As many of you know, Microsoft unveiled their new centralized network storage system at CES 2007 on Sunday called the Windows Home Server. The first product to use Windows Home Server will come from HP and is called the HP MediaSmart Server. HP MediaSmart Server will ship during the 2nd half of 2007.

Let’s quickly go over what Home Server will provide.

  • Windows Home Server aims to provide an easy way to store and organize digital content.
  • Windows Home Server will be able to automatically back up every Windows Vista or Windows XP based system in the home network. It will also be able to completely restore (in Microsoft parlance – “rewind”) a PC to a time when it was working just fine.Windows Home Server will act as a centralized way to monitor the health of all of your systems on your network and will report and notify the status to the home administrator of all Vista machines.
  • A system running Windows Home Server will be accessible across multiple devices including other Windows machines or even the Xbox 360 console. You can even access a Windows Home Server system over the web via a personalized Windows Live Internet Address
  • Printers can be connected and shared on a Windows Home Server system
  • Windows Home Server allows for expandable storage – no matter the storage type or interface. If you run out of storage on the Home Server – no problem. Simply add an additional hard drive or drives to the system
  • Comes with a set of predefined shared folders that are predefined for content – such as Photos, Videos, and Music.  Users will also be able to create their own folders
  • All data can be duplicated on a different drive. Users have the option of deciding whether their data needs to be duplicated for backup purposes or not for RAID like functionality. If a file is marked for duplication, a separate copy of the file will be saved on a different drive on the system.

Microsoft also announced several other hardware partners including AMD, Inventec, and Quanta Computer. All three will be showing off hardware reference designs for the Windows Home Server.

Here are pics of the Windows Home Server box and the related Microsoft booth at CES 2007.

 

Here are pictures of HP’s MediaSmart Server from HP’s CES booth.

HP’s MediaSmart Server includes four bays for additional hard drives as well as four USB ports for external devices such as hard drives and printers

Finally, no word on pricing. I asked both the Microsoft and HP reps on hand but go no feedback.

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