I'm just wondering about other possible scenarios here, specifically with SBS Standard. With a single Windows 2008 Server Standard you are licensed to install one HyperV host and a virtual image within that host. SBS Standard is effectively Windows 2008 Server Standard with some other bits bolted on, so does it include the right to install as a HyperV host and virtual image within that host? What I'm getting at is are these scenarios legit -

3. Use your Windows SBS Standard 2008 media disk 1 to install on a physical box and install HyperV. Now use the same Windows SBS Standard 2008 to install as a virtual image within this HyperV host. Is this legit? There are plenty of times you might want to do this, for instance if you already have a few Windows Server volume licenses that you want to use beside your SBS server but you don't need any of the SBS Premium technologies and CALs etc.

4. Windows SBS Standard 2008 running as a virtual image in HyperV Standalone Server. No reason why this isn't supported and legit I presume?

Just wondering if these are the same. I am more familiar with vmware server and was thinking of just putting that on top of a SBS08 install, then putting my second server (for SQL) into a vmguest.

Is there more overhead that way? Would the Hyper V scenario be smoother/faster?

It seems like using Hyper V takes away a lot of things such as Fax Server and USB support

Just wondering if these are the same. I am more familiar with vmware server and was thinking of just putting that on top of a SBS08 install, then putting my second server (for SQL) into a vmguest.

Is there more overhead that way? Would the Hyper V scenario be smoother/faster?

This is what Scenario 2 describes a few links down below on the left.

Installing the Primary and Second Servers in Hyper-V Virtual Machines on a Single Physical Computer.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd239200.aspx

Just be sure to read through the Known Issues and Best Practices with running SBS 2008 in Hyper-V. Also, leave the host machine in a workgroup. Don't join it to the domain.

Known Issues

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd239204.aspx

Best Practices

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd239199.aspx

You can install a second copy of the Windows Server 2008 Standard to use for the Hyper-V role with the condition that this server is to do no more than the Hyper-V role.

It makes sense that this is available as we can now get Hyper-V Server as a free download to acheive the same thing.

Windows SBS 2008 comes in two versions, regular and Premium, with one of the key differentiators being that Premium includes a second Windows Server 2008 Standard license, intended for a SQL Server install, but suitable for other uses as well.

Does that second Windows Server 2008 Standard instance include the right to install one additional virtual Windows Server 2008 Standard inside Hyper-V, just like a retail Windows Server 2008 Standard includes? THat would mean that one possible scenario could be as follows:

One physical server, running Windows Server 2008 Standard (the bundled license) with the Hyper-V server role installed, and SBS 2008 virtualized, as well as a second virtualized Windows Server 2008 Standard to run SQL Server.

This could be a simple way for a company to plan for growth and business continuity by allowing either instance (or both) to slide off one server to another as the load increases or if hardware fails. Of course, this would require buying a single server that can ahndle not only the current load of both virtualized servers, but also the overhead of virtualization.