A New Kind of Home Computer: Windows Home Server Preview
by Ryan Smith on September 4, 2007 1:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Systems
The Interface of WHS
Although we'll touch on specific points of the GUI of WHS as we come to the various functions of the OS, we'll still spend a bit of time with the WHS interface since it's one of the other critical components that separates WHS from other server products and makes it work. Because WHS needs to be usable by a subset of users that are only partially computer literate, several special considerations had to go into making an interface for the OS. Furthermore the entire thing needs to be able to run headless once a WHS server is set up.
Microsoft has opted to go with a single application to control all of the functionality of WHS, the simply-titled Windows Home Server Console. As we alluded to earlier, the console actually runs on the server, and via a specialized RDP client is controlled from the clients. For clients that install the full connector suite (used for enabling backups) the specialized client is installed, which initiates the console on a remote computer and then transparently uses RDP to display it on the client as a local application. Because this is done via RDP, other clients from other OSs connect to and control the server via normal RDP; in this case they'll get the entire desktop of the server. At this point Microsoft is seriously entertaining the idea of pushing WHS onto non-Windows households, the Mac platform especially since an official RDP client is available.
The console effectively breaks up administration into 6 tasks: backups, user accounts, shared folders, server storage/drive management, network status, and WHS settings. As far as all of these interfaces go, Microsoft isn't working with any new human-computer interaction memes, rather everything is scaled down to be as simple as possible without losing effectiveness. This means that there's little we can say that's remarkable about the interface; it looks like Windows and there's a lack of buttons to push or things to break.
We're not completely sold on the effectiveness of the interface, but torn as to why. We don't think Microsoft could have made the interface any simpler without taking out features, but that doesn't preclude making it better. The interface is effectively a listing of a bunch of things to do, with help menus available that explain what each and every last thing does. It gets the job done, but a certain degree of computer literacy is required to understand what's going on. We'd say MS has done better with simplifying complex interfaces with Vista MCE, which manages to break complex issues such as storing recordings into a simple manner very well.
To that extent organizations like Geek Squad will probably get a good amount of business out of setting WHS up; it's not by any means hard, but there will be a sizable minority of potential customers that will lack the literacy required to do it themselves. However once set up WHS is by all indications plenty capable of continuing on indefinitely on its own; even its automatic update function has been revised for headless operation so that it can install any and all updates without human intervention (which is not the case today with XP or Vista). This is the reason we're torn, since most WHS servers probably won't need administration for 99.9% of their lives. The interface, especially for backups and user accounts, is good enough that once the server is set up it should be possible for more or less anyone to handle what little administrative duties remain.
On the whole Microsoft could have done a better job on making the interface accessible for everyone, but it's good enough for now.
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Gholam - Sunday, September 9, 2007 - link
Yeah... "if properly implemented". I've got to see that "proper" implementation at work though.ATWindsor - Sunday, September 9, 2007 - link
Try a "pure" software-raid not connected to any of the onboard-solutions.AtW
Gholam - Sunday, September 9, 2007 - link
That ends up costing even more than a proper hardware solution - either in software licensing costs, or in time investment, or both.ATWindsor - Sunday, September 9, 2007 - link
If it where implmented in WHS, you have already bought the software, setting it up in raid5 is IMHO very easy if its done in a similar way as in win2003 (or possibly even easier)bespoke - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
MS had an open beta for WHS, so I signed up. I installed the server software on an old 2.4 Ghz P4 with just 512 megs of RAM and it works well. I've not had any issues in the 3 months or so I've used it - my primary PC has been backed up faultlessly the whole time. WHS keeps about 10 to 12 revisions (increments, really) of my PC around, so if there ever has a problem, I have a large amount of backup points to restore from.I can see this software (or a complete package - HP will be coming out with a line of small boxes with WHS preinstalled) as being a great thing for a geek to setup for non-techie family members. Seamless and invisible backups along with an easy to use file server shold make this a win.
leexgx - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
WHS mirroring of files is more then raid 1was reading it an little fast but have you tryed simply adding disks and removeing them its Very easy to do as it has an Wizard that makes it alot easyer
allso each disk is in NTFS format (thay are mounted as Drive folders) so if the boot disk broke (as for some Very strage resone the fist disk is 20gb boot and the rest storage that make it Alot harder to fit an bigger disk on the boot drive)
tested it in VMware with 4-7 disks what is Strage is the prerequest that the fist disk Must not be scsi only IDE or Native Sata mode (not Raid Sata mode) for the boot disk
good review tho
leexgx - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
allso the backup is not so hot for adv users who do not want to do the whole pc as i could not find an option when i was testing it to Pick dir folders I want backing up as by default it selects all folders apart from temp ones and give you No option to goto Pick an folder mode all you can do is Pick what folders you want Not to back upRyan Smith - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
You can select folders for exclusion when configuring the backups.leexgx - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
i all ready explaned that problem you can't pick all of them at once you have to add each root folderi want to be able to Pick an folder insted of haveing to go the longwinded way of haveing to exclued all the folders
BigLan - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Nice preview of WHS. I'm intrigued by it and have the RC but didn't get around to installing it and playing around.For me, the mce issue is the biggest sticking point and hopefully WHS2 will include a recording engine which mce boxes can connect to. I hear the both sage and beyondTV can be run on WHS with the appropriate link software, but it's extra cost to people with vista home premium boxes, and doesn't work well with a 360. For existing sage or BTV users WHS could be worth it, in my case because I could move 3 hard drives out of the case in my living room and into a PC in a closet.
The backup features sound great though, and are what I want most. It sounds very simple to use as well.
I wonder if whs2 will include a roaming desktop feature so a user can log in to any machine and have everything ready and waiting for them. It sounds like their 'my docs' folder is being copied to the server, so hopefully MS will include this in the next release.