Windows 7: Rumor: Beta of "Vail" and "Aurora" to be available next week

ZDNet is reporting that codename "Vail" and "Aurora" may be available for beta testers next week. Vail and Aurora are low end versions of Microsofts Windows Server range of products, with Vail being the codename for the next version on Windows Home Server, based on Windows 7. Aurora is a new product, targeted at small businesses to bridge the gap between the more expensive Windows Server range.

Earlier this year the CTP (Community Technology Preview) of Vail was leaked online, and shortly after Microsoft made available a public beta of Vail, but Aurora is a new product which is yet to be seen. ZDNet reports that at Microsoft's TechEd conference in June, Microsoft Server and Tools President Bob Muglia said that Aurora is intended as a "small business appliance", and that it will actually include Active Directory functionality, though the extent of this is unknown yet.