Microsoft has revealed that the Windows Server 2012 options will be drastically streamlined from the myriad choices of its predecessor. In the paring down, though, Microsoft is killing off Windows Small Business Server, and Windows Home Server–the two most popular versions for small and medium businesses (SMBs).

On the one hand, the news is quite welcome. Variety may be the spice of life, but when it comes to choosing which version of Microsoft’s server operating system is right for you business it’s just confusing. Choice is one thing, but too many choices makes the decision much more complicated than it needs to be.