Microsoft has had a big hit with SBS (Small Business Server) and, as rumoured, has finally announced WHS (Windows Home Server), which is based on Vista. It's intended to be wireless and will support Windows XP and Vista machines*, Linux PCs and Macs, asuming the kinks get ironed out. Backups are taken automatically, including a PC hard drive image every night.
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates gave the idea a plug during his CES Keynote (below), but APC magazine has more details in Gates announces "black box" Windows Home Server.
Hewlett-Packard is the "lead partner" with its HP MediaSmart Server, said Gates, and there is at least a spec sheet for the little black box (in PDF format). Note the size: 5.5 x 9.8 x 9.2 inches. It's like a fat book.
The HP version comes with two hard drives and has space for four -- you can add two off-the-shelf SATA drives. External drives can be added via USB ports.
As APC notes:
Reference designs are also being shown off at CES by AMD, Inventec and Quanta. The presence of AMD and the absence of Intel from that list suggests that the company's spat over the marketing of Intel's Viiv platform has still left some raw wounds.
* Also Windows 2000 SP4, but there are not many of those in homes.
Update: There's a video on Microsoft's On10 site: Windows Home Server will live in your closet, simplify your life, and official information at http://www.stopdigitalamnesia.com/. Also see Charlie Kindel's blog, which shows the circular prototype, and Nathan Weinberg's much more detailed post at Inside Microsoft.
