A client is evaluating 2 ERP programs for their business:
- SAP Business One
- SysPro Version 6.0

Both of these require a SQL Server backend.

The client is also interested in getting into MS Exchange Server. They are a relatively small firm (about 15 employees) and it looks as though Exchange Standard Edition will work well for them.

MS offers a bundle of server software products called Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 R2. It comes in two versions:

- Standard Edition: includes Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard and Exchange Server 2003 SP2 Standard
- Premium Edition: adds SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition to the above

We've asked the vendors, and apparently SQL Server Workgroup Edition is sufficient to run the ERP offerings. It supports 3GB RAM, 2 physical CPUs.

SBS 2003 R2 has some limitations:
- All its components must be installed on a single computer. You can't, for example, install the SQL Server component on a separate computer
- Max hardware it supports is 2 physical CPUs (can be multicore), and 4GB RAM.

So, there are 2 options:

1. Buy SBS Premium and install everything on one server
2. Buy SBS Standard and some separate SQL Server license (Workgroup or Standard) and set SQL up on a separate box

I know that Option 2 will perform better, have less contention and more headroom for future expansion. However, maybe Option 1 is "good enough" for my client. Does anyone have any experience running a decent-sized ERP system directly on the SBS server, or does everyone go straight to Option 2?