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gravyface
Asked: 2013-07-12 10:23:51 +0800 CST

Removing SBS Monitoring Permanently (SBS 2008/2011)

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We never use it, and probably never will. Google tells me that uninstalling it is pretty straightforward, but several MS technicians also say that it's "not recommended" to permanently uninstall.

Is this kind of like Microsoft not recommending OpenOffice or is there really a downside/drawback in stability/health of the system if it's removed permanently?

EDIT: if a canonical answer cannot be provided, I'm totally ok with anecdotal responses, like "we removed it a couple of years ago, no problems".

windows-sbs-2008

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    I wouldn't remove it, personally. I never have, simply from a philosophical perspective.

    I'm fine disabling things but I don't hasten to remove them. In the same way that I never make changes to the "Default Domain Policy" and "Default Domain Controllers" policy I try to avoid making changes that are difficult to reverse and that would make a machine drastically "non-stock". I want to be able to return a machine to as much of a stock configuration as possible should I have a tech-support incident.

    I rarely engage with "manufacturer" technical support but if I'm getting to the point that I might I start backing-off customizations. There have been times when, in backing off customizations, I've found the root cause to an issue. I like having that ability to back-off my changes.

    I work as a contractor, and I also like to keep my Customers' configurations as close to "industry standard" as possible such that they can go to another provider, if they so choose, and get good support. I've followed-up third-party support companies who have made big messes by "customizing" and otherwise "tweaking" off-the-shelf software and I don't think it made them look professional or reputable. I use it as a selling point to my Customers that I am a replaceable part and that, as much as it is feasible, everything I do for them will be recognizable and able to be administered by any other sysadmin who is "skilled in the art".

    Edit:

    I have disabled the "Windows SBS Manager" service on multiple Windows Small Business Server 2008 instances, along with disabling the SQL Server instance "SBSMONITORING" with no ill effects.

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