If you’re reading this page, then you’ve probably been looking at the endless options for buying a new server.

First there’s the hardware options, then what operating system do I use, what applications do I need and so the list continues. But when buying from Servers Direct, we like to keep things simple and as such, have condensed all the confusion into three easy questions to enable us to help you find the perfect solution for your business.

• How many staff will need to access the information on the server at any one time?
  (Normally this is the same as the number of PC’s, but if you have shift workers then consider only the maximum number of those in the office at one time.)
  
  
• Would I benefit from centralised email and diaries?
  
  
• Do I have more than one office location?
  
  

These three questions allow us to determine the best solution for your business.  With this information we can advise if you're better off going for a Business Server package or purchasing the Server Operating System and applications separately.

Microsoft Server Operating System can be purchased as an office ready Business Server package, or separately where you buy the operating system and applications individually.  The benefit of the Business Server package is that it saves money if you use centralised email or the database engine SQL.  There are 4 main software options to consider:

Microsoft Foundation Server 2008   - up to 15 users, no email included (1 server licence)

Microsoft Small Business Server 2008   - up to 75 users, includes email (Exchange) (1 server licence)

Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 Premium  - up to 75 users, includes email (Exchange) and SQL Database Software (2 server licences)

Microsoft Essential Business Server 2008  - up to 300 users, includes email (Exchange) (3 server licences) 

Microsoft Essential Business Server 2008 Premium - up to 300 users, includes email (Exchange) and SQL Database Software (4 server licences)

Microsoft Server 2008     Server Operating System, unlimited number of servers and users (licence required for each Server) 

If you have more than one site please call us, you may be able to use a single server solution, however we need to understand your usage and applications to ensure the best operating system is selected.

Below we suggest the correct solution for your business needs and number of users. Think about how many staff you’ll have in three years and choose the correct package now, it can be an expensive option to upgrade the number of users later.

We have detailed a comprehensive overview of each product, please follow the software options below to choose a product:

(Please note, information is supplied for guidance only, please speak to an advisor in the business team for the latest news and information on the full range of Microsoft Server products.)