The site is dedicated to all things Home Server and includes helpful articles, forums, several wikis dealing with different Home Server topics, as well as media and downloads and even a Home Server store. Needless to say, Home Server Land is a one-stop-shop for Home Server users and enthusiasts.

Win Free Windows Home Server Training

To enter to win, visit Home Server Land and post a comment answering one of 6 Home Server related questions that are listed on the site.

Three lucky winners will be randomly selected to receive a copy of Windows Home Server training. The contest ends before midnight on July 22, 2010 so make sure to get your entry in today.

And while you’re there, make sure to check out the wealth of resources that Home Server Land has to offer. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Good luck!

With Windows Home Server, you can easily back up, access, share, and store all your family’s digital media. A server in every home is what the Microsofties are spouting about with Windows Home Server. Is it cool? I think so.

At Tech.Ed 2010, I was able to see the next version of Windows Home Server and it is now availability for download now.

Vail, the new version of Windows Home Server is currently in BETA but it is not ready for prime time. It can be downloaded and tested but do not put your production data on it until it is further along. For more information on Vail, see the following Microsoft link for known issues that currently exist with the BETA.

Server 2008: New Platform for Home Server

We have a new platform for Windows Home Server; it is Windows Server 2008. The old platform for Windows Home Server (WHS) was Windows 2003 and the new platform is built on the latest edition of 2008 R2. This is enhancement that puts Windows Home Server on the latest and greatest OS  that Microsoft has to offer.

New Windows Home Server Client Platform Support

With the current beta, you can install the connector software for Windows Home server on the following platforms:

• Windows 7 Home Basic (x86 and x64)
• Windows 7 Home Premium (x86 and x64)
• Windows 7 Professional (x86 and x64)
• Windows 7 Ultimate (x86 and x64)
• Windows 7 Enterprise (x86 and x64)
• Windows 7 Starter (x86)
• Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 2 (SP2) (x86 and x64)
• Windows Vista Home Premium with SP2 (x86 and x64)
• Windows Vista Business with SP2 (x86 and x64)
• Windows Vista Ultimate with SP2 (x86 and x64)
• Windows Vista Enterprise with SP2 (x86 and x64)
• Windows Vista Starter with SP2 (x86)
• Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3 (SP3)
• Windows XP Professional with SP3
• Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with SP3

Once your Windows Home Server is installed, you have a new shortcut that allows you to access your Windows Home Server.

The new login page is shown below. As you can see, we are running the beta of Vail. I have installed this version using virtualization technology powered by VMware. It allows me to review this properly without putting my production system at risk.

Windows Home Server Dashboard

Windows Home Server has a new dashboard for Vail that has the look and feel of Windows 7. Here are a couple of examples below.

HomeGroup

HomeGroups are a new feature introduced in Windows 7 that have been extended to Windows Home Server. A homegroup is an easy way for a novice to network computer and folders together. For more information on Windows Homegroup, see the following video: Homegroup.

There are many new features available with the new version of Windows Home Server. I recommend you take a look at it to get an introduction to all that the new version has to offer.

Free Windows Home Server Training

If you’re interested in learning more about how the Windows Home Server works, check out our free Windows Home Server training videos.

If you have 2 or more PCs take a look at what Windows Home Server has to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised by how much simpler your digital life can be.

Free 120 Day Home Server Trial

Not sure if Home Server is right for you? Give it a try and see for yourself.

Right now you can get a free 120 day trial of Windows Home Server from Microsoft. You can learn more about the free trial and take advantage of it here.

Free Home Server Training Videos

To get started with your Home Server, check out our free Home Server training videos — 4 of the 17 videos from our Home Server training course are available for free to anyone – so spread the word.

Check out the video clip below on Configuring an IP address in Vista and if you like what you see watch the rest of the free Home Server videos.

Free Home Server Resources

• The old Windows Home Server Team Blog and the new Home Server blog
• Windows Home Server forums
• Windows Home Server Facebook fan page
• Using Windows Home Server
• Home Server Hacks
• We Got Served
• MS Windows Home Server

We’ll talk about all of the features and options that are available on Windows Home Server including file storage and resource sharing, remote access, video and music sharing, and how to use add-ins to extend the capabilities of your Home Server.

Learn how to set up your own server network in your home, and manage all of your home computers & centralized data in one secure location with Windows Home Server Training.

I will also show you how to configure an IP address in both XP and Vista using DHCP.

In this video you will learn about your wireless networking options and security, power line networking, network adapter types and cabling your home. I will also provide you with a quick explanation of TCP/IP which is an integral part of your home network.

I will also walk you through setting up wireless networking on your Xbox so that we can connect the Xbox to our Windows Home Server.

Learn how to set up your own server network in your home, and manage all of your home computers & centralized data in one secure location with Windows Home Server Training.

This short introductory video will provide you with an outline of what my Windows Home Server training course covers. Other free Home Server videos on this site cover Windows Home Server lab setup, networking and TCP/IP, client computer configuration, ending with an introduction to Windows Home Server features.

Through the use of a plethora of add-ins, you can extend the already fantastic functionality provided by Windows Home Server.

In my course on Windows Home Server, you learn a lot about how add-ins are installed and managed.

However, coming soon to Windows Home Server is an update that Microsoft has dubbed Power Pack 1. Power Pack 1 brings even greater capability to Windows Home Server.

First and foremost, Power Pack 1 will fix a serious bug present in the original release of Windows Home Server. Under certain very specific conditions, this bug can cause data corruption in some files on your Windows Home Server.

Fortunately, most common programs are not affected so you will probably be fine, but any data corruption bug is generally bad news, thus the Power Pack 1 bug squash.

Beyond a serious bug fix, Power Pack 1 packs a plethora of powerful features into the update package. The list below describes some of the goodies coming your way.

A 64-bit Connector Package

If you’re running the 64-bit version of Windows Vista, you’ve been out of luck when it comes to the Windows Home Server party.
Although there are workarounds that allow the connector to install on 64-bit Vista, some significant features, such as computer backup, remain unusable.

With Power Pack 1, 64-bit connector connectivity along with the full feature set becomes available.

Backup Enhancements

One key feature of Windows Home Server is its ability to backup – and restore – entire client computers on your network. Related to this capability is Windows Home Server’s duplicated folder feature, which stores your files and folders on multiple hard drives to even further protect your data.

What was lacking, however, was a built-in way to make a complete copy of your Home Server to take off-site. In the Windows Home Server course, I explain to you how you can use a service called Keep Vault to backup your Windows Home Server to a safe location on the Internet.

With the initial release of Windows Home Server, you are not able to easily make offsite backup copies of your data unless you use a third party add-in such as the aforementioned Keep Vault.

Power Pack 1 enhances Windows Home Server by making it possible to back up your entire home server to an external hard drive that you can then take off site.

More Granular Remote Access Security

With Power Pack 1, you’ll be able to decide which features — the Computers tab and/or the Shared Folders tab — are accessible by each user.

Through this enhanced security, you don’t have to worry, for example, that junior is spending his time at school connected to your family’s home server and then forgetting to log off!

A Really Low Price Tag … Free!

Best of all, Power Pack 1 comes free of charge to all Home Server customers!

Once released, the update will be automatically downloaded and installed to your Home Server, ensuring that you always have the latest and greatest functionality.

So, there’s no need to wait for Power Pack 1 to be released before you take the Windows Home Server plunge. Dive on in! The water’s warm.

With Power Pack 1, Microsoft has taken an already fantastic product and made it even better by adding features that will make the product even more compelling to a broad audience.

By introducing the connector to Windows Vista 64-bit, Microsoft is finally bringing WHS to their most savvy customers and with the introduction of built-in backup features, even the most conservative user can rest assured that their data is safe.

Power Pack 1 is slated for a Spring 2008 release.

Get the Most Out of Your Home Server with Windows Home Server Training Videos!

Your instructor Scott Lowe will show you how to install and manage your Home Server and how to take advantage of all the great features!

Learn more about Windows Home Server Training and watch a sample video now!

Yup, xBox 360 and your Windows Home Server are compatible devices that can work together. And today I’ll show you just how to do that … connect your xBox 360 to your Home Server that is, not how to show it off.

The setup is quite easy and it takes only a few minutes. When you’re done, your xBox 360 will be able to do these awesome things:

• create a photo slide show with pictures that are on your Home Server
• play music that is located on your Home Server — even from your iTunes
• watch videos that you have saved on your Home Server

Basically your xBox 360 will become a multimedia extension of your Home Server. You can stream music, photos and videos from your Home Server to your Xbox 360 and you don’t even need any additional software.

So if you think that watching your family vacation photos on the big screen sounds like fun, or rocking out to your favorite iTunes without leaving your couch is something you’d like to do — then follow these easy steps and do what you’re supposed to do with your Home Server — connect! Now let’s get to it!

Connecting xBox 360 to Home Server: Physical Connection

Before you start your configuration, you will need to physically connect your xBox to your Home Server. There are two ways you can do that:

1. Use an Ethernet cable – connect one end to your xBox and the other into your router, switch, or an internet jack, if you have one nearby.

2. Purchase a wireless add-on device and connect it to your xBox. The xBox wireless network adapter allows for easy integration with your home network and eliminates cables. This is what I am going to use in this example.

Pictured below is the wireless network adapter and how it fits into your xBox:

Connecting xBox 360 to Home Server: xBox 360 Configuration

1. Once the physical connection is in place, go ahead and start up your xBox.

2. Move over to the System blade.

3. Move over to the Network Settings option and click A to select it.

4. Move down to the Edit Settings option and again, click A on your xBox controller to select that option.

5. This is the place where we are going to be able to see the console’s networking configuration settings.

6. If you physically connected your xBox to your router, you should be able to see all your settings here, like your IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, etc.

If you are using the wireless add-on, you will see exactly what is on the screenshot above. No worries — we can fix that. What we need to do next is to configure the wireless connection and we will be all set.

Move down with your controller, to the Wireless Mode option and select it.

7. xBox is going to search for wireless networks in your area. Once finished, it will display the results in a window.

Go ahead and pick your wireless network and then click A to select it. In our example we are going to select theLowes network.

8. If your wireless network is protected by a WPA key, go ahead and enter it now. If you do not have a key for your wireless network, your xBox is going to connect now. In our example, we need to enter the key.

9. Once you connect, go ahead and select Test Media to make sure everything is working.

10. Your xBox will perform a number of tests and then display the results.

11. Now you can go back to your Network Settings window and you will see that all the networking information is there.

Piece of cake, huh? Now you can enjoy all your favorite music, videos and photos right from your living room!

All you have to do is … well, how about I’ll let Scott Lowe, our Windows Home Server Training instructor, show you how to access your multimedia from your xBox.

Get the Most Out of Your Home Server with Home Server Training

See how easy it is to turn your Home Server into a DVR, access your documents from any PC with an Internet connection, easily share your photos, music, videos and much more. Let Scott Lowe show you how to take advantage of every feature your Home Server has to offer.

Learn more about Windows Home Server Training

Today I’ll show you how a Home Server can help you organize and protect all of your music, photos, videos and other documents.

I’ll also show you how a Home Server can really simplify how you use your computers at home and some cool things you can do with it.

Then we’ll get right into the juicy details of how you can get your hands on a Home Server — without spending a dime!

The Server’s in the House!

If you think a server in your house is a bit weird then you’re not alone, but consider this …

“In the 1960s & 70s the idea of a home computer was unheard of outside of science fiction circles. Before the late 1980s home networks were unheard of.”

Nowadays owning a computer is almost as common as owning a phone, and for many a home network is quickly becoming a necessity. Today there are over 365 million people who own a home computer and over 100 million households have a home network. Not bad for a couple of decades.

So what does all of this mean? Well for starters, it means that the times are changing … and our needs are changing as well.

A home server brings a little bit of the corporate world into our homes. Mainly it brings sharing and storing capacity so that we can use our computers at home the way we use them at the office.

But instead of sharing spreadsheet and reports, we can share family photos, our favorite music, videos, and anything else. If you ask me, it’s the perfect blend of work and fun!

What Can a Home Server Do for Me?

A home server has many roles, it is designed to:

• store all of your data in a centralized location
• organize your documents from all of your PCs in a single place
• protect all of your data from hard drive failure and other disasters
• connect all of the computers and printers
• expand and grow with your needs

A home server is really a small PC that works as a server, but it’s built a bit differently. For example, it doesn’t have a video card because it doesn’t need one. You won’t be connecting your monitor or keyboard to it since you can access your home server through your computer. Instead, it has more storage capacity so that you can grow your system as your storage needs increase.

Your home server connects with an Ethernet cord, so that you can access it with your computer on your network. The best part is that you can also access your server from any computer with an Internet connection, and this little feature can be extremely useful.

How many times did you need to access your computer’s files when you were away from home — and your computer? I know, I used to email myself with various documents that I thought I might need for school or work in case I didn’t have my computer with me. And what a mess that was!

Well that’s no longer an issue; anything that you store on your home server can easily be accessed remotely at any time and from anywhere.

Another thing you might not know about the home server is how easy it is to use. Accessing documents on your home server is just like accessing them from your hard drive. This is good news to everyone in your household that will be connected to the home server. Your 8 year old son or your 80 year old grandma will still be able to use the computer as they normally would.

So what else can you do with your home server? These are just a few of the more popular features:

• Photo web sharing — set up your own personal website for sharing all of your family photos
• DVR settings — record your favorite movies and TV shows without an extra piece of hardware
• Personalized user accounts — so that everyone in your house can have private and public files
• Access to multimedia from your xBox — listen to your favorite music, watch videos or a slideshow of your family photos right in your living room
• And lots more!

Why Should I Get a Home Server?

A home server is definitely not for everyone. If you have only one computer at home that you rarely use, then you probably don’t need one.

Remember, home server’s main role is to connect multiple PCs. However, if you would like to benefit from the storage capabilities, the protection, and remote access to your documents, then a home server might just be the perfect fit — even if you’re just connecting a single computer.

In either case, you definitely need to weigh out the pros and cons of getting a home server for your home — most of the pros are outlined above, and the cons are mainly the costs associated with the purchase.

So if you think that the cost might be the only thing holding you back from getting your own home server then keep reading … below I’ll show you how you can get your chance to win your very own, brand new Windows Home Server!

Why Pay? When You Can Get a Home Server for Free!

When a good friend of mine told me about this great opportunity to score a free Home Server, the first thing I thought was how awesome it would be to get one for my house.

I know, it’s very selfish of me, but I didn’t want to miss out on this chance so I went over to Microsoft’s site and signed up right away.

Then I thought, this would be a great thing to share with all of my friends! Everyone loves free stuff, right!

And a Windows Home Server is not the only thing you can win … Microsoft is also giving away a free Zune and an xBox 360! The best part is that you don’t get just one chance to win, you can win the free stuff every week until summer.

But I’m getting ahead of myself here, let’s start from the beginning … here’s what you need to do.

Go to Microsoft’s Evalu’08 and test drive one of their featured products like Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008, and more. All you need to start is an MSN or Hotmail account.

If you try one product, you are automatically entered to win a Zune, try two products and you can win an xBox 360, or try three and a Windows Home Server can be yours!

To try a product of your choice, you can either download a free trial or take a virtual tour. I tried a virtual tour of Microsoft Expression Web and it was actually kind of fun! Plus I learned a few handy tips and tricks that I didn’t know about before.

But before you pick the products that you want to take a look at keep in mind that there is a limit on the “evaluations” that you can do. So make sure to pick the 3 products that you really want to check out.

So get started! This promotion starts today, March 7th and, as I mentioned before, one winner will be selected each week for each prize category until June 30th. But I would recommend trying out the products early so you can have more chances to win.

All non-winning entries will be carried over to the following week’s drawings. So if you don’t win the first or second week don’t worry, you still have a chance to win every week until the end of the promotion.

Good luck and let me know if you win anything!

Get the Most Out of Your Home Server with Windows Home Server Training Videos!

Learn everything you need to know about your Windows Home Server!

We’ll show you how easy it is to install and manage your own Home Server and how to take advantage of every feature!

Windows Home Server is what you need!

With Windows Home Server you can connect and manage all of your home computers. Create user accounts, set permissions and easily share all your documents and digital media.

The best thing is that you can have access to your computers and your files from any PC with an Internet connection. That’s right!

With a Windows Home Server you can create a personalized Windows Live Internet address — which is basically your own web site — simply log in and access all your documents.

Here’s what Windows Home Server has to offer:

• Never lose any data — with centralized backup and recovery you can easily protect all your data from hard drive failure and other disasters.
• Eliminate identity theft and Internet threats — with Windows Home Server your information is safe at all times
• Use your Home Server as a DVR — record all your favorite movies and TV shows right on your Home Server.
• Connect your xBox to your Home Server — access your photos, music and videos and enjoy them on your big screen TV.

Our Windows Home Server Training will teach you all this and more! See for yourself!

Watch a sample of our Windows Home Server Training Now!

Find our more about Windows Home Server Training — Available Now!

But the title of their new marketing stunt sounds awfully suspicious. Mommy, Why is There a Server in the House? is a children’s book that is supposed to help your kids “understand the stay-at-home server.”

It’s not really meant for kids though, and it is more funny than anything else. See the book for yourself if you need a good laugh and let me know what you think.