Microsoft Readies Windows Home Server with RC1

Microsoft is entering the homestretch in the development of its Windows Home Server software announcing Tuesday the release of a near complete version of the program. The WHS software is the operating system slated to be used by Hewlett-Packard's MediaSmart Server and others home storage devices expected to be sold by Gateway, LaCie, and Medion as soon as this fall.

Microsoft says this release candidate of the WHS fixes bugs, boosts remote access capabilities, and focuses on improvements with the ease-of-use setup process for WHS hardware. The arrival of WHS RC1, as it is called, keeps vendors such as HP on time for shipping hardware based on the OS in September as planned.

Consumer Friendly Network Attached Storage

The WHS software is Microsoft's attempt to improve PC maintenance and streamline digital-media sharing and data protection. Hardware such as HP's MediaSmart Server will offer centralized storage for up to 10 PCs, automated PC backups of multiple PCs on a network, and photo, music, and video sharing both from within and outside a home's network.

(This image shows how WHS allows for scheduled backups of PCs)

Todd Headrick, product planner on the Windows Home Server team at Microsoft, said some 100,000 people have signed up to be part of Microsoft's beta program of WHS. Many of those willing beta testers have had to be turned away, Headrick says, because of the limited size of the early beta programs. However, starting Tuesday WHS RC1 code will be made available here to a much larger test group.

What's New in RC1?

"We've made setting up the server as easy as answering seven questions," Headrick says. Also new to RC1 is software that attempts to configure UPnP 2.0-based home routers automatically. This is an important step making it easy for average PC owners to skip often complicated tinkering with router configuration settings to permit remote access to the WHS hardware. Microsoft says this feature, at launch, should be supported by "leading" router manufacturers, but declined to say what companies.

With RC1 WHS Microsoft now lets you provide a unique name for your WHS making it easier to connect to remotely by assigning a common name to your server. Personalize the domain name you would use to access your server remotely. By visiting Windows Live Custom Domains you can register a domain name that allows you to access your home server from a domain such as YourName.homeserver.com. Microsoft says this service will be free.

(This shows WHS’s remote access Web page)

Testing Hardware Requirements

Beta testers have not been using WHS hardware in appliance form. Rather since WHS is still being finalized the RC1 testing has been on standard desktop PCs. That said, anyone interested in installing the RC1 WHS software on desktop PC sign up with Microsoft to apply to be part of the testing group for RC1. PC system requirements are a system with at least a 1-GHz, Pentium III-class processor, 512MB RAM, 80GB hard drive, and a network interface card.

Third Party Applications

One thing beta and RC1 WHS testers will not be able to test some of the third-party applications built for WHS. HP, for example, is showing off software applications for its MediaSmart Server. One of those applications called Photo Webshare allows you to configure your MediaSmart Server to share photos hosted on your server.

(This is the HP MediaSmart Server Control Center)

Using PhotoWebshare you can give specific visitors permission to add
their own photos for sharing. Visitors can download full resolution photos or be linked to Snapfish for photo printing.