Apparently, the information I've provided in this column has caused a bit of confusion. I'll use this week's column to answer some of the most commonly asked questions I've received about BackOffice Server 2000 (BOS 2000)—its status and features—and about what this column and BackOffice Server UPDATE will cover.
That answers the most frequent questions. I hope I've cleared things up for those of you who weren't sure where BOS 2000 currently stands or what we will address in this column and BackOffice Server UPDATE.
This week's tip: As part of the scenario-based installation options available in BOS 2000, Microsoft includes two Server Location Scenarios: Central Server and Branch Office Server. Selecting one of the scenario-based installations causes the BOS2000 installer to set up and install appropriate components.
The Central Server scenario targets BOS 2000 as the core server in a small-to-midsized IT environment. The core server will be the root of the AD tree, and will be configured to run a customizable intranet site.
The Branch Office scenario sets up BOS 2000 to connect back to the corporate network, to be configured for remote and local administration, to connect local users to the Internet, and to maintain local Exchange mailboxes.
In either case, the installation wizard will install the core set of BOS 2000 services and offer the administrator the option of installing components that the basic installation scenario doesn't install, such as the Shared Modem and Fax service, Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0, and Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server.