Windows Home Server 2011 Release Candidate now available

From the Windows Home Server blog…

We are pleased to announce the availability of the Release Candidate for Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 (formerly Windows Home Server Code Name “Vail”). Affordable and easy-to-use, Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 (WHS) is the ideal solution to help families keep their important digital files and PC’s automatically backed up, organised, and accessible.

The Release Candidate (RC) signifies our last mile efforts for releasing this product to our customers, and prepares our network of software and hardware partners for its release.  Along with the RC, we have also released an update to the Windows Server Solutions SDK which provides tools and information to develop add-ins and extend the functionality of Windows Home Server 2011.

This WHS RC is the first public release to include changes in the storage features, so let’s look at some of the changes you can expect. All existing technologies such as server and client backup, health monitoring, remote web access, streaming media, and simplified dashboard management are still included.

A new Move Folder Wizard makes it easy for you to move data from one drive to another. As Hard Drives are added to the Home Server, your health alerts will notify you that a new Hard Drive is available. From here, you can automatically format and configure the new drive for additional storage.

Once configured, you can easily use the Move Folder Wizard to move your data to the new drive as needed.

To see this in action, please watch our Windows Home Server Move Folder Wizard Learning Bite.

Data protection also includes daily Server and PC backup, Previous Versions via Shadow copy which lets you return prior versions of existing files (without needing to restore from backup), and a protection feature for pre-defined folders (such as Recorded TV, Videos, Photos) in case these are accidently deleted.

We are also excited to announce Acer is in the final testing phase of Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011.  Irene Chan, Senior Business Manager from Acer America Corp. stated this morning  “We're excited to offer this new and improved, easy-to-use OS on our Aspire easyStore Home Server.  Designed for households and small businesses with multiple PCs, Aspire easyStore offers a simple way to network computers, centralise, share and protect digital data as well as access it remotely from anywhere in the world."