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?

The editions of Server 2012 fall into three groups.

First there are the main editions, Standard and Datacenter. These are what most businesses will license. Next there are the low-end editions aimed at small businesses, Essentials and Foundation. Finally, there are specialist editions for specific roles. These are Storage Server and Hyper-V Server. Note that both Standard and Datacenter are feature-complete. The other editions do not have any exclusive features, unless you count the simplified management tools in Essentials.

Windows Server 2012 Datacenter is designed for highly virtualised private cloud environments unlimted users.

Windows Server 2012 Standard is designed for physical or minimally virtualised environments for medium businesses unlimited users.

Windows Server 2012 Essentials is ideal for small business that have as many as 25 users and 50 devices.

Windows Server 2012 Foundation provides a Windows Server experience for as many as 15 users.

Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard Designed and priced especially for small businesses with up to 75 users,Standard includes Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 and Windows Software Update Services.

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 use the buttons below to find out more about each of the MS Server 2012 Options.

If you require any more information please contact one of our Servers Direct account managers on 0844 412 4570.