Earlier this month at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference, held at Washington, USA, two new ‘preview releases’ were announced, which will shortly be made available by download, for its Windows Small Business Server (SBS) product suite. Code-named “SBS 7″ and “SBS Aurora”, respectively, the releases, are aimed principally to serve the Proactive IT service needs of SMEs and smaller organisations.

Essentially an upgrade of all its former components, the SBS 7 is designed to support employees needing “file-and-print, email and Internet services at companies with up to 75 users. Planned inclusions are “Windows Server 2008 R2, Exchange Server 2010 SP1, SharePoint 2010 Foundation, Windows Server Update Services 3.0 and SQL Server 2008 R2.

The second release, SBS Aurora will be good news indeed for businesses operating with less than 25 staff but who require remote data access. Capable of delivering both traditional and cloud capabilities, it is being highlighted as a “first server” option for small businesses, and will also feature automatic backup and restore capabilities as well as enabling file and print sharing.

Microsoft Gold Certified Partners and IT support specialists for SMEs will be ideally placed to give an authoritative first review. Small business owners and IT Managers will almost certainly wish to obtain advice and insight, in the form of an IT Audit, into their options for their remote access working needs at their most cost effective.

Windows Small Business Server (SBS) is technically not an ‘edition’ of the Windows Server operating system but an integrated server suite, designed for running intranet management and Internet access for a small and medium enterprise network operating no more than 75 PC terminals.

Providing vital management benefits such as integrated setup, enhanced monitoring, a unified management console, and remote access, the application servers are seamlessly integrated to enable small businesses to operate a fully remote access workplace.

Even smaller SMEs who require less than a maximum possible of 10 users, can enjoy the benefits, albeit limited, of a Windows Home Server, code-named “Vail,” introduced Spring 2010. Unlike SBS Aurora, the Windows Home Server Vail beta version, currently lacks printer support and is without terminal server support for remote access.

Today, the leading edge of proactive IT is increasingly engaged with enabling continuous, remote access to a resource cloud, rapidly transforming the business landscape.

The key benefit of the ‘cloud’ approach to server-based applications is that the resources from multiple servers are run as a collective virtual computer, independently from any one particular computer or server configuration.

This means they are accessed from a “cloud of resources”, making the physical presence of hardware less important to how the applications work.

The development of a fast broadband speed internet is rapidly making the need to have software to be run on a personal computer or on a company site increasingly less essential with a new generation of software being designed for professional web-based access.

The working environment is changing and the ability to quickly and easily access files and information over the internet has been transformed by the availability of new technologies ranging from the shared file system built into most versions of Windows up to dedicated, proprietary systems developed for software packages

Two categories exist that allow either access of files remotely or accessing and controlling the desktop remotely. The latter process brings the entire working environment of your own personal computer desktop to the computer you are currently using, allowing you to use your home computer as if you were currently sitting in front of it.

This allows for are working away from home or office, or simply allowing users to access their data from any web enabled location.

Remote access software development, using a form of encrypted connection such as a VPN (Virtual Private Network), has considerably advanced, and is recommended for today’s fast and versatile business demands.

In addition, the remote server cloud resource as a hosted network service means transferring the everyday backup responsibility of IT support, maintenance, monitoring and upgrading to today’s highly cost efficient method of a secure, hosted network provider.