking about so few of us SBSer take advantage of SQL but I think some of that is still the 'tactile-ness' of flatfile storage versus SQL/database storage.  “HappyFunBoy” and Anne think that the best thing a SBS partner can do is get a handle on databases WAY more than we do now.  I think that's part of the problem.  You know how I argue that the “WOW” factor impacts SBS sales big time?  That a consultant has to use and believe in the product?  I'm wondering if it's because even among SBS consultants that the 'comfort' level isn't there.

One thing that is echoed in this article... is that in these upgrades you HAVE to have a value to the business owner.  Unless it's wacko me, you aren't going to get people to upgrade between versions [or for that matter, the mere application of service packs] unless the business owner can see value.  Unfortunately, for many small firms that don't get the security aspects of upgrading, that alone isn't enough.  While I like the warm fuzziness of upgrading, sometimes it's not enough.  Now granted Wayne's in New Zealand doing a presentation on why you want SBS sp1 [SMTP tarpit code that can be enabled, Synattackprotect now default, DEP [yup even software Data Execution Protection is available even if the hardware doesn't support it, and a whole bunch of other warm fuzzies], but I'll be the first to admit that warm fuzzies unless you are a security wacko like me, just might not be seen by the business owner as a reason to apply a 2 to 4 hour service pack.    

Plan for the worst, hope for the best

A ping on IM from a fellow hurricane zone survivor, Frank in Florida alerted Jeff in Louisiana to take a look at the weather report.  Within 30 seconds of looking at the storm projections Jeff had already formulated his plans.  Pack up and move out and get out of town.  And when we say pack up and move out, that meant going to the businesses that he controlled for his wife and photographing the existing location and equipment for insurance purposes.  Grabbing a backup/deployment server, laptop and his 'travel' kit, they hit the road with the bare necessities and their cats and family members in a car behind.  Being the geek that he is stopping along the way with his laptop to log into the Internet via the GPRS modem on his cell phone to hit folks on IM and to give them status reports.

Once arrived in Texas, he set up his 'disaster' server and logged into the DNS to move the DNS records.  Making plans to buy more servers tomorrow to put the business back into full operation.

Agility.

Planning.

Knowing the bare minimums you need to move your business, lock, stock, and barrel out of harm's way.

But in all of this, planning to ensure the human part of disaster planning is taken care of as well.  You can always replace things, you can't replace people. 

People say technology is cold.  That the Internet is annoymous.  I so disagree.  For when I see a friend's tag line pop up on IM so that I can ping him and say “You in Texas now?  You safe?” and he can assure me that not only is he and his family is safe but he's already been 'doing his thang' and changing DNS, ensuring his wife's business maintains a constant business level, making sure his own business keeps going and that his lines of communication stay up, and using the power of the Internet to check on his local TV reports to see what they were reporting.

NOAA still reports it's a Category 4 storm and the satellite images are pretty amazing.

To all of those still in harm's way, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

[To donate to the Red Cross, the link is here]