What is Windows Home Server?

Tranquil Still Committed to Windows Home Server Now More Than Ever

Andrew Edney

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Dec 1, 2010

With the shock news last week about the removal of Drive Extender from Windows Home Server Vail and now the news today that HP are out of the Windows Home Server market, people are wondering who might be next to leave – I spoke to Tranquil and they are committed now more than ever to Windows Home Server.

Tranquil are based in the UK and have released a number of Windows Home Servers, including the SQA-5H, the SAFE Server module, and various add-ins, including Home Server Sync, and RipNet.

Given that a company the size of HP are no longer in the Windows Home Server market, the question is how many of the existing Windows Home Server manufacturers are still interested.

Given that Tranquil made a statement last week about continuing to support Windows Home Server, despite the Drive Extender announcement, I thought I would speak to them first now that the HP news was out.

This is what they told me:

After recent news from Microsoft, Tranquil PC wish to assure all of our new and existing clients, that the company will continue to manufacture, supply and support all derivatives of the popular Windows Home Server products

Tranquil PC were the first company back in September 2007 to deliver a Windows Home Server appliance. Over the last few years Tranquil PC has built up an enviable reputation and the widest choice of Home Servers, from the smallest Home Server on the market – the original T7-HSA, the rack / wall mounting twin drive T2 and the multi-drive SQA-5H family. The SQA-5H series delivers outstanding value from the hand built five drive servers – including the SuperStor and Safe versions.

The range is now comprehensive and enviable.

Since the Sept 2007 launch the market has seen alternative Home Servers come and go, Microsoft have launched numerous updates and enhancements, and users throughout the world have come to not only benefit from, but rely on the neat and tidy solution that is Windows Home Server.

Over the last few weeks we have heard concerns over ‘Vail’ or Windows Home Server V2. Microsoft have said they will not include Drive Extender (DE) and that the delivery date will be H1, meaning anytime in the first half of 2011. Of course Tranquil PC will entirely support Vail with an appropriate DE replacement, as required.

We have also recently heard news that due to HP’s recent acquisition of Palm, they are reassigning efforts on other initiatives supporting WebOS , and as a consequence will no longer be supplying Home Server products.

Is this the end of Home Server? Not in the slightest. “It’s a new beginning, an exciting future awaits us” says D J Thompson, Managing Director of Tranquil PC “there is a huge following for Home Server, and the V1 product does just what it says on the tin, which is to deliver an outstandingly simple, reliable and effective solution for home and small business PC user alike. There are other solutions that can provide single elements of Home Server, but there is nothing that delivers the whole package, and there is unlikely to be so in the near future. We are entirely committed to the future of Windows Home Server V1, V2 and beyond. We will also ensure that there is a suitable transition path from V1 to V2 for our existing and new clients.

Tranquil are pledging to not only take care of existing customers, but to ensure that our current successful range of Home Server range continues for the foreseeable future, and that investment will continued to be made into the future of V1 and whatever follows, whenever that may be.

So, there you have it. Tranquil at least are still in the game, and hope to be for the long term.

And we have teamed up with Tranquil to offer our UWHS readers a special deal, more on that here.

HP Out of the Windows Home Server Market

Andrew Edney

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Dec 1, 2010

17

In yet another surprising turn of events, in a week full of surprises, HP are out of the Windows Home Server market, effective immediately.

This news comes a week after the shock news about the removal of Drive Extender from Windows Home Server Code Name Vail.

So what does this mean?

Well, HP told me that they have moved their entire MediaSmart division over to work on WebOS. This means that there will not be any more MediaSmart Servers.

This also means that there will not be any more software updates to the existing MediaSmart Server range.

And HP have no plans at all to support Windows Home Server Code Name Vail, so if you have a MediaSemart Server and you were waiting for HP to provide assistance in updating to Vail when it is released, you are on your own.

Looking back, the writing has been on the wall for a while.

Recently people have said that they couldn’t get the Version 3.0 software update because HP said it was discontinued.

There have been a lot of really good deals on HP MediaSmarts recently – although it has been Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but these deals are still going.

HP recently did a deal with Drobo to start selling their products on Drobo’s behalf and even trained up 200 people to do it.

Do I think that this has anything to do with the removal of DE? Honestly, I don’t. Certainly here in the UK and Europe, HP haven’t really had the product to ship and so I assume it just hasn’t been a money maker for them. That is probably the main reason, and they want the team working on something else.

Do I think that you should still consider buying a MediaSmart Server? Yes, I do. They are great boxes and now they are going to be cheaper than ever before, so there are some real bargains to be had.

I wonder if this news will force other OEM’s out of the market as well? After all, HP was Microsoft’s initial, and biggest partner when it came to Windows Home Server.

So what do you think of the news?

Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report on the Removal of Drive Extender from Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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Nov 30, 2010

2

Last week saw the announcement from Microsoft about the removal of Drive Extender from Windows Home Server Code Name Vail. Ed Bott from ZDNet interviewed Michael Leworthy after the announcement and Ed doesn’t hold back.

I think anyone who read Microsoft’s announcement agrees that it was pretty poor and didn’t make a lot of sense. The fact that the community is up in arms about the decision and what was said proves that.

Here is how Ed starts off his article, and I think you will agree he isn’t holding back:

If you want your customers to trust you, don’t lie to them.

That sounds like common sense, the kind of stuff you should learn in the first semester of business school, but apparently someone up in Redmond skipped that lecture. And boy, are they paying for it now.

Ed goes on to talk about his conversation with Michael Leworthy and to be honest it isn’t pretty!

If you want another take on the whole Drive Extender removal issue, read the rest of Ed’s article.

My Channel Logos Plugin for Windows Media Center Brings Pretty Channel Logos

Andrew Edney

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Nov 30, 2010

6

Anyone who has used the Guide in Windows Media Center knows that the list of channels isn’t exciting! But wait, there is a plugin called My Channel Logos that adds very pretty logos for you.

Here is how the developer describes it:

For those of you who have been waiting (and waiting and waiting) to insert channel logos into the Windows Media Center guide, the wait is finally over. Now available is an application that pulls up your channel listings, and automatically adds logos for those listings. In just a minute, I went from a guide with all text to a guide with over 350 beautiful logos.

You can download it from here – and please remember to click on the Donation button to show your gratitude – it’s only $3.

This only works with Windows 7 Media Center – and you can choose between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Installing the plugin was very simple – and then all I had to do was run it so that it would pull down all the logos for me.

I then chose to Auto-populate the logos (you can of course do them manually if you so wish).

Now firing up Windows Media Center and accessing the guide displays the the lovely logos:

This is a fantastic plugin and it is simple to install and configure – frankly it is a must have!

And well worth the $3!

Thanks to the Tenniswood blog for the pointer! Now if we can just get James his Freeview HD card quickly!

Windows Home Server Inside Out Book Cancelled

Andrew Edney

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Nov 30, 2010

21

It is with some regret that I have to announce that my forthcoming book, Windows Home Server Inside Out by MS Press has been cancelled.

Following the news last week that Microsoft have removed Drive Extender from Windows Home Server Code Name Vail, and seeing the large amount of comments on UWHS, and all the other sites, MS Press really had no other choice than to cancel the book.

I don’t blame them at all for this decision – after all, any other author will tell you, there really isn’t much money these days in print books and if the general feeling out there is that people won’t or even may not use Vail, then there certainly won’t be much of a need for a book!

Hopefully Windows Home Server Inside Out might see the light of day at some later date.

Thankfully though my Small Business Server 2011 Essentials Book is still being released.

Plantronics Gamecom 777 Headset Giveaway Results

Andrew Edney

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Nov 30, 2010

3

Last week we reviewed the Plantronics Gamecom 777 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound headset – then we said we were giving it away to one of you lucky readers! Now it’s time for the result.

Here is how Plantronics describe the 777:

This open-eared headset with 7.1 Dolby® Headphone technology gives you an unparalleled audio advantage that lets you hear your opponents before you see them. Connect with the Dolby USB sound card for a true 7.1 experience. But if needed, an analogue connection is also provided. Stay comfortable with a lightweight frame and specially designed ear pods that redistribute pressure. When you’re ready to fire off orders, unveil the hidden, noisecancelling mic boom to strategize clearly with team members. Responses coming in? Adjust audio levels using in-line volume and mic-mute controls.

• Dolby headphone technology delivers a virtual 7-channel audio experience
• Dolby USB sound card is the only way to get the 7.1 experience
• Open-ear design keeps you connected to the game and your surroundings
• Concealed mic boom stays hidden until you’re ready to use it
• Specially designed earpods redistribute pressure for maximum comfort
• In-line volume and mic-mute controls allow for easy audio adjustment
• Noise-cancelling microphone lets you communicate clearly
• Rugged, military-grade design and extra-strength cables make your hardware hardcore

Due to a huge response, we have managed to get a 2nd pair to giveaway.

So here is the result….

Mahmoud from Tunisia

Lee Archer from the UK

Congratulations, the headsets will be winging their way to you shortly.

Keep watching for more UWHS giveaways soon.

CloudBerry Backup Add-In for Windows Home Server Vail Beta Released

Andrew Edney

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Nov 29, 2010

3

The guys over at CloudBerry Labs have been in touch to let us know that their CloudBerry Backup Add-in for Windows Home Server has been released in beta for Windows Home Server Code Name Vail.

Here is what they told us:

It comes with exactly the same feature set as the previous version of CloudBerry Backup add-in:

* Easy installation and configuration
* Seemlesly integrates with WHS control panel
* Default backup plan is designed to quickly start WHS data backup
* Scheduling capabilities
* Data encryption
* Data retention schedule
* Secure online storage
* Data versioning
* Differential backup
* The ability to restore to a particular date
* Backup verification
* Backup Window
* Automatically delete files from online storage if the were deleted locally
* Backup to Multiple S3 accounts/buckets

Here is a direct download link

All existing customers will be able to upgrade their existing add-ins for free.

We are also going to make an add-in for the next version of Windows Small Business Server code name Aurora which is based on the same WHS technology.

Unboxing the LaCie 5big Storage Server

Andrew Edney

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Nov 29, 2010

4

LaCie have a file-sharing server designed for the small to medium size business – its called the 5big Storage Server and here is our unboxing.

Here is how LaCie describe the 5big Storage Server:

Professional File-Sharing Appliance for Small and Medium Businesses

Up to 10TB file sharing and iSCSI appliance for SMB and branch offices

Powered by Dual Core hyper-threaded 1.6GHz Intel^® Atom^™ processor

Compatible with Windows, Mac^®, and Linux

RAID protection, data deduplication, file remote replication, built-in back up engine

Full support for Mac including AFP, Time Machine^®, and Spotlight^®

The 5big Storage Server is a professional desktop file-sharing server for small to medium- sized office environments. It is designed to manage demanding file-sharing activities for 25 to 100 PC, Mac, or Linux workstations, even though it can manage more. The 5big Storage Server also offers seamless, transparent integration into any SMB IT infrastructure thanks to Active Directory support.

For a full range of accessibility, the 5big Storage Server supports major network protocols such as SMB, AFP, NFS, and iSCSI. Additionally, HTTP and FTP accessibility means that your data can be accessed from anywhere, and iSCSI support allows you to mount the 5big Storage Server’s shares as a local disk, bringing performance and flexibility for your business applications. You can also use the 5big Storage Server as a backup target for your PCs, Linux workstations, and even Macs since it is Time Machine compatible.

Powered by Microsoft Storage Server 2008 Standard Edition, it supports DFS-N, which aggregates shared folders from multiple servers, creating a single entry point to your data and simplifying network complexity. In addition, by automatically replicating data from one file server to several others, DFS-R makes 5big Storage Server the ideal solution for branch offices. It also supports Microsoft’s Bitlocker^® encryption to protect your data against theft. Additionally, you can take advantage of its dual Gigabit Ethernet ports to do link aggregation.

Thanks to its five RAID-protected disks, the 5big Storage Server offers up to a huge 10TB of internal capacity, and stored data are accessible even if one disk fails. Additionally, simply connect external hard drives through USB and eSATA connections to scale up capacity or use the integrated backup engine to protect the server’s data. The 5big Storage Server also features data deduplication to limit the ever-rocketing quantity of unstructured data generated by a high number of users. Despite its high performance, it includes an ultra-quiet Noctua fan, allowing you to place the product wherever you choose – including on a desktop.

Specifications

The model we have for review is the 5TB version, there is also a 10TB version.

What’s In The Box?

Along with the 5big Storage Server itself, which comes in a very fetching black cloth bag, you also get the usual assortment of cables, a power supply, software and manual.

The front of the server has a blue button / eye that is very striking where as the back of the server has the 5 drive bays and the various ports.

A closer look at the ports reveals 2 LAN ports, multiple USB ports and an eSata port.

Watch out for the UWHS hands-on review shortly, but in the mean time you can learn more about the 5big Storage Server on the LaCie Website.

9 Alternatives for Windows Home Server’s Drive Extender from the How To Geek

Andrew Edney

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Nov 29, 2010

6

Last week saw the news that Microsoft was removing Drive Extender from the next version of Windows Home Server, and since then the community has been up in arms! The How-To Geek has posted an article on 9 alternatives to DE.

Here is how the article starts:

Now that Microsoft has officially killed off the best part about Windows Home Server what can you do? Here are some alternatives for drive extender that you can use if you want to build a WHS of your own.

To read the full article, and it is worth a read, click here.

Have you tried any of these? Let us know what you think…..

Christmas Shopping from the Using Windows Home Server Store

News

Andrew Edney

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Nov 29, 2010

3

With December nearly upon us, why not do you Christmas shopping online rather than fighting your way through the crowds. Check out the UWHS Store for all your computing and electronic gifts.

Just click on the UWHS Store link at the top of the screen and choose between the US Store and UK Store, then shop away to your hearts content.

Windows Live Mesh 2011 now with Remote Desktop – Video Edition

Timothy Daleo

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Nov 28, 2010

12

Windows Live Mesh 2011 now with Remote Desktop – Video Edition

Did you know that you can use Remote Access on Windows 7 Home Premium PCs through Windows Live Mesh 2011? Yes, you can now use Live Mesh for Remote Access! Read on to find out more about Live Mesh 2011 and see a short video!

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Download Windows Live Mesh 2011

To download Live Mesh (if your Windows machine did not already get the update) just go to:

http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mesh?os=other

You do need a Windows Live ID but you probably already have a Windows Live ID anyway!

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Connect Remotely via the Desktop Application

Your PC probably already has Live Mesh 2011 on it already. Find it in the Windows Live folder..

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Connect Remotely via the Browser

At a friends house and they do not have Live Mesh 2011 on that PC? Not a problem. Just use a browser and a fast internet connection and you can connect remotely.

To access Windows Live Mesh 2011 Remote Access from another PC go to:

https://devices.live.com/

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Live Mesh 2011 Remote Access Video

Check out this short video!

Windows Live Mesh 2011 now with Remote Desktop

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Download Windows Live Mesh 2011 today!

Timothy Daleo

Using Windows Home Server Facebook Page

Andrew Edney

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Nov 28, 2010

5

Here at UWHS, we figured it was about time that we had a Facebook page, so we have gone and set one up.

So if you are on Facebook, why not pop over to the UWHS page and “Like” it? You can also click on the Facebook link at the top of the screen.

BYOB Episode 23 Out Now

Reviews
Tech

Andrew Edney

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Nov 28, 2010

3

The guys over at the BYOB podcast, including our very own Tim Daleo, have just released episode 23.

Here is what’s happening on this weeks show:

Big show this week on BYOB. Some new tech in the News. Mike and Michael talk about the Samsung Galaxy TAB. Michael talks about his Watercooled i7 rebuild. Tim Conquers the UEFI install. Having monitor envy? Looking for a multiple monitor setup? We have some suggestions to get you going in multi desktop glory. Again thanks to all that participated in our first live show. We appreciate the support.

News

nVidia releases the GTX460 SE edition video card

OCZ Vertex Plus is announced

Hands On: Samsung GalaxyTAB

Mike and Michael talk about their impressions for Samsung’s Android based tablet

Project: Black & Blue

Michael revamps his primary rig with some new components and a full water cooling system.

How To: UEFI Installation Video

Tim shows you how to load your O/S onto a bootable UEFI install with a 3TB GPT partitioned Drive

Multi Monitor Madness

Low end PCI cards

Dual DVI PCIe Offerings

Multimedia Options HDMI with HD audio pass-thru

Multi Screen Gaming Options (eyefinity)

BYOB Q&A

We had our first live Q&A and want to thank all that participated. We will have it available for download later this week. Please submit questions to us for our December Show via email byob@homeserveshow.com. Please feel free to comment about it in the forums

And as usual you can listen to the show here.

Six Minute and Six Second Installation of Windows Media Center Connector – Video Edition

Timothy Daleo

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Nov 27, 2010

5

Do you record TV through Windows Media Center? Did you know that you can have Windows Home Server move the recorded shows to your WHS automatically? Did you also know that the Windows Media Center Connector will also make a smaller copy of that show for your portable device? Check out our short video on the Windows Media Center Connector.

Windows Media Center Connector

The Windows Media Center Connector is available to anyone using Windows Home Server and Windows 7. The application loads by default the first time, but if it has not, you can install it by going to:

C:\Program Files\Windows Home Server

and double clicking on the MCWHSSetup file.

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Once the connector is installed you need to reboot your PC. After the reboot, open Windows Media Center and check out the Home Server icon.

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Connector Installation Video

Check out this short video!

Windows Media Center Connector with TV Archive Service

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If you record TV through your Windows Media Center then this connector is a must!

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Timothy Daleo