We Got Served

At WinHEC, Microsoft have announced a number of partners currently developing applications specifically for Windows Home Server. They range from nice home automation products, through digital media serving, all the way to (at last, for those worried about their beta machine) an anti-virus application. Let’s take a look at the list!

• Diskeeper Corp.’s Diskeeper 2007 software will support Windows Home Server to enhance system speed and reliability.

Diskeeper is a hard-drive defragging programme which helps speed up your system by optimising where files are physically placed on those drives. With huge amounts of storage in your home server, this app should help keep your drives spick and span and serving your files to your home computers as quickly as possible.

• Embedded Automation Inc.’s mControl software will integrate with Windows Home Server to help consumers manage home lighting systems, security cameras, climate control, and audio and visual components.

One for the hardcore enthusiast, I think. mControl will ensure WHS can act as a central hub for controlling all sorts of wired (and wireless) equipment in your VERY techhie home. Here’s what MS say about it:

“Applications like mControl extend the possibilities and customer benefits of the Windows Home Server platform,” said Steven VanRoekel, director of Windows Server Solutions at Microsoft. “Working together, Windows Home Server and mControl will make home automation and management more accessible and cost effective for customers.”

I don’t actually know anyone with a home like this. I’m sure mControl is great all the same

• F-Secure Corp. software will interoperate with Windows Home Server to help protect consumers against computer viruses and other threats from the Internet and mobile networks.

This is the first (of many, I’m sure) antivirus product to be announced for Windows Home Server, and will protect against viruses, spyware, and rootkit applications. Obviously, with your digital life hosted on WHS, the last thing you need is a virus getting in and wreaking havoc, so an antivirus solution is a safe bet for most people. Here’s Steve from MS again:

“F-Secure has a strong track record of providing easy-to-use security technology that reliably protects consumers against rapidly evolving threats. We are pleased to work with F-Secure to help customers secure their digital memories and experiences,” says Steven VanRoekel, director of Windows Server Solutions at Microsoft.”

• Iron Mountain will integrate its data protection services with Windows Home Server.

Not a huge amount of info on this one, but Iron Mountain’s LiveVault application offers remote data storage (ie. backing up your data to a remote location) as well as continuous file backup. Seems like a bit of overkill to me, but may appeal to those who want their backups backed-up.

• Lagotek Corp.’s Home Intelligence Platform for home automation will support Windows Home Server.

For Lagotek , see above. My guess is this will be a similar app to mControl.

• PacketVideo Corp.’s PacketVideo Connect will enable DLNA 1.0-certified, DLNA 1.5-compliant and universal plug-and-play media streaming from Windows Home Server to a variety of entertainment devices in the home.

PacketVideo Connect will help WHS serve all of your media files to various devices, in particular UPnP devices and digital media receivers (think set-top boxes such as the Netgear Entertainer HD) as well as mobile devices in the home (video photo frames, anyone?). The software also supports serving digital files to the Xbox 360 and Sony PSP - to be honest, my belief is that this kind of functionality should be available in-box with WHS, so we’ll look at this software with interest and cross our fingters for WHS v2.

• Riptopia CD loading service for Windows Home Server will convert and load a customer’s entire CD collection for storage and protection on Windows Home Server.

Riptopia is a CD ripping service where you package up all of your CDs, mail them to Riptopia who then rip them to various file formats and send them back to you on data DVDs or an external hard drive. Obviously, they’ll be extending this service to load up your files on a WHS system so they’re ready to rock (literally). Sounds a bit like money for old rope to me, but if you’re busy or just lazy, it’s a great service!

• SageTV media server software for Windows Home Server provides a complete, “always on” digital entertainment experience for the enjoyment of personal media and online content on any TV or PC screen, at home or away, with SageTV Placeshifter software.

Sage TV Placeshifter will allow you to watch any recorded TV (I guess recorded via another Sage TV app, rather than Media Center files, which aren’t automatically backed up by WHS) on another home computer in your house. I’m really hoping the forthcoming Media Center beta (codenamed “Fiji”) will have some kind of similar functionality to work within the WHS ecosystem - I’d much rather use it than Sage TV.

So, lots on offer for the WHS launch, it seems - no release dates or costs just yet, but I’ll keep checking….