Windows Home Server Beta...

[Guest Rob.P]

Just thought I'd ask around about this, got a MS Technet newsletter this morning with a link to an invite on the Microsoft Connect Site.

Apparently MS are developing a server edition especially for the home users, basic requirements are that you have at least 2 PC's, router, broadband and a PC to use as the server (although you could always sign up for the Virtual PC Beta while your there then you don't need a seperate PC ;) ). This is something I have been hoping MS would address for awhile, I have no idea what's in the package as I've only just signed up and not been enrolled yet.

Has anyone else been testing this? Anyone got anymore info on it?

I'm hoping it will provide some sort of user logon for a family environment, maybe a mini exchange of some sort, definately should have some sort of Media Centre hub-ness about it. Mind you that's me speculating.

Paul - Your a good font of knowledge about these sort of things, do you have an ideas what it'll do?

Edited February 22, 2007 by Rob.P

[Guest Swampie]

Just thought I'd ask around about this, got a MS Technet newsletter this morning with a link to an invite on the Microsoft Connect Site.

Apparently MS are developing a server edition especially for the home users, basic requirements are that you have at least 2 PC's, router, broadband and a PC to use as the server (although you could always sign up for the Virtual PC Beta while your there then you don't need a seperate PC ;) ). This is something I have been hoping MS would address for awhile, I have no idea what's in the package as I've only just signed up and not been enrolled yet.

Has anyone else been testing this? Anyone got anymore info on it?

I'm hoping it will provide some sort of user logon for a family environment, maybe a mini exchange of some sort, definately should have some sort of Media Centre hub-ness about it. Mind you that's me speculating.

Paul - Your a good font of knowledge about these sort of things, do you have an ideas what it'll do?

Currently it's been run as an internal Microsoft trial, but as you say, they're opening it up and now asking for some external beta testers to help test it. If you weren't aware, they've had over 25,000 requests over over 111 different countries in just 7 days. Apparently, at one point, they were getting a new request every 7 seconds. It'll take time to process each of these, and I understand they're being quite selective, looking for particular combinations of things. I've not heard anything since I signed up last week, and I met all their requirements, so I'm not holding my breath.

If you want some more information about it - go to http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/

Specifically, it's a headless (ie. you cannot put a monitor/keyboard/mouse onto it) server. Available as software, but mainly as a box and software. It's designed for dummies. There are no drive letters, just a single blob of storage space. Add more drives, get more space. Pretty much it's designed for backup, and media storage. That's the limited summary I came up with.

Hope that helps

D

Edited February 22, 2007 by Swampie

[Guest Rob.P]

Thanks for that Swampie, doesn't sound as exciting as I thought it could be ;)

Still it could prove useful I suppose, be good to load Nero Media Home on and such like.

[Guest Swampie]

Well, this morning I checked my email to find:

"Greetings from the Windows Home Server Team

You have been approved to be in the Windows Home Server Beta program.

To accept this invitation and apply to become a member of this program, please follow these steps:"

Just have to find out now whether it's actually any good!

D

[Guest pisquee]

For anyone interested, for the server machine you'll need the following specs on the spare machine you want to run as a server ... "512+ MB RAM, 80+ GB hard disk space, 1+ Ghz Processor and can boot from a DVD drive"

[Guest Rob.P]

I got my invitation this morning, so that'll be something to play with over the next few days.

Anyone tried this with VMware? Just wondering really, as I did promise the wife I would get rid of a PC and I have space on my 2003 server.