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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archer75 - Thursday, September 6, 2007 - link
Actually the main purpose of WHS is not only backup but it's also as a file server. It's meant to store all of your data on it and have it protected so all in your home can access it.I am using it as a file server exclusively and I don't have it set to do any backups and it works great.
n0nsense - Thursday, September 6, 2007 - link
Sorry, i will explain my self.I can't imagine file server without raid.
1. Mirror if you have enough money and need best performance.
2. raid 5 will give you same performance as normal disk.
3. soft raid.
when you store your data on server with redundancy, what backup do you need ?
shabazkilla - Thursday, September 6, 2007 - link
Any Windows XP or Vista PC has RDP server capability. I don't have my Vista laptop powered up at the moment, but in XP right click on My Computer, click Properties. Select the Remote tab and check "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer."
As for the RDP session being HTTPS encapsulated, there is a known security bug with RDP that makes it less than secure.
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/317244">Microsoft Terminal Services vulnerable to MITM-attacks
If you need remote access to your network stick with VPN rather than opening up a Terminal Server to the internet.
tynopik - Thursday, September 6, 2007 - link
> Any Windows XP or Vista PC has RDP server capability.that is only XP Pro, Vista Business or Vista Ultimate
XP Home, Vista Home Basic, and Vista Home Premium do NOT have RDP
archer75 - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - link
I don't get the complaint with setting up WHS and Media Center. All you have to do is tell Media Center to watch the folder with your shows in it. You are going to do that anyways so it's not difficult at all. Just a normal part of Media Center's setup. I told it to watch a share which it found on it's own. Done. That's it.WHS is targeted at your average home users. As such they don't know anything about RAID or have the ability to set it up. And even for the experienced user it is simply not needed. Ditch RAID all together. Forget about it. It is not needed here in the slightest. WHS will duplicate what you set it to and you are protected against drive failure.
The only other step I would take is using an online backup service to keep your data safe off site. There are at least two that will integrate with WHS console for easy management.
I have personally built my own WHS and it currently has 6 hard drives in it with room for 6 more. It's been rock solid so far for a RC.
iwodo - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - link
It is nice this article prove a point. NAS ( or NAS like product.. in this case WHS ) does not necessary means slow.If we look at the graph at smallnetbuilder almost all NAS perform below 30/s MB per sec.
Verdant - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - link
well not a complete solution, the webguide add-in covers many of the features i would want for MCE, the main problem is still the multiple computers issue though.Whiist allows you to do a pretty good job of web hosting too,
it just seems that some of these add-ins were ignored when this article was written!
n0nsense - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - link
This product can't be used by grandma because it is to complicated and she even don't aware of what it can do and for what she will need it.No enthusiast will use it since there is no reason to use product pretending something that it is not. It is not Server OS (hardly can call OS anything carrying Win logo with exception for WinCE which is truly interesting modular OS with micro kernel).
From my experience, when you have 3 and more computers, you do want centralize storage for media and docs. and some to keep private. no way I'll trust MS to be responsible of such things. Not with NTFS which is far from being perfect.
I'm sure MS will find the way to push it through OEM. But this is only thing they good at.
neogodless - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - link
If your grandma has three computers and an XBOX360, she might want this...Assuming she does...
Option 1)
Spend THREE DAYS setting up a Linux box with her spare old computer?!
Spend extra money on hard drives because it does have SIS.
When she adds hard drives... how does she tell Linux to spread out the files?
Option 2)
Spend 30 minutes setting up a pre-built WHS system or 90 minutes installing and setting up WHS on her old spare system. Maybe buy an extra hard drive here and there and spend 5 minutes adding it to the system.
leexgx - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - link
grandma lolbut i agree good post (must make sub account so can rate users)