ESS on Small Business Server 2003 Standard

We just set up SBS 2003 R2 standard at work. I have everything working peachy but have yet to install antivirus. I'm seriously considering ESS or just plain nod32. We have exchange running and no ISA since it's not the premium version. We do have freeproxy running in its place though.

This is our exact setup.

http://www.smallbizserver.net/Portals/0/Screenshots/SBS-00167.png

Am I in for a world of hurt installing the business version of ESS?

 

Yes. Don't install a desktop firewall on SBS. You will regret it. Since you don't have ISA, I strongly suggest you put a proper firewall (not a router) in front of it.

For antivirus, NOD32 v2.7 is just fine, but don't use its IMON module - that will cause problems too. The NOD32 installer should disable IMON automatically - check to make sure it does, though. You will also need NOD32 for Exchange (XMON), and set up all the necessary exclusions (see this thread).

Don't try and mix EAV 3.0 and XMON on an SBS - they don't get on. Indeed, apart from one exception reported on this forum, mine and others' experiences I know of are that you should stay away from EAV3 altogether on your SBS - at this stage, at least. Whether EAV3 will ever become suitable for servers remains to be seen.