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How and where to download Microsoft Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials as a Microsoft partner

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Updated Status April 14, 2011:  Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011 now available for download through Microsoft partner digital distribution site

As of today, April 14, 2011, Microsoft Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials software bits and keys are available for download through the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal for partners with a silver competency, gold competency, or an Action Pack subscription. Note: SBS 2011 Standard and Essentials are not currently available in Chinese Simplified. We are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

With the announcement of availability of Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials, I am providing the latest official update for Microsoft Partners on how and where they can download and install both Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials as a Microsoft partner. This post is the latest information and is an update to information provided in my earlier How and where to download Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011 as a Microsoft partner and Updated: How and where to download Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011 as a Microsoft partner posts.

Current Status:  Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011 now available for download through Microsoft partner digital distribution site

At this time, Microsoft Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials software bits and keys are not currently available for download through the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal. We are actively working to resolve this and once all regional certification compliance processes have been completed, this will be resolved—estimated availability is second quarter of calendar year 2011.

Access to the software:  Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011 now available for download through Microsoft partner digital distribution site

Although Microsoft Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials are not available through the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal, Microsoft partners with a silver competency, gold competency, Action Pack Solution Provider subscription, or Action Pack Design and Development subscription are licensed to use these products for internal use rights as defined in your License Summary*. Below are the steps that the Microsoft partners listed above that wish to use either or both Microsoft Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials should take to obtain the software for your internal use.

NOTE: By obtaining the bits for Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials through the following methods, you will have the final RTM (released to manufacturing) bits of the products. None of these methods provides you with “limited-functionality” versions of the products.

If you are a Microsoft partner with a gold competency or silver competency:

See Updated Status Above

  • Download the Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials bits from the TechNet or MSDN site that you receive access to as a benefit of your Microsoft Partner Network Membership.
  • Please note: product keys distributed through the MSDN and TechNet are single activation keys. As a Microsoft partner, you can obtain your Multiple Activation Key (MAK) product key from the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal as soon as available (See “Current Status” above). Partners may use any combination of methods and keys acquired through Microsoft programs to activate machines as long as the systems are properly licensed and appropriate use rights are applied.

If you are a Microsoft partner with an Action Pack Solution Provider subscription:

See Updated Status Above

  • You should download the Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials bits from the TechNet site that you receive access to as a benefit of your Microsoft Action Pack Solution Provider subscription.
  • Please note: product keys distributed through the TechNet are single activation keys. As a Microsoft partner, you can obtain your Multiple Activation Key (MAK) product key from the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal as soon as available (See “Current Status” above). Partners may use any combination of methods and keys acquired through Microsoft programs to activate machines as long as the systems are properly licensed and appropriate use rights are applied.

If you are a Microsoft partner with an Action Pack Development and Design subscription:

  • For Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard:

See Updated Status Above

    • You should download the Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard bits from HERE.
    • This is a 30 day evaluation copy and no product key is required. (Although it is a 30 day evaluation copy, as stated in the “NOTE” above, these bits are final version, fully-functional bits of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard, not a limited functionality version.)
    • While the evaluation period is 30 days, it can be rearmed twice, meaning you can actually use it for up to a 90 day time period before requiring your MAK key.
    • As a Microsoft partner, you can obtain your Multiple Activation Key (MAK) product key from the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal as soon as available (See “Current Status” above) and convert your trial into a full production copy (no expiration date).
    • If by April 15th we are unable to resolve all regional certification compliance processes required to allow us to provide the Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard bits and keys on the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal, partners with Action Pack Development and Design subscriptions whose evaluation periods are approaching expiration can contact their Microsoft Regional Service Center for assistance in obtaining keys needed to convert the bits to remove the expiration date.

  • For Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials:

See Updated Status Above

  • You should download the Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials bits from HERE
  • This is a 60 day evaluation copy and no product key is required. (Although it is a 60 day evaluation copy, as stated in the “NOTE” above, these bits are final version, fully-functional bits of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials, not a limited functionality version.)
  • While the evaluation period is 60 days, it can be rearmed twice, meaning you can actually use it for up to a 180 day time period before requiring your MAK key.
  • As a Microsoft partner, you can obtain your Multiple Activation Key (MAK) product key from the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal as soon as available (See “Current Status” above) and convert your trial into a full production copy (no expiration date).
  • If by September 1st we are unable to resolve all regional certification compliance processes required to allow us to provide the Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials bits and keys on the Microsoft partner digital distribution portal, partners with Action Pack Development and Design subscriptions whose evaluation periods are approaching expiration can contact their Microsoft Regional Service Center for assistance in obtaining keys needed to convert the bits to remove the expiration date.

NOTICE FOR PARTNERS IN CHINA: SBS 2011 Standard and Essentials are not currently available in Chinese Simplified. We are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

As I mentioned above, we are working to resolve the current situation as soon as possible, and will make the download and keys available on the digital distribution site as soon as we can. We realize this is not the ideal situation but we are committed to make sure you have access to and know how you can obtain the bits for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials for your internal use. As such, please utilize the steps above, if you haven’t already, to get your bits of Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials to use under your license entitlement*.

* = The License Summary page is scheduled to be updated to include Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials around 7 PM Pacific Time on April 6th)

Did you find this information helpful? If so, you may want to make sure you are utilizing all of the areas I share information online, such as: my Facebook page, my Twitter account, my LinkedIn account, and my blog.

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Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman – Follow me on TWITTER, LinkedIn, and RSS and see “What I’m thinking”
Global Partner Experience Lead
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

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Comments

  • Anonymous
    April 11, 2011
    More details would be nice.  I have no idea how to access this benefit. •You should download the Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Standard and Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials bits from the TechNet site that you receive access to as a benefit of your Microsoft Action Pack Solution Provider subscription.

  • Anonymous
    April 11, 2011
    @ DPL - I have included the link to the benefit directly into the statement you are quoting in the blog post above. In addition, you may want to check out this post as well, that is all about the TechNet benefit: http://bit.ly/hbAlx8 Eric Ligman

  • Anonymous
    April 13, 2011
    The product keys for MS partners are not on MSDN site, (although you can download the software). If I try to request a key it gives me an error. Does this menas that we will have to wait until summer MAPS update to get our PK? or will it be available through partners site any time soon? Thanks

  • Anonymous
    April 13, 2011
    Never mind previous post, tried again and got it. Thanks