Microsoft's new low-cost servers to compete with Linux

Microsoft intends to promote small business servers running Windows Server 2008 in Asian countries. Their hope is to present small businesses with an alternative to Linux servers, which are growing in popularity in Asia. This scaled-down edition of Windows Server 2008 will function on single-processor servers with fewer than 15 users and will be priced at around $1,029.

They are looking to partner with HP, IBM, and Dell to help small businesses get started on a small budget.

“There’s a big saving on cost, because businesses won’t have to worry about bringing in technical expertise to deploy the OS,” said Khoobchandani (senior director of business and marketing for Microsoft Singapore).

On competition posed by Linux, he said the familiarity of the “established” Windows experience is also expected to “take away the complexity of how to use a server”.

Linux provides more advanced features such as virtualization and fewer imposed restrictions, but Microsoft believes small businesses will not have an immediate need for those features. They believe the trade-off will be having a server with a “familiar interface” that will make starting their businesses easier and more affordable.

Source: ZDNet Asia