Windows Home Server 2011 Release Candidate now available

[JMH]

Windows Home Server code name "Vail"

Windows Home Server is part of a long-term vision by Microsoft to create a new platform for the home. Windows Home Server helps families and home-based businesses with multiple computers to organize, share, and automatically back up photos, videos, music, and other important documents. With over 130,000 registered Microsoft Connect users, there is a strong and vibrant community of enthusiasts helping to improve Windows Home Server software.
Windows Home Server code name "Vail" is the version 2 release of Windows Home Server, now based on Windows Server ® 2008 R2. There are some exciting new features that you can try out if you choose to join the Windows Home Server Connect program such as:

• Extending media streaming outside the home or office
• Improvements in multi-PC backup and restore
• Simplified setup and user experience
• Significantly expanded development and customization tools for partners
• Much, much more!

https://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer

YouTube - WHS 2011 Server and Folder Backups.mp4

Windows Home Server Code Name "Vail" Beta Forum

 

[pparks1]

Thanks bobtran, I've been out of the game for a while. got a little rusty, i admit. It appears my current hunk-o-junk may require a few upgrades to utilize this effectively. I'd splurge on some ram to have a home server. -cheers.

Servers generally don't need lots of RAM. Instead, they need lots of disk space. And the faster the disk, usually the better.

 

[z3r010]

 

[bagavan]

I will wait for the final one..

 

[DeaconFrost]

So far so good. I'm impressed with it...if I block out the fact DE has been removed.

 

[bobtran]

So far so good. I'm impressed with it...if I block out the fact DE has been removed.

And folder duplication which was important to me despite other opinions about that particular function or a way to migrate existing data (not the os) to a raid setup without having to build a whole new box including new drives.

If I were to run v2 I'm sure that the limited functions remaining would be ok for me also.....I just can't get past the lack of support for the existing user base which is what is missing from the newest version......start over or forget this product is a poor level of customer service/support in my opinion and shows an unbelievable and even unacceptable level of contempt that Microsoft is showing to the non corporate consumer.

 

[jimbo45]

Without drive extender and the fact that HP got out of the Media Smart home server market...I'm not sure how successful this product will be. I was looking forward to it...then they said drive extender and data duplication was going away and it lost all of it's appeal. The good news is that with LVM under Linux, I can more or less do essentially the same thing as drive extender with a few commands .

Hi there

Absolutely true for Linux systems using LVM.

I can't see that MS has a winner with this one.

OK not everybody knows Linux but if you have enough IT knowlege to EVEN think about installing and running servers then these days its not too difficult since pretty well any decent Linux distro these days installs perfectly straight out of the box (and with a Windows like GUI too if that's what you want).

I really can't see the point of Windows Home server -- I'm still working with W2003 Server but as pparks1 has said a Liinux server works just fine for the deleted / missing feature of the VAIL release and I will eventually change my W2003 server-- I like SUSE but there are loads of other reliable distros too -- all available FREE as well.

I'd suggest before trying (and getting frustrated) with Windows home server bring up a Linux SERVER as a Virtual machine and play around with it.

No probs whatsoever in managing Windows Clients either. OK running a server as a VM will have possibly some perfomance issues but its great for testing.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[pparks1]

I really can't see the point of Windows Home server

It's for people with no IT experience whatsoever, but they have a few computers in the house and want to share files between them EASILY. With Windows Home Server, a simple purchase of a box for $400-$500 from HP got them a chassis where a simple "home user" could hot add up to 3 more drives, grow a storage pool with no know-how, would get their workstation machines "easily" backed up (automagically) with bare metal restore capabilities, and could duplicate data with a click of a button to protect against hard drive failure.

It's a real great product for the "average" home user. It's revolutionary, like the home router because. Sure, you can run a box with 2 NIC's and IP Masquerading and IT people did it all the time, or your neighbor Bob can pick up a Linksys at Best Buy, plug it in, turn everything on and it simply works.

-- I'm still working with W2003 Server but as pparks1 has said a Liinux server works just fine for the deleted / missing feature of the VAIL release and I will eventually change my W2003 server-- I like SUSE but there are loads of other reliable distros too -- all available FREE as well.

I'd suggest before trying (and getting frustrated) with Windows home server bring up a Linux SERVER as a Virtual machine and play around with it.

Even as a Linux nut myself, the beauty of Windows Home Server was the sheer simplicity. I considered actually buying one myself to get a nice, small, power sipping box with hot swap capability that would auto magically back up my other machines.

As it stands now, I would resort back to using Linux, with LVM (I've got a guide written for setting up a box using CentOS for anybody interested, just PM me). It's not as straight forward for a total noob...but we don't have many of them around here.