Some WHS V2 details...

[panteragstk]

Here are a few WHS V2 details that I found today.

New codenames
Vail exposes some interesting codenames, including a few even Mary Jo Foley hadn't heard of. Key among these is "Aurora," which appears to be a Small Business Server version that sits somewhere between WHS and the current SBS products (Paul’s SBS + cloud services dream solution?) and “Colorado,” which appears to be remote device related. (Windows Media Connect or DLNA-based devices, maybe?)

Update: Further evidence supporting the SBS = Aurora theory can be found on various sites, such as http://bjosbs.com/. (The site is registered to a SBS ‘softie apparently.) [thanks to Daniel K. for the tip]

New features
This version of WHS Vail provides two major functional updates, Homegroup creation/integration and media streaming. Both appear to be based on the same functionality that appears in Windows 7, and the media streaming feature utilizes a sweet Silverlight-based player, through its revamped remote console, that transcodes content of virtually any kind from what I can tell, on-the-fly. (I personally tested WMV, H.264, and XviD.)

New Dashboard
WHS Vail comes with a new dashboard, which replaces the awful admin console from the current version with a new normal window that appears to be the basis for similar dashboards in future versions of Windows Small Business Server and Windows Essential Business Server. This Dashboard is customizable, more so than previous versions, enabling server makers like HP to customize it with their own look and feel – color scheme, unique Home tab content, and more.

Add-in changes
Perhaps sensing that WHS add-ins can be the source for malicious and software, or otherwise just responding to complaints that some current add-ins seem to adversely impact the performance and stability of the server, Microsoft is making some big changes to how WHS interacts with these mini applications.

Some add-ins will be “Microsoft certified” and therefore known to be safe/good, while others will be digitally signed (or unsigned) and provided by third parties. Add-ins, of which will now also reside in an online catalog, will be version controlled, preventing the user from inadvertently writing over a newer version with an out of date version, and can support subscription-based services like anti-virus. Vail will also keep a watchful eye on add-ins, intervening when they crash, allowing a user to quickly locate the source of the problem. And, if I'm reading this right, WHS Vail will support the deployment of specialized add-ins to connected PCs as well, not just on the server. (As in, install AV on the server and have it protect clients as well.)

Server health
In keeping with broader efforts across other Windows Server products, WHS Vail includes a number of server health technologies, many of which leverage the pre-installed PowerShell. It supports scheduled cleanups and backups of both clients and server and checks clients for both anti-spyware and anti-malware protection. While at work, Vail may find the need to generate an alerts or report, both of which can either be printed on-screen or emailed, much like the SBS product.

Source

More info

Built on the RTM bits of Windows Server 2008 R2.
Will come in 2 flavors, HOMESTANDARD and HOMEPREMIUM
Requires an x64 Processor.
Requires a minimum of 160GB primary hard drive.
Server "Desktop Experience" is installed OOB (meaning Aero, Media, etc).
Built-In HomeGroup Support (unlike WS2008 R2)
WHS Console is now the "Dashboard", and has a cleaner Add-In model (all pages are now AddIns).
There will be an online catalog for add-ins hosted by Microsoft.
While there is a "Recorded TV" option in the folders, there does not presently appear to be deeper media integration. That may come in later builds.
It *appears* that WHS now backs itself up.

Source

I'm very interested in this. There are a lot of features missing from the current WHS that I'm glad to see "might" make it into the new version. We'll see what actually happens though.

[davephan]

I didn't see the most important thing in your post that WHS is missing. The most serious flaw of all is the inability for WHS to backup it's own operating system and the inability to be imaged with imaging software. In case of a system failure, your only recovery path is a painful and time consuming manual rebuild.

Dave

[toricred]

There is a slight reference to that in the list line of the last quote.

[panteragstk]

From what I've been able to find out it is supposed to be able to back itself up. What that exactly means, I don't know.

[sic0048]

Actually server backups are reported in the first quote as well....

Server health
In keeping with broader efforts across other Windows Server products, WHS Vail includes a number of server health technologies, many of which leverage the pre-installed PowerShell. It supports scheduled cleanups and backups of both clients and server and checks clients for both anti-spyware and anti-malware protection.

The big question is how anyone who is writing about WHS V2 can gloss over this as such a minor improvement. I mean really, is "homegroup creation/integration and media streaming" really the big news here? If so, that author is not in touch with reality! (But it does fit with MS long standing believe that WHS didn't need a backup strategy because nothing is suppose to be loaded on it - and heaven forbid that MS ever acknowledge an error or shortsighted thinking).

[davephan]

That's good news that the WHS OS itself is backed up. The other problem is can it actually be recovered? I've tried many Microsoft backup/recovery products in the past that resulted with failed recoveries.

Dave

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by davephan

That's good news that the WHS OS itself is backed up. The other problem is can it actually be recovered? I've tried many Microsoft backup/recovery products in the past that resulted with failed recoveries.

Dave

I would like to be able to make an image of the os drive and make a remote copy of the sagetv directory. Maybe set them up to copy to a raid1 nas or something. Should be easy since it is based off of server 2008 r2. Key word is "should" who knows if it actually will be that simple...

[briands]

Didn't see a mention of increasing the size of the OS partition either...

[KarylFStein]

From what I read, it now requires 160G for install. I'm not putting much into what a "leaked" release has, though...

[Djc208]

Originally Posted by KarylFStein

From what I read, it now requires 160G for install. I'm not putting much into what a "leaked" release has, though...

Current WHS requires a minimum 80GB if I remember correctly, but only 20GB is partitioned as the C: drive. The rest is partitioned to D: for tombstones and (as a last resort) storage. That new size requirements could be for performance reasons or it could be because the C: partition is larger.

[stanger89]

If they add parity based redundancy, then I'll be interested.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

I would like to be able to make an image of the os drive and make a remote copy of the sagetv directory. Maybe set them up to copy to a raid1 nas or something.

The 2nd one can already be done using either a 3rd party backup program or simple DOS commands. I do nightly incrementals.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

The 2nd one can already be done using either a 3rd party backup program or simple DOS commands. I do nightly incrementals.

The first one should be an option as well. I would be happier with parity based redundancy as well. I don't think we will be getting it any time soon...I think I'll be happier with a raid 5/6 setup. We'll see when it comes out.