As momentum grows around its new Windows Home Server line, which is due for release towards the end of this year, Microsoft is looking to keep the love flowing with its hardware partners, software developers and end users alike.
Joel Sider, Senior Program Manager for Windows Home Server, told APC that the company intends to release a software development kit for the platform early next month.
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Member since:2007-02-22
That's assuming you only have the needs of one person. Increasingly, homes are having multiple PCs -- sometimes even one PC per person. Add into that other devices that, wired or wirelessly, use networks (most gaming systems nowadays, f'rex) and you can see why Microsoft thinks there can be a market for newbie-friendly servers geared towards the home market.
Member since:2005-07-06
"With ethernet every device can be connected to the router and work with every desktop or notebook in a home network."
That creates more of a P2P type network though with no central storage location, and no one point of administration. That's what WHS aims to solve. And before you say "well just pick one machine to use in the server role" bear in mind that most people are clueless when it comes to actually setting up that type of functionality. For example, no one in my family knows how to create a file share, or assign permissions to it. They dno't know how to create backup sets. Etc.
Member since:2007-03-23
The coolest part of this software is the automated backup software. You can set it up to wake up the other machines on your network through WOL and do backups. The backed-up files are consolidated: meaning that even though I've got four XP machines in my house, the common files are only stored once in order to cut down on disk space.
Sure there are other solutions like this, but this is really easy to setup and administer.
Member since:
2006-08-08
I get the impression MS is trying to create a market where there is none.
Most home users are just getting used to wireless at home.
This said they buy a wireless router/firewall which comes with Ethernet connections and connect it with their notebooks (wireless).
Need a file server ?
There are nice storage devices with Ethernet, just connect it to the router.
Need a scanner ?
Create scanners with a ethernet connection and connect it to the router.
Need a printer ?
Hook up a printer with a ethernet connection and connect it to the router.
Finally create easy to use software (drivers) to connect them easily to any computer running Windows, Linux, OSX etc.
Done.
Normally people that use computers at home use it for their e-mail, images etc. and are not computer geeks.
They have already enough to do to keep Windows XP Home up and running, they don't need another device with Windows on it (or any other OS).
IMO there is no need for a home server at all.
With ethernet every device can be connected to the router and work with every desktop or notebook in a home network.
Edited 2007-03-30 17:41