GALLERY: Windows Home Server beta 2

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David Flynn28 April 2007, 11:00 AM

Our first look at Microsoft's server for the rest of us includes a detailed screenshot gallery walking you through the user and admin screens


Has ever a Microsoft project flown more under the radar than Windows Home Server? For the better part of two years it was just another cryptic codename from the Windows Server team, and the cipher itself -- "Quattro" -- gave no hints as to the product's nature.

Only at this year's CES geekfest did Windows Home Server break cover from the Redmond skunkworks. Since then it's become one of Microsoft's most talked-about products, and this week Microsoft announced a broad Community Technology Preview release of Windows Home Server for which anyone can sign up (click here to get on the list).

At APC we've been running the Beta 2 edition of Windows Home Server for the past two months and it's acquitted itself surprisingly well -- no doubt a reflection on the time this 'server for the rest of us' spent in the Redmond skunkworks. There's still some 'fit and finish' to appear before it hits the Release Candidate milestone around Q3, prior to the platform's debut towards the end of this year -- but from what we've seen so far, we'd rate Windows Home Server as one of Microsoft's most polished and most impressive 1.0 releases to date.

Here's a walkthrough gallery of screenshots from the Beta 2 build of Windows Home Server.

Start me up: the Windows Home Server splash screen takes its cues from Vista, even if the OS is 95% Windows Server 2003Start me up: the Windows Home Server splash screen takes its cues from Vista, even if the OS is 95% Windows Server 2003

Microsoft's intent is that few customers will actually need to install Windows Home Server. The target audience of families and everyday PC users, rather than enthusiasts, will buy home servers pre-loaded with the OS. HP is already onboard, with Acer and Dell rumoured to be next to sign up.

The splash screen when you first boot your shiny new home server, like the rest of Windows Home Server's end-user features, sports a decidedly 'Vista' look. The admin desktop retains the solid and stolid look of Windows Server, which forms the foundation of Windows Home Server code (it's mostly Windows Server 2003, with a bit of Small Business Server and the forthcoming 'Longhorn' Server 2008 thrown in).

However, following the groundswell of interest from the PC community in Windows Home Server, every sign we're getting from the Windows Home Server team is that Microsoft will offer the OS as a stand-alone purchase so that tech-savvy users can build their own box, or turn an aging desktop or even an out-of-date 'doorstop' system into a home server.

Self-service: at the end of the setup routine, Windows Home Server checks for recent updatesSelf-service: at the end of the setup routine, Windows Home Server checks for recent updates

We skipped a few screens where you enter the mandatory product key, name your server, apply the default security settings (similar to the options in Windows XP SP2) and activate or disable automatic error-reporting. This is the last screen in the setup routine: Windows Home Server jumps online to fetch any updates issued since the code was loaded onto your home server hardware.

Open sesame: the lush Vistariffic logon screen of Windows Home ServerOpen sesame: the lush Vistariffic logon screen of Windows Home Server

 

Next: logging on to Windows Home Server

 

Skip to:

Page 1: Introduction

Page 2: Logging on

Page 3: Managing users

Page 4: Administering your Windows Home Server remotely

Page 5: Backing up to WHS

Page 6: Adding hard drives to the pool using WHS' raid-like features

Page 7: System requirements and how Microsoft's luring in the community

Page 8: The inbuilt web-server: your data-centre in the cupboard


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tin:

Does it do more than filesharing? I would have expected (in addition to filesharing) at least:
Domain logons with some GP settings
Basic caching/filtering proxy
Time server

And to make it more sensible:
DHCP
DNS
Routing/NAT

On the up side... I imagine the antivirus companies will be planning plugins to help keep antivirus software up to date.

29 February 2008, 8:30 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

David Flynn:

Out of the box it's got file sharing, printer sharing (via USB port on the server), admin/client backup and remote Web access (including remote control of a server-connected client). Anything else will be added via third-party software by system builders (eg HP has an app which created an online password-protected photo gallery) or developers, at least until Microsoft releases Home Server 2 (or Home Server 2009 or whatever). It's very scaled-back because Microsoft sees this as a very simple consumer device aimed at the average home user, not the  more serious server-type needs of an advanced user or techie. They've made a big point about it not including even doing email, although some would suggest this is to keep it positioned well below Small Business Server... 


29 February 2008, 8:41 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

raindog:

The password protected printer and file sharing can be done from any work-group PC as can shared web access.

What differentiates WHS other than some web server for dummies functionality?

Omission of any mail box functionality is a glaring omission, while the home user will probably never want the flexibility or complexity of exchange, a cut down version offering on the fly redirection, spam filtering etc would have been a real boon. Something like ClamAV becomes a real plus point for Linux servers in the home environment.

For any other tasks it appears WHS has a too great reliance on Windows live to fill in the blanks. The cynic in me sees this as something Microsoft has recognised as another regular revenue stream.

29 February 2008, 8:41 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

timbucktoo:

every day it backs up all the home computers on your network automatically and duplicates all user files contained on the server. this is Home Server's BIG feature since mant home users don't understand the importance of "backing up" until it's too late.

29 February 2008, 8:41 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

raindog:

Looks like Microsoft has just realised what the likes of SME_Server and Clark connect can do even the likes of smoothwall. Those product have been filling the space WHS hopes to occupy and they have beeen doing it better on lesser hardware for years.
There is a need in the occasional home and more importantly in the SOHO office for small multi function servers that microsoft has never had an answer for. MS SBS was alway an overpriced joke.

How will WHS cope with the domain logins in the home situation when all those crippled home basic versions they have pushed onto the budget end of the consumer market, try to connect?

I guess its just another situation where they hope we will all be expected to "just add money". No chance!


29 February 2008, 8:30 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

beta user:

I guarantee this will be huge and will be far bigger than anything you've mentioned. This is exactly what I need and as a beta tester, it makes it way easier to do in a familiar environment that I'm used to, unlike linux solutions which have no visibility and will not be used by most people.



29 February 2008, 8:41 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

raindog:

I guarantee this will be huge and will be far bigger than anything you've mentioned

Bigger in what way exactly? market penetration? Resource requirements? Setup and configuration time?

it makes it way easier to do in a familiar environment that I'm used to
Yes that will be a plus for some uses, though I doubt many who had got to the point of contemplating a home server would have never ventured further than a windows interface. Anyone who has set up a mode/router has more than likely used a Linux interface to do it.

unlike Linux solutions which have no visibility
Isn't one of the requirements of a good server OS for it to be virtually invisible? Or are you again speaking of Microsoft's likelihood to to mass publicise this new flavour of the month?

By all means select what suits you but in this arena ignored for many years by Microsoft, Linux has maturity and years of expertise.
Many of the Linux solutions are feature rich, one disk, out of the box solutions with a friendly web interface. The Nix boxes wont require subscription services to fill in all the blanks, and will offer levels of home security Windows could only dream of.


29 February 2008, 8:42 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Anonymous@gmail.com:

ummm, and what do you do with it when it breaks?

29 February 2008, 8:32 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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