SBS 2011: Resources for Applications

**Resources for Discover, Deploy and Develop Applications that work with Windows SBS 2011 Essentials, Windows Home Server 2011, and Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials
**
This document provides background information and resources for small business IT professionals to discover and deploy applications, as well as for developers and ISVs  to develop and deploy add-ins and applications for Windows Server Solutions products, including Windows SBS 2011, Windows Home Server 2011, and Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials.

Resources for Small Business IT Professionals

1. Where to find the add-ins and applications for Windows Server Solutions products

See the “Application list that works with Windows Server Solutions Products”.  Additional non-Microsoft listing sites are also available on the internet.

2. How to install Add-ins

http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/sbs2011essentials/ff357132.aspx

3. Testing applications to work with the Windows Server Solutions products

See “Compatibility guidance to test your applications for working with these products”.

4. Community resources

For community discussion regarding applications for Windows Server Solutions Products please see:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/sbsserver

http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/is/whs2011/threads

 

** Resources For ISV and Add-in Developers**

1. Resource for add-in development

See the “Windows Server Solutions SDK

2. Where to list your add-ins and products

See the “Application list that works with Windows Server Solutions Products

3. How to test your applications for compatibility with Windows Server Solutions products

See “Compatibility guidance to deploy and test your applications for working with these products”.

4. How to list your add-in and compatible applications on the Microsoft Pinpoint website

See “Pinpoint guidance for listing your applications to pinpoint”.

5. Community Resources

For discussion and support for Windows Server Solutions SDK, please see:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsserversolutionssdk/threads

1. LIST OF APPLICATIONS THAT WORK WITH WINDOWS SERVER SOLUTIONS PRODUCTS

Microsoft Pinpoint helps you find the applications and services you need for your business on your Microsoft products. Following are the list of applications that are currently registered on Pinpoint that “work with” Windows Server Solutions Products.

Windows SBS 2011 Essentials
http://pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/search/windows-small-business-server-2011-essentials-w400488?q=

Windows Storage Server 2008 R2
http://pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/search/windows-storage-server-w400490?q=

            Windows Home Server 2011
            http://pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/search/windows-home-server-w400464?q=

Additional non-Microsoft listing sites are also available on the Internet.

2. COMPATIBILITY GUIDANCE TO DEPLOY AND TEST YOUR APPLICATIONS FOR WORKING WITH THESE PRODUCTS

1. Make sure the application has passed Windows Server 2008 R2 compatibility test.

The Windows Server Solutions Products are built on Windows Server 2008 R2.  These applications should first work with Windows Server 2008 R2. Please refer to the http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/appcompat.aspx to find the list of applications that works with Windows Server 2008 R2 Essentials, as well as guidance on compatibility with Windows Server 2008 R2.

2. Resolving common conflicts

Windows Server Solutions products make some customization on top of Windows Server 2008 R2.  Following are the major areas you should be aware of when deploy applications to Windows Server Solutions products.

A.  Web applications that use the default web site

Windows Server Solutions products create a default web site on Port 80 or 443. Major web based functionalities, including Remote Web Access (RWA) and the client connector depend on the default web site to work properly.

Some Web applications that install directly on these ports will override the default sites, and cause the RWA website or client connecting website to stop working.

You will need to modify the IIS settings for these applications to resolve the conflicts.

Following is an example of how to customize the SharePoint service setting on Windows SBS 2011 Essentials that resolves the IIS conflicts. http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/sbs2011essentials/gg193989.aspx

 

B.  Firewall software blocking ports that Windows Server Solutions products depend on

Windows Server Solutions products enable and depend on certain ports, including 65520, 65510, 65515, 65500, 443 and 80 to work properly.

Firewall software that blocks these ports will break the correspondent functionalities.

After you install these applications, make sure that these ports are still open, and in IIS admin settings, they are properly binding to the correct applications.

 

C. Certificate management and reinstallation

The Windows Server Solutions products depend on the default machine certificate for secured communication between the services.

Some applications require installing a new certification on the server. Usually, an additional certificate will not impact the existing machine certificate. However, removal of a certificate can accidently remove or modify the default certificate for a comptuer. This can cause the Windows Server Solutions product services to stop working.

For information about how to reinstall a certificate authority role, see KB article 2581361 at:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2581361

 

3.  WINDOWS SERVER SOLUTIONS SDK

The Windows Server Solutions Software Development Kit (SDK) helps you understand the concepts of creating add-ins that extend the functionality of features in Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and Windows Home Server 2011.

A link to the SDK can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg513958.aspx

You can also utilize the community to discuss the SDK development related topics here:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsserversolutionssdk/threads

 

4. PINPOINT GUIDANCE FOR LISTING YOUR APPLICATIONS TO PINPOINT

Pinpoint is the Microsoft platform for ISVs to list and offer their applications online.

The following guidance is available on how to publish your applications to Microsoft Pinpoint site.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/6886.listing-your-applications-for-discovery-in-microsoft-pinpoint-for-small-business-server-windows-home-server-and-windows-storage-server-2008-r2-essentials.aspx

Additional listing sites are available on Internet too. Please refer to these service providers for registration and services.