Microsoft has created a new server for use within homes. Interestingly, it falls under the desktop software section of their site, rather than the server section. This is clearly targeted to the home market.

Windows Home Server is a simplified server platform, a centralized storage spot that also allows restricted access from both inside and outside the home. You can, for instance, use the web server and load up your photos or movies to it, then show those photos from a browser to friends much as you would with Flickr or other photo sites. It will automate backups from client computers to the server and of course maps drives to shared locations.

One interesting feature is that it will consolidate iTunes syncronizations and create a global master iTunes pool, all of your music in one location.

The server sets up easily and requires a small client on each computer that wants to use the server. You have a maximum of 10 clients you can attach. The Server requirements are moderate and the suggested prices is, I believe, around $300 for the software.

If it is as easy as they say, this could be a significant entry for Microsoft into the home. My concerns would be the ongoing security issues Microsoft can’t seem to get over and with this server a compromise would allow attackers to your central computer to distribute attacks from there. I’m also unclear as to how effective the drive redundancy is. According to forum users, losing the main drive can be recovered but all user login information is lost and all links to files/folders must be rebuilt - a potentially time-consuming activity.

It certainly has me interested and I’m trying to get a demo copy but have not fully tested this yet.

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