Microsoft's Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) 2008 was released to manufacturing in early September and the official launch date is currently set for 12 November. The software is designed and priced specifically for mid-sized businesses with up to 300 computers, giving "simplified setup, migration and licensing", according to Microsoft.

At the same time as EBS 2008 launches, the 2008 edition of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) will also launch.

For EBS 2008, there will be two editions: a Standard version, which Microsoft envisions firms installing over three physical servers forming Management, Messaging and Security servers; and a Premium Edition that will add a Database server courtesy of a SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition install.

The Management Server will use System Centre Essentials 2007 as the basis of the system, with SharePoint Services 3.0 being offered free as a download but not included in the software package. With the Messaging Server, Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition will be combined with Microsoft's Forefront Security for Exchange Server and also include one year's subscription.

For the Security Server the Medium Business Edition of Forefront Threat Management Gateway will be available to secure firms' EBS install. A one-year Web Anti-malware Subscription is included with this part of the product.

Both editions will be 64bit only software packages, needing 64bit hardware to run, which begs an easy question about virtualisation. Since the hardware is 64bit, why not use Hyper-V to cut down on the hardware required? We're constantly being bombarded with the green benefits of virtualisation – so why not put these into practice?

When users install EBS 2008, what they will see is basically a Windows Server 2008 Standard install tweaked to enable easy configuration of the system for businesses with IT resources and staff not up to large enterprise standards.

Once the main install is out of the way a configuration wizard fires up and takes the user through setting up the network connections, joining an active directory domain, configuring the email gateway, setting up remote access to the server and checking storage volumes. These are only basic configuration tasks, so once the wizard is negotiated successfully, more advanced configuration of the email server and storage volumes to be used can be completed.

However, what happens if part of the configuration cannot be completed? In our case we had a simple problem with an external network adapter, and the set-up would not continue until we had sorted the problem out. The medium-sized business should have IT staff to sort out such problems, and we suspect that the preparation and planning wizards that can be run before the main install may have picked up the problem.

Windows EBS 2008 Premium including five client access licences (CALs) will cost £4,635, with additional CALs costing £126 each. The Standard Edition with five CALs will cost £3,540 with extra CALs priced at £52 each.

Presumably the bundled package with server software and CALs has a price advantage over a server infrastructure build from the standalone components, as well as the extra wizards and consoles, which make an infrastructure set-up easier to install, configure and manage.

We’ll be putting out a full review of EBS 2008 around the official launch date of 12 November, examining the questions raised in this first look and also where virtualisation fits into the equation.