Microsoft Windows Home Server: Serving Up a Network for Your Home Windows Home Server System Builder Version and Overall Impressions Vangie Beal
Network Health Monitoring
Another useful feature of WHS is the Network Health Monitor. The Network Health area uses a large icon in the console and also shows the current status in your desktop task tray. A green shield with a checkmark indicates a healthy network, yellow with a question mark indicates there is a "risk" that needs to be addressed, and red with an X suggests there is a critical issue that needs attention.
Some issues that will change the health status of your network include low storage space, product activation or expiration problems, Windows updates for WHS, warnings about PCs with no virus protection, and backup reminders.
Password Policies
Windows Home Server offers three password policies; weak, medium, and strong. You are required to set and use strong passwords if you enable remote sharing. Microsoft's criteria for strong passwords is those that are at least seven characters long, and contain at least three of the four following categories of characters: uppercase characters, lowercase characters, numbers, and symbols found on the keyboard (such as !, @, #).
A strong password is also required for your Windows Home Server password, which lets you install Windows Home Server Connector software on your PCs, restore your computers, and open backups. Basic user accounts can use weak or medium passwords (medium is the default setting).
Adding Extra Storage Space
What many will like about WHS storage is that you can easily add storage to the server as your network grows simply by adding in additional internal or external drives. This is done by using the automated wizard in the Windows Home Server Console.
As drives are added they become a part of the storage pool — no drive letters are assigned, making the multiple drives appear as one large, single collection of storage space. As you upgrade storage drives, you can also remove older drives, again through the Windows Home Server Console. Files and folders that are located on the drives you want to remove are automatically moved to other drives in the pool.
WHS System Builder Version
If you're interested only in the software and want to build your own server, Microsoft has also released a software-only System Builder version. This is the softare you need to use Windows Home Server on your own custom-built server box. Technically, a System Builder version should be available only with a hardware purchase, but this usually can be any hardware purchase, such as a mouse. The retail price of the System Builder version is around $179 and is currently available through several online vendors. We found the System Builder version for $170.85 at NCIXUS.com and $180.99 at Buy.com.
Overall Impressions
Windows Home server as a complete box solution (server and software) is an everyday consumer product. WHS offers features that many running home networks will want: quick and easy file sharing, remote access, and the image-based backup.
It's so simple to use that even if you have no clue how to find your own IP address, you can use this home server. The full systems, such as those to be offered by HP, require minimal setup. Once you plug it in and install the Home Server Console to the PCs, you can use the features without making any changes.
If you are technically savvy and need an organized and structured way to save, share and backup your networked PCs, you'll also find it a worthwhile investment to go with the System Builder version, which will also enable you to include add-ons to WHS that are being developed by third-parties. We've already spotted a WHS add-in for Outlook and one for blogs as well, and the development team is
sponsoring a Code of Fame challenge, which will spur even more WHS add-ins in the near future.
Availability
Windows Home Server is currently available in both software and hardware configurations, with HP currently offering its HP MediaSmart Server in two models; $599 with 500MB storage and $759 for 1TB storage. Other hardware partners developing Windows Home Server products include Gateway, Medion, LaCie, Iomega, and Fujitsu Siemens Computers. Microsoft has also released a System Builder software-only version (part number CCQ-00015), which can currently be found online at many online vendors such as buy.com and NCIXUS.com.
