Windows Home Server is ready
Microsoft's latest operating system offshoot for the whole family is ready: In his blog Charlie Kindel, the head of the project, has celebrated the Windows home server's change in status from Release candidate to RTM (Release To Manufacturing). "We have finalized the software and [are] now handing it off to our OEM partners. The evaluation version (with 120 day evaluation period) and the system builder version are also heading into the distribution channels and will be available in the next couple of months. French, German and Spanish versions will be finalized shortly, and OEM products will hit retail shelves this fall," Mr. Kindel writes. Microsoft does not mention a price.
The foundation of Windows Home Server is Windows Server 2003 minus the Exchange mail server). It is designed for families with several PCs who want to link their computers, printer(s) and other peripheral devices so as to use and store data jointly with the help of the allocations made by the server -- ease of use, system extendability and safety in the form of redundant storage and backups included.
Although Windows Home Server will exist as a stand-alone version, Microsoft thinks of it as more of a platform, i.e. a system made up of hard- and software, then as software only. Speaking of hardware, Hewlett-Packard has already presented its MediaSmart Server at the WinHEC event. It stands to reason that Fujitsu-Siemens and Medion will also follow suit with their own preconfigured Windows Home Server boxes. (Robert W. Smith) /
