Windows Server 2012 Essentials

Announcements

• Link

  Update Rollup 1 for Windows Server 2012 Essentials Now Available

  Monday, March 25, 2013 11:46 AM

  Windows Server 2012 Essentials Update Rollup 1 has been released and is available for download from Microsoft Update. This update consists of 4 new features including, the support for Hosted Email Framework, and 7 fixes for important issues. You can read about the content in this update rollup in Microsoft Support Knowledgebase article 2781267.

  In addition to the server-side update, a client-side update has been released as well. This update is documented in KB 2781268. The client-side package will be downloaded to the server along with the Update rollup. Users do not have to go to the Windows Update website to obtain the package separately for client machines.

  Known issues for this update

  Issue 1

  You are not automatically offered Update Rollup 1 for Windows Server 2012 Essentials from Windows Update if you follow the steps that are provided in the following Microsoft TechNet topic:

  Transition from Windows Server 2012 Essentials to Windows Server 2012 Standard

  (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj247582.aspx)

  For a workaround to this issue, click the following article number to go to the article the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 2828232://support.microsoft.com/kb/2828232/ )

   Install Update Rollup 2781267 if you transition from Windows Server 2012 Essentials to Windows Server 2012 Standard

  Issue 2

  If you have the Office 365 Integration feature enabled before you install Update Rollup 1 for Windows Server 2012 Essentials, you may receive the following Health Alert after you restart the server and open the Dashboard:

  One or more services are not running The following important Windows services are not running. Windows Server Office 365 Integration Service (O365ProviderSvc) Note: Services can be stopped when software updates are applied.

  For a workaround to this issue, refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base article 2828257icrosoft.com/kb/2828257/ )

  Office 365 Integration Service reports do not run after you install Update Rollup 1 for Windows Server 2012 Essentials
  
  
  
  
  
• Link

  Windows Server Essentials integration module for Windows Azure Backup upgraded

  Wednesday, April 10, 2013 5:47 AM

  With the announcement of the new Windows Azure Backup preview, we’re happy to announce the new release of the Windows Server Essentials integration module.

  Windows Azure Backup helps you protect important server data off-site with automated backup and restoration. You can manage cloud backups from Windows Server 2012 Essentials Dashboard by installing the integration module.

  To start using the Windows Azure Backup preview, please create a Windows Azure account. To begin your sign up, go to the Windows Azure free trial webpage. Then visit the Windows Azure Management Portal to New a backup vault, download and install the integration module, and register your server.

  If you had the previous version of the integration module installed, you must retrieve your stored data before May 4. Then you need to uninstall the previous integration module and the Windows Azure Online Backup agent, before trying the new version.

  To uninstall the integration module:

  1. Go to the Essentials Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Applications page, Add-ins tab.
  3. Remove the online backup add-in.

  To uninstall the Windows Azure Online Backup agent:

  1. Go to Control Panel.
  2. Click Uninstall a program.
  3. Remove the Windows Azure Online Backup agent.

  Data from the earlier preview will be available until May 4, 2013. It will not be transferred to the new Windows Azure Backup preview. Please make sure to retrieve any data that you wish to retrieve before uninstalling the old integration module.

• Link

  Windows Server 2012 Essentials Resources

  Tuesday, March 19, 2013 3:54 AM

  Download RTM Evaluation copy from here:

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj659306.aspx?wt.mc_id=TEC_133_1_14

  See Sinead’s post for details:

  http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2012/10/09/windows-server-2012-essentials-released-to-manufacturing-available-for-evaluation-today.aspx

  Read the Overview blog from our engineering team:

  http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsserver/archive/2012/07/11/download-the-beta-release-of-windows-server-2012-essentials-today.aspx

  TechNet Center:

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sbs/jj159331

  TechNet Library:

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj200119  (Note the Exchange installation, and Transition to Windows Server 2012 Standard instructions are also included)

  More product introduction coming from our official product blog:

  http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/

  Product data sheet and FAQ

  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server-essentials/default.aspx

  Licensing datasheet on price, license, and server roles comparison:

  http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/4/B/04BD0EB1-42FE-488B-919F-3981EF9B2101/WS2012_Licensing-Pricing_Datasheet.pdf

  Additional downloads on TechNet and MSDN, including SDK and Client Restore Disk:

  https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/securedownloads/hh442898#searchTerm=windows%20server%202012%20essentials

  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/subscriptions/securedownloads/hh442904#searchTerm=windows%20server%202012%20essentials

  Thank you everyone for your feedbacks and support, please continue to use the Windows Server 2012 Essentials forum for your RTM and evaluation experience.

  http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserveressentials/threads

  Thank You!