Many of you may already know that Microsoft has been hard at work on the next version of Windows Home Server. We are excited to announce today that the beta of this next version (code name “Vail”) is now available. We invite everyone to check it out by downloading the software from the Microsoft Connect site. (English language builds are available now). We are releasing this Vail beta with one express goal: to solicit your feedback!
So what’s new and exciting in this next version? Although we’re still in the midst of development work (and things may change), we can say that Vail includes feature improvements in four key areas:
Check out a short demo of some of the new features here.
Before we go too much further, however, we want to pass along a couple of very important hardware-related tips on installing the Vail Beta:
Also, if you are a developer, this beta includes a new software development kit (SDK) that gives developers and partners even more ways to customize the OS and add new functionality and services to Windows Home Servers. Download the SDK here.
So after you check out all of the great features in this public beta, you’ll probably want to know when the final version of Vail is going to ship. We’re not ready to discuss delivery dates yet. We want to ship the best possible product, and as that old commercial went (sort of), “we will ship no Windows Home Server before it’s time.”
Give Vail a test run today!
- Dave Berkowitz, Senior Communications Manager
Thank you I have not been able to give it a shot yet but I will soon. After reading and looking at the sdk I am sad that Media Center did not make it so far. Anyways I think you do have the right vision so far I will report back to the connect site once i'm done testing.
Active Directory capability please along with addition of wireless 802.11n with wake-on-wireless LAN and IP routing/hosted WLAN like Windows 7 then this will be attractive.
WOW!
First of all Windows team blog owns!
Secondly about this post, I can't give it a try because it is still in beta, anyways I like the codename by the way "Vail". What does vail means? It is something related to hidden or what? :D
Seem MediaCenter server functionality not being included in the product while other media streaming techs (like DNLA) makes one wonder where MS is going.
MediaCenter was a very requested feature and Vail seems shallow without it. Maybe it indicates mediacenter is, in fact, ending its life in Microsoft.
As for Vail. Disapointing.
Don't you think that hardware requirement is too much?
Thanks for letting us know Dave..
Will definitely going to give it a shot tonight! :)
Very nice!
Could we get some technical data on where the technologies for the new home server was gotten? I mean WHSv1 was a rebuilt S2003 SB, will WHSv2 be a light weigh S2008r2 or similar?
I too was looking for Media Center to be integrated into WHS. But I was also looking to this as a possible solution to allow me to playback protected CableCard TV from any PC on my home network. I don't mind that Microsoft did not include it in this release but I think they need to let the community know of their commitment & desire to do so.
In the meantime, I think Microsoft needs to rearchitect Media Center around Silverlight and allow extender devices PC/DLNA devices/etc to run a Silverlight based extender experience. This would do away with the RDP approach to extenders. The recent partnership with Broadcom & Intel to embed Silverlight is a good move in that direction. So future MC integration with WHS might not look like MC today but pretty darn close. In doing so, DRM wouldn't hinder your enjoyment throughout your home and personal devices.
I agree completely with JohnCz. I too am hugely disappointed not to find WMC functionality natively hosted in WHS. It continues to frustrate me that I must run a Windows 7 PC with WMC and a WHS box 24*7 when 1 could do the job and save lots of energy.
I will nonetheless install Vail and evaluate it and retain faint hopes that a future build of Vail might deliver what I hoped for.
To JohnCz: Thanks for your comments! As you know, Windows Media Center is a popular part of the Windows 7 client feature set, and is frequently requested to also be added to Windows Home Server. The functionality is not included in this Vail beta, but I think if you test the release you'll find a lot of Media Center-like capabilities. Your other comments and suggestions are super interesting. I'd suggest you plug them into the Connect site so the team can take them into consideration!
To TormDK: Thanks for your inquiry. Since this is a beta, we are not ready to detail technical specs for the product. Heck, it could change in the next several months, right? For now, I'd suggest you try out the beta and experience it for yourself. We've also posted a "Getting Started Guide" to walk you through this release. That should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. Cheers!
To Mansoor: Vail is a city in Colorado. I'm honestly not sure who the person is on our team who keeps assigning code names that have to do with Colorado (obviously this isn't the first time!) but I'm sure going to find out. :)
To livesider: Thanks for your great ideas. I'd like to suggest that you also post them to the Connect site so our team can take them into consideration for future builds!
Nice wa waiting for an update to the newer version of WHS, the v1 was nice, but its slight dated usage due to 64 bit and windows 7 compatibility issues made it lose use of needed features.
Hopefully the new v2 will work sweet, going to try it over next couple days will post any good / bad details found once tested further.
One note - please make: Ease of Remote Access Services the # 1 priority. Work with residential gateways as AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FIOS both use that. Most major ISP's test the RA services so the ease of configurations for them will work more seamlessly then in the past.
Cheers,
KOOLTIME
Hello: I have been waiting for a W2K8 version of WHS for some time (Hyper-V, anyone else?).
I have a client running 28 TB in his WHS v1, and I am sitting on 18 TB myself. I state this because in the forums, some serious Deal Breakers are being found out about this new version.
The one for me is the new disk format, which is not compatible with any other OS (not even Windows 7 or any other server).
connect.microsoft.com/.../windows-home-server-code-name-vail-drives-should-be-readable-on-non-vail-computers
As the Connect issue states above, we must have the ability to access our files on other PCs during a system failure. Such as a driver that can be installed on Windows 7.
I am really impressed with the latest updates. But, not as stated above this may be a deal breaker for me.
Thank you,
-Eric Duncan
@Dave: My research paper published in University of Colorado. :D
Dave - Vail is Charlie Kindel's hometown. During the codename decision process someone asked him where he was from and he said "Vail, Colorado" and they went with it.