My understanding so far as I look further into how Office365 integrates with Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is that there is an integration module that is in beta development.

Ok, let’s have a look:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4O4LZ6UFEg&feature=youtu.be

I do see a huge potential for both of these products in small businesses with 25 or fewer users.

Small Business Server 2011 Essentials still incorporates active directory which speaks to enhanced security over a simple peer to peer and a “pseudo server”.

Additionally, you will benefit from a central data store location and built-in backup capability.

Of course, with the Essentials version of Small Business Server you will not have to deal with the complexities and management of Exchange Server – Exchange Server is not included in SBS 2011 Essentials.

SBS 2011 Essentials is geared for those who are ready to embrace cloud solutions that are offered today for enterprise applications such as Exchange Server.

Office365 is one such cloud offering that includes Exchange Server and other enterprise applications (Sharepoint and Lync Server) hosted in the cloud.

I am very interested in seeing how these products work together so that I can help my small business clients achieve an optimum IT solution.

I am specifically interested in seeing how a single sign-on capability can be achieved so that users who log on to the SBS 2011 network don’t also then have to log on separately to Office365.

So I am viewing the following video in an attempt to educate myself on this subject:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVQz3KufpwQ&feature=youtu.be