Today Microsoft announced Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials – also known as Breckenridge – and it shares common features with both Windows Home Server Vail and Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials.
Here is what Microsoft posted on their TechNet blog:
Building on the Windows Small Business Server 2011 announcements and adding to that exciting momentum – today on the Storage Server blog, Microsoft announced a new edition targeted at small business, Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials. Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials is part of the Windows Storage Server family of network attached storage appliances. It shares common features and usability with both Windows Home Server code name “Vail” and Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and is optimized for:
- Server and PC backup, including file, folder and image based restore
- Centralized storage for file data and easier sharing
- Console driven administration for easier management
- Access to your data from virtually anywhere through Remote Web Access
- Network health monitoring for both Windows and Mac PC’s
- Active Directory Domain join
With support for up to 25 users, Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials is an appliance form-factor with preconfigured hardware and software – vastly simplifying the deployment and management tasks normally associated with a new file server or additional servers for storage. Plus, Active Directory join capability enables Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials to easily integrate into existing infrastructure and networks.
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Administration Console
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Domain Join Wizard
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials User Administration
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials is targeted at very small businesses such as home offices which are looking for an affordable entry server without line of business support. Further to this, it can also be used as an additional storage server for organizations with existing servers. We likewise anticipate Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials to be a viable solution to assist many current SBS 2008 and new SBS 2011 Standard customers with automated PC backup and further storage options. Upon release it will be available through many OEM vendors who will offer multiple form factors, and is expected in H1 2011.
To learn more about Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, visit the Official Storage Server Blog.
Thanks
Michael Leworthy
Senior Product Manager
Windows Server Marketing
So, another new product from Microsoft based on the same code as Windows Home Server. This is great news. Expect more soon.
Why is it called Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials and not 2011 like the other Server editions ?
The best about it, is available on TechNet Subscriber Downloads!! grab your copy !!
Sorry Ariel, Technet has Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 but not Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, I believe this is only a MSDN download. I would love to get my hands on it as well.
You should have mentioned the limits on the number of hard drives usable by this version.
A limit of 6 internal HDs (per the data sheet) seems odd for a product like this.
The product is targetted at small businesses – I dont see them needing more than 6 INTERNAL drives. If they need more than that they should be looking at something like Small Business Server 2011 Essentials or adding external drives.