Before You Begin

This section covers important tasks that you should perform in order to successfully complete installation and set up of Windows SBS 2003 R2. After you complete these tasks, use the forms provided in this section to collect information that you need in order to connect your server to the Internet.

Tasks to Complete Before Installing Windows SBS 2003 R2

Whether you are performing a new installation, an upgrade, or a migration, you should perform the following tasks before you begin installing Windows SBS 2003 R2:

• Check minimum system requirements. Verify that your computer hardware is compatible with the Windows Server hardware recommendations contained in the Windows Server Catalog. Following these recommendations helps you to achieve optimal performance from your upgrade. For more information about Windows Server Catalog hardware recommendations, see the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=4303).
• Verify that you have up-to-date drivers for your hardware devices and the latest system BIOS (basic input/output system). If you do not have the latest drivers or system BIOS, contact the device manufacturer for more information. In addition, if you have a hardware driver that is not supported, it is recommended that you contact your hardware manufacturer before you run Setup.
• Confirm that Windows SBS 2003 R2 supports the line-of-business (LOB) applications that you want to install on the server. For more information, see the Windows Server Catalog at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=4303). You may need to contact the application vendor's technical support to confirm that the LOB application can be installed on Windows SBS 2003 R2, as well as to determine any licensing requirements.
• Disconnect UPS devices. If you have an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to your server, disconnect the serial cable before you run Setup. Setup automatically attempts to detect devices that are connected to serial ports, and UPS equipment can cause problems with the detection process.
• Read the Release Notes. The release notes that are located on Disc 1 (\Docs\SBSRelnotes.htm) contain information about late-breaking issues with Windows SBS 2003 with SP1. The release notes that are located on the R2 Technologies disc (\SBS\Read_Before_Installing.htm) contain information about late-breaking issues with Windows SBS 2003 R2.

Important Installation Information

Before beginning a new installation, upgrade, or migration, consider the following points:

Whether you are completing a new installation or upgrading your server, you must complete Setup for Windows SBS 2003 with SP1. This is because Windows SBS 2003 R2 can be installed only on a computer that is running Windows SBS 2003 with SP1.

You cannot uninstall Exchange Server 2003 SP2. This is because the technical changes implemented by the service pack cannot be undone without reinstalling Exchange Server 2003.

You cannot uninstall Windows SharePoint Services SP2. This is because the technical changes implemented by the service pack cannot be undone without reinstalling Windows SharePoint Services 2.0.

The Windows SBS 2003 R2 Update Services component requires free disk space in addition to the amount required to install Windows SBS 2003 with SP1. In order to install the Windows SBS Update Services component, the server must meet the following disk space requirements:

• At least 1 GB of free disk space on the system drive. You cannot change the location of this free space; it must be located on the system drive.
• At least 8 GB of free disk space for the update files. This free space can be located on any partition on the server.

Update Services may take several hours to fully synchronize. Windows SBS Update Services is the new patch and update management service offered with Windows SBS 2003 R2. After you install and configure Update Services, your server that is running Windows SBS begins to synchronize with the servers for Microsoft Update and with client computers on your Windows SBS network.

The synchronization process involves registering client computers on the Windows SBS network with Update Services, synchronizing the list of available updates on your server with the list on the servers for Microsoft Update, and then synchronizing the list of required updates on the client computers with the list on your server. The client computers then download the required updates from the server, reporting their status to the server at regular intervals.

This first synchronization might take several hours. Later synchronizations are considerably faster because the list of available updates is much smaller.

If you are upgrading, keep in mind the following:

• Windows SBS 2003 R2 resets Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 2.0 settings to the defaults. Windows SBS 2003 R2 installs WSUS 2.0 and then customizes it for the Windows SBS environment. If you have already installed and customized WSUS 2.0 on your server, when you upgrade to Windows SBS 2003 R2 Setup overwrites your existing WSUS settings to work with Windows SBS 2003 R2 Update Services. If you later decide to manage updates using the standalone version of WSUS again, you will need to reconfigure your custom settings.
• Exchange Intelligent Message Filter (IMF) version 1 (v1) must be uninstalled before installing Exchange Server SP2. Exchange Server 2003 SP2 is a prerequisite for the Windows SBS 2003 R2 Technologies. Exchange Server 2003 SP2 automatically installs Exchange IMF version 2 (v2). If you have already installed Exchange IMF v1 on your server, you must uninstall it before installing Exchange Server SP2.

Required Information For Connecting To The Internet

When you start the Connect to the Internet task from the To Do list, the Configure E-mail and Internet Connection Wizard appears. To complete this wizard, you need to provide specific information about your Internet connection. The forms in this section provide a place for you to record this information before you begin Setup.

It is recommended that you contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to obtain this information.

Broadband connection

Broadband connection information	Description
Static IP address (if applicable): ____________________ Subnet mask: ____________________ Default gateway: ____________________ Preferred DNS server: ____________________ Alternate DNS server (optional): ____________________	Settings used to configure your local network to connect to the Internet. For broadband connection information, the following applies: The IP address and subnet mask are required only if your ISP provided a static IP address for connecting to the Internet. If your server uses a local router (such as a dial-on-demand or ISDN router), the default gateway is the local IP address of the router, as shown in the following diagram: Local IP address of router The local IP address of router is not provided by your ISP. You must check the configuration of your router.
Service name (optional): ____________________ ISP user name: ____________________ Password: ____________________	This is required if you have a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) connection.

Dial-up connection

Dial-up connection information	Description
Phone number: ____________________ ISP user name: ____________________ Password: ____________________	Settings used to configure your local network to connect to the Internet.
Static IP address: ____________________ Preferred DNS server: ____________________ Alternate DNS server (optional): ____________________	This is required only if you have a static IP address for your Internet connection; otherwise, your IP address is obtained dynamically.

Important

In addition to the configuration performed by this wizard, you must follow your ISP’s instructions for connecting your broadband device to the Internet.