Harry Brelsford over at SMB Nation also chimed in on this announcement. SMB Debutante Ball: HP to ?introduce? HP StorageWorks X500 Data Vault Series? The really cool part is HP will ?debut? the HP StorageWorks X500 Data Vault at the SMB Nation Fall 2009 Conference (October 2-4, 2009, Las Vegas) which is coming up fast. I believe one of our SBS MVPs, Kevin Royalty will be jointly talking with HP about this exciting new offering at SMB Nation. So, if you want to go hit Las Vegas, there is still time to register.  As an added perk, a number of our Home Server, Small Business Server, and Essential Business Server team members, Jonas Svensson, Becky Ochs, Chuck Archer, to name a few will be down there too. Please swing by the Microsoft booth at SMB Nation and talk to us. We would love to hear from you.

 As you may know, we have talked about Windows Home Server in the SOHO space before, Windows Home Server ? Can It Be a SOHO Solution?. You may also know that Kevin Royalty, has talked a lot about how he has been deploying Windows Home Server into his SBS customer's environments for some time now. Alex Kuretz one of our Home Server MVPs just did a story on this. Using Windows Home Server in a Small Business.

 I can't wait to get my hands on this new server. 

Have a great day!

 Kevin Beares
Community Lead - WSSG 

 As some of you know, we have started blogging over on the Windows Team Blog back at the beginning of September with a new blog called the Windows Home Server Blog. So, if you haven't already added this blog to your feed, please do. For the moment we are planning on blogging from both our TechNet Blog as well as our new blog. As part of our efforts to reach out to a larger audience and our strong alignment with Windows we felt that it was important that we start communicating our message from the Windows Team Blog. In the near future, we may make a complete move from our TechNet location to the Windows Team Blog. Stay tuned...

So, back to Power Pack 3. We wanted to update everyone on where we are with the beta of PP3 and talk about the steps we are taking in this beta to inusre a smooth transition in supporting our newest OS, Windows 7. to read more, please go check out this article: Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 update.

 Thanks again to all of our beta testers who are really running our PP3 beta and giving us some very valuable feedback. This is shaping up to be an amazing release for Windows Home Server.

Kevin Beares
Community Lead - WSSG

That most English language users found out about Windows Home Server through a blog or online product review, versus magazine or newspaper articles for German language users?

That product ?features and specifications? was widely regarded as the most important factor, followed distantly by price, when it comes to Windows Home Server purchase?

That media sharing/streaming was the feature that could most help increase overall Windows Home Server customer satisfaction?

No?  Neither did we until you told us in last year?s survey. 

Customer feedback regarding usage and satisfaction of Windows Home Server is very important to our team.  This feedback helps us improve how we promote the product, better understand how people are using the product, and determine what functionality we can build into future updates to increase satisfaction.

If you are a current Windows Home Server user, we want to hear from you! 

English

German

Japanese

Announced in conjunction with upcoming Q Series of compact home entertainment PCs, the IdeaCentre D400 home server has an aesthetic design that would suit the living room as well as the home office.  (See Lenovo?s press release for details.)

Photo: Lenovo IdeaCentre D400 home server

Eugene Saburi, General Manager, Microsoft Solutions Marketing had this to say. "With the IdeaCentre D400 home server coinciding with the availability of Windows 7 on Lenovo laptops and netbooks, consumers will have affordable solution that enables them to unleash the power of their home network.?

With the Acer Aspire easystore and the lineup of HP MediaSmart Servers already on the market, the Lenovo IdeaCentre will provide even more choice for consumers.  We are still waiting on confirmation of where the IdeaCentre D400 home server will be sold.  Let?s hope pre-orders are offered soon!

More articles on the Lenovo announcement:

Lenovo unveils Windows Home Server, tiny home theater PCs
Seattle Times
The company also rolled out several new tiny PCs with home theater capabilities -- a sample of its Windows 7 wave lineup, out in time for back-to-school ...

Lenovo Q100/Q700 nettops, D400 home server debut
Electronista
Lenovo this afternoon put an end to speculation and launched its IdeaCentre Q series of mini desktops as well as its first Windows Home Server. ..

Lenovo to Introduce IdeaCentre D400 Windows Home Server
Notebooks.com
By Xavier | August 17, 2009 Lenovo's getting ready to announce the IdeaCentre D400 Windows Home Server. The company posted a teaser image in a twitter post ...

Lenovo Reveal Their First Home Server ? The IdeaCenter D400
By Terry Walsh
Lenovo release a teaser shot of their debut Windows Home Server, but we've uncovered a whole host of pics courtesy of the Interwebs. Check 'em out!

- Steven

Japanese developers now have access to the localized version of the SDK on the Windows Home Server section of the MSDN website.

Coinciding with the release of the Japanese SDK, the Windows Home Server Japanese Evaluation software is now available for download. 

For users who have not stayed abreast of the Windows Home Server add-ins community, you may want to visit Terry Walsh?s site www.whsplus.com.  You?ll find a pretty comprehensive list of Windows Home Server add-ins, reviews of the latest add-ins, as well as a list of user-ranked top add-ins. 

- Steven

One article that was recently brought to our attention came from SMB PC Magazine (See page 7). The article provides an overview of Windows Home Server and discusses how it could be beneficial to SOHO customers. Research conducted by the author, Aaron Booker, includes contacting companies offering 3^rd party solutions, and value-added providers that are installing home servers in businesses today. From the information gathered, he has validated that backup of up to 10 computers is the most common use of a home server because of its unparalleled speed and convenience. He then goes on to compliment Windows Home Server restore capabilities. Booker states that ?The restore function is what is really impressive. If a user deletes a file or overwrites a file- the time needed to recover is literally seconds?. He also discusses topics such as using Windows Home Server to remotely connect and log onto PCs (Remote Desktop) along with add-ins, that enhance Windows Home Server functionality, as key features for this market.

Another article that featured Windows Home Server can be found in Inc Magazine which is targeted at entrepreneurs and small business owners. Under ?The Goods? section, the magazine introduces and writes about various aspects of the HP Media Smart LX 195. Some key items were noted about the HP Media Smart in this piece includes its small size, low cost, and how it can be used in both the home and small businesses. Once you begin using a home server, the article relays that you have the ability to listen to your music while you are out of the office and also share your pictures and videos on all popular social networking sites.

Windows 7, Windows 7 Libraries integration, enhancements for Windows Media Center, and better support for netbook computers. If you are running Windows 7 on your home computer and are a current Windows Home Server user, we need your help! Important: You will need to sign up as a beta participant of the Windows Home Server program on Microsoft Connect in order to download the Power Pack 3 Beta. https://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer New in Power Pack 3 Beta Windows 7 Backup & Recovery Windows Home Server performs a full image-based backup of Windows 7-based computers, allowing for a complete computer recovery in the case of a hard drive failure, or restoration of a single file or folder in the event of accidental deletion or loss. After the Windows Home Server Connector software has been installed on a computer running Windows 7, Windows 7 Backup warnings will be suppressed and users will no longer receive a notification to back up their computer. Windows Home Server can back up Windows XP SP2 or later, Windows Vista and Windows 7-based computers. Windows 7 – Backup Windows Home Server completes an automatic image-based backup of Windows-based computers every day. Windows 7 Libraries Power Pack 3 Beta will add Music, Photos and Videos shared folders on the home server to Windows 7 Libraries making the content available fo]]> http://www.myhomeserver.com/?p=213 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:18:28 -0500 http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/07/08/windows-home-server-will-be-at-the-microsoft-worldwide-partner-conference-in-new-orleans.aspx Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:38:00 -0500 It?s summer, so it?s time for the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC).  During this annual event, Microsoft and the Windows Server Solutions Group share strategies and visions for addressing the challenging economy, saving customers money, and helping partners and customers compete confidently. Senior leader keynotes include Steve Ballmer (Chief Executive Officer) , Stephen Elop (President, Microsoft Business Division), Kevin Turner (Chief Operating Officer), Allison Watson (Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Partner Group), Bob Muglia (President, Server & Tools Division), Bob Kelly (Corporate Vice President, Server & Tools) and many other executives who will share their vision for the company and its partners. The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference held July 13?16 in New Orleans, is an annual gathering where Microsoft Corp.?s partner community will network and build connections, share best practices, and learn new skills and techniques.  If you are attending WPC, this is your chance to learn about all the Windows Server options for Small & Medium Businesses by attending our session CI003 Windows Server Portfolio for SMB: Which Server Is Best for Your Customer (and You!) on Monday afternoon at 3:30-4:30 in Room 255-257. Also come by our Exposition Hall booth # 621 and you can enter to win one of 6 HP MediaSmart Server EX485 (ERP $599) Windows Home Servers and attend one of our two booth theater sessions.  The Windows Server for SMB booth theater sessions are Windows Essential Business Server 2008 and the free IT Network Health Scanner for SMB on July 16th from 12:30 ? 12:50PM and the W]]> http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/06/16/secure-online-photo-sharing-with-windows-home-server-and-community-add-ins.aspx Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:58:00 -0500 Don?t you love to share your photos with your friends and family? Those great shots of your little kids wearing their strained carrots or a picture of your daughter?s first formal dance; it?s through images that we graphically share the high?s and low?s of our most personal lives.  With Windows Home Server you can easily create a private online photo sharing experience for only those individuals you permit while being accessible to the internet.   When you add a Windows Home Server to an online photo sharing site, like Flickr it gets even more interesting. We know that for many Windows Home Server users securely storing and sharing photo?s online is a main reason for them to purchase a server in the first place. Add to that the robust developer community add-ins such as Ed Holloway?s online photo sharing Photosync for Windows Home Server  which automatically syncs the contents of your photo?s folder on the Windows Home Server to Flickr, Doug Barrett?s WebGuide which enables you to remotely access, listen, watch and stream your music, photos and videos stored on your home server while away from home and Andrew Grant's Whiist that allows you to create and manage web content on your Windows Home Server.   I?m a social networking geek these days,  Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and I blog about our cycling epics and Windows Home Server, yet I am very hesitant to share truly personal photos, especially group photos, using the current publically available online tools. I value my privacy and want to respect the privacy of my friends by not sharing photos or videos of them in a way that might make them uncomfortable, now or in the future.   It?s amazing how much information is shared across the web and photos are a means of visual sharing.  These days social networking and online photo sharing sites  like Facebook,  Flickr, http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/06/08/windows-home-server-report-from-computex-2009.aspx Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:34:59 -0500 For those of you that have been reading this blog for a while, you may remember Dispatch from Computex Taipei (Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2008).  Last year was the Windows Home Server team's first time attending Computex.  Fast forward one year.  Microsoft had a major presence at Computex last week which included a large booth, broad marketing & PR activities, and a June 3 keynote in the main convention auditorium.  One of the significant announcements was the October 22nd General Availability date for Windows 7. For the Windows Home Server team, Computex was an important opportunity to meet with existing and prospective hardware manufacturers.  We also strove to increase industry awareness.  Over 14,000 international buyers and attendees visited the Microsoft booth!    Our team in Taipei organized a terrific event presence.  In the Microsoft booth, there was a section dedicated to Windows Home Server.  On the main stage there was a 25-minute demonstration that featured: Easy setup, protecting PCs and files, easy storage expansion, smart storage management, media streaming, and home surveillance.  We were really pleased to unveil the D-Link ViewCam add-in for Windows Home Server, which allows control of a wide range of D-Link’s IP cameras from the Windows Home Server Console.  Also notable, each scenario was demonstrated using a netbook as the interface and playback device for Windows Home Server. Of course no booth would be complete without a "muscle beach" of cool hardware.  Acer, Foxconn, Lenovo, and VIA hardware designs were showcased in the booth.  For those of you seeing the Lenovo model for the first time, it is currently only available in China.    netbook computer over the past while. A home server and a netbook can be a complementary solution. In addition to the image-based backup software included in Windows Home Server, the ability to augment the netbook storage space with a home server is a no-brainer. Shad Larsen commented on this solution in a post, ?Making your Netbook functional using Windows 7 and Windows Home Server.? Photo: Acer Aspire One A150 One of the benefits of a netbook is the small size and portability of the device.  However, that size means a smaller screen and less visual real estate for applications. As a result, the Windows Home Server Console may not have displayed correctly on some netbook computers. The latest update, described in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 963032, enables the Windows Home Server Console to support a resolution of 1024 x 600. The update will automatically install as part of Windows Update if Automatic Updates is enabled on the home server. (How to turn on automatic updates.) Users can also click Update Now on the Settings tab of the Windows Home Server Console. - Steven ]]> http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/05/22/windows-home-server-imaginations-are-unleashed-with-the-add-in-idea-challenge.aspx Fri, 22 May 2009 21:04:00 -0500 Earlier this month, Terry Walsh at We Got Served announced the launch of a new Windows Home Server add-in competition.  Announcing the Windows Home Server Add-In Idea Challenge ?09! With an interesting format, this competition should attract the attention of a broad group of Windows Home Server enthusiasts.  As opposed to actually developing the Windows Home Server add-ins, We Got Served is simply looking for the best ideas. Excerpt from blog post... "You don?t have to be a developer or technically minded to enter. All you need is your creativity and imagination to come up with the best idea for a future Windows Home Server add-in, which will then be coded up and released to the community for all to share." There is still some time left to submit your ideas!  The entry period closes on May 31st, and voting will commence in June.  Developer Felix Kollmann (author of Router Control) will turn your idea into reality. The Windows Home Server team anticipates seeing some terrific ideas from this community-led challenge.  The winners may be featured in stories on the Windows Home Server Community web page.  We showcase some of the most popular add-ins every month on the Windows Home Server add-ins page and your idea for an add-in may join the ranks of over 100 Windows Home Server add-ins available.  For a comprehensive list, visit Home Server plus.  Pictured: "Hall of Fame" winner of the Code2Fame contest, Andrew Grant's Whiist. If you need any added encouragement, here it is!  Microsoft was asked to contribute some prizes for the contest... and believe me, they are awesome! - Steven ]]> http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/05/21/acer-launches-aspire-easystore-home-server-in-us.aspx Fri, 22 May 2009 07:33:00 -0500 In case folks missed this, but today was an important milestone for the Windows Home Server category, with another major manufacturer ? Acer ? launching their product, the Acer Aspire EasyStore Home Server H.340 here in the United States.  At $399 for a 2GB RAM with 1 TB HDD included (up to 4 HDDs supported), it?s a great value for all of you looking to add a Home Server to your repertoire.  Now available for pre-order at Amazon.com.    Still not convinced?  Check out the good reviews for the product on CNET, Crunchgear, Gizmodo, and Engadget.  Congratulations Acer!  Welcome to the Windows Home Server family! - MP ]]> http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/05/06/windows-home-server-visit-us-at-microsoft-tech-ed-north-america.aspx Thu, 07 May 2009 02:18:03 -0500 IT Professionals and Developers will be descending upon the Los Angeles Convention Center next week to learn about a broad set of current and upcoming Microsoft technologies, tools, platforms, and services. Photo: Tech-Ed 2008 Photo: HP MediaSmart LX195 Windows Home Server will have a booth presence in the Expo Hall.  This is a chance for Tech-Ed attendees to get a hands-on experience with the latest Windows Home Server software and chat with members of the team.  We'll be featuring the HP MediaSmart EX487 and, the newest addition to the family, the HP MediaSmart LX195.  If you know somebody who will be at the event, please send them our way.  If you will be there yourself, please drop by the Windows Home Server booth. -Steven ]]> http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2009/05/06/windows-home-server-windows-7-release-candidate-testers-asked-to-revert-to-windows-vista-prior-to-upgrade.aspx Wed, 06 May 2009 20:16:00 -0500 Yesterday marked the availability of the Windows 7 Release Candidate.  On the Engineering Windows 7 Blog and Windows 7 Team Blog there were recent posts regarding this milestone. "We want to encourage you to revert to a Vista image and upgrade or to do a clean install, rather than upgrade the existing Beta.  We know that means reinstalling, recustomizing, reconfiguring, and so on." In a prior post on the Windows Home Server Team Blog, Windows 7 and Windows Home Server, we recommended, "...before you update a PC to Windows 7, you should install the Connector software and backup your machine to your home server, so you have an image-based backup that you can return to for testing the upgrade scenario with future builds of Windows 7." The restore task is as simple as dropping the Home Computer Restore CD in the computer and walking through the wizard.  For detailed instructions, see the Restore home computer step by step. For Windows 7 testers (and anyone else who is interested), we have made it even easier for users to try Windows Home Server!  An evaluation version is available for download, as well as a kit that can be ordered for the cost of shipping and handling at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/eval.mspx.  Windows Home Server is also available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers. [Editors Note:  Since the original post, I came across a terrific example by Keith Elder titled, "Ready ]]> http://www.myhomeserver.com/?p=206 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:23:53 -0500 http://www.myhomeserver.com/?p=202 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:00:39 -0600 http://www.myhomeserver.com/?p=197 Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:13:06 -0600