On the software side, I will agree things can be more complex. That's because there's an inherent complexity in the things you're trying to do that Peer to Peer is simply not capable of. I will have to give credit to Microsoft for trying to streamline the process as much as they can. They've definitely making huge strides forward with SBS Essentials and Windows Home Server.
Active Directory is automatically configured when SBS-E is installed. When you connect a server to your domain as easy as typing in google.com into your address bar and downloading the connector. You do save a lot of time when you have 5 or 10 computers and you don't have to go to each one individually and setup a user account and password for your staff members and yourself. This is also more secure.
Sure you have to know how to open a port on your router. Just one 443. Portforward.com has instructions with images for thousands of routers. Even with Windows 7, you still have to open port 3389 for Remote Desktop. Things start getting really complicated if you have to use multiple computers remotely. Another area where SBS simplifies access to multiple computers. Having to either mess with the internal or external ports. Microsoft gives you a free simple domain with an SSL certificate. yourname.remotewebaccess.com. So you're getting that same level of security as a credit card transaction when you're remoting in. The wizard just asks you what you want the name to be and does the rest of the setup. Again, things not possible on Windows 7. Sure you can use logmein free, but you can't print or transfer files. TeamViewer's commercial license is $800. Why would you want to pay when all you have to do is open a simple port? Microsoft even has a list of routers that it can configure automatically without any user input. It's just that most people skip over that list.
Sharing files and folders uses a wizard as well, in Windows 7, it has to be done manually. A lot of people have trouble with the permissions on Windows 7, have to manually configure it and add everyone to the permissions list. (This has a lot to do with people having different usernames and when they try to authenticate against that Windows 7, it doesn't know who the user is and gives them guest privileges. By adding everyone, this means anyone who gets on your wireless network or plugs in a LAN cable can erase your entire Amazing Charts folder or they can read other people's imported items, maybe take a copy home with them. Sure the possibility is remote, but you do really want to leave the door open for someone to do that much damage?
I can keep going on and on, but the point is the same. There's only so much they can simplify. It's definitely not as hard as people describe it to be. I've posted video tutorials with step-by-step instructions in my signature as well. You can get an idea of how much work is involved.
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