Microsoft to Release Windows Home Server?

[Jason Dunn]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=176

"Microsoft is definitely going to talk — at long last — about its plans for Windows Home Server (code-named "Quattro") at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, according to my sources. But what will this product be? That's still murky. Will it be based on the Windows Server core? Or be some kind of Windows-Vista-based system? Or more of a package of Vista Ultimate plus some Media Center Extenders, plus a router? Will the Windows Home Server systems be AMD-based? Intel-based? I've heard from a couple of folks that, contrary to initial belief, Windows Home Server will be a Vista-based system, not a Windows Server-based one."

I first heard about this product back in November, but didn't know anything more than the name. As we get closer to the launch at CES, I'm amazed that nothing more than the name has been leaked - this has to be a record for Microsoft! If it's what I think it is - a centralized, simple to use Windows Vista product designed to serve as a repository for all digital data in the home, it could be a real hit. But so much depends on the pricing and functionality - I've been looking at TeraStation Home Server as one solution, since I'm frustrated with how sluggish and buggy my Maxtor NAS is. I'm hoping to see some good solutions at CES next week.

[Jason Dunn]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=176

"Microsoft is definitely going to talk — at long last — about its plans for Windows Home Server (code-named "Quattro") at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, according to my sources. But what will this product be? That's still murky. Will it be based on the Windows Server core? Or be some kind of Windows-Vista-based system? Or more of a package of Vista Ultimate plus some Media Center Extenders, plus a router? Will the Windows Home Server systems be AMD-based? Intel-based? I've heard from a couple of folks that, contrary to initial belief, Windows Home Server will be a Vista-based system, not a Windows Server-based one."

I first heard about this product back in November, but didn't know anything more than the name. As we get closer to the launch at CES, I'm amazed that nothing more than the name has been leaked - this has to be a record for Microsoft! If it's what I think it is - a centralized, simple to use Windows Vista product designed to serve as a repository for all digital data in the home, it could be a real hit. But so much depends on the pricing and functionality - I've been looking at TeraStation Home Server as one solution, since I'm frustrated with how sluggish and buggy my Maxtor NAS is. I'm hoping to see some good solutions at CES next week.

[cameron]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

I've been looking at TeraStation Home Server as one solution, since I'm frustrated with how sluggish and buggy my Maxtor NAS is.

Jason - just some feedback on the Terastation.

I picked one up a couple of weeks ago - and haven't been completely happy with it. A few issues:

- Transfer speeds are not what I expected. Apparently the processor isn't quite up to speed.
- FTP issues. I was hoping to use the Terastation as my FTP server, however there's an incompatibility between the Terastation and my router (Linksys WRT54G) that results in port forwarding not working.
- Networking problems. I'm not a networking guy - but this one had me baffled. When I initially hooked it up for testing, it was in my living room downstairs. The wired connection in the living room comes from a hub, which then goes up to the router. Worked fine. When I then moved it up to my upstairs office and plugged it directly into the router - no go. I couldn't ping it, it basically didn't exist. I had to go pickup another hub that just sits between the Terastation and my router.
- Random drops. I've found that if I'm transferring a lot of files, I have to use FTP (this is on my internal network) as opposed to mapping a network drive. If I map a network drive I'll periodically get a connection error that blows up the whole transfer.

The only positive is that I've now put a hacked firmware on it and loaded the twonkyvision media server - so the Terastation is now my media server.

[Jason Dunn]

Thanks for the feedback Cameron! That's all very good to know. The performance issue has me spooked - I really need something high-performance. This is the other unit I was looking at:

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/...nkstation-pro/

It's supposed to be quite fast...but there's no RAID. :-(

The FTP thing sucks, I have the same router and need the FTP to work, so that's a deal-breaker for me. Damn.

[cameron]

Here's a link for you - Small net Builder NAS Charts

I find that using my wired 100mbps network at home that I get anywhere from 4-6mbps - I guess I was just hoping for more.

The ftp problem is a killer for me also - if I can't figure out how to address it soon I may be picking up a new router.

[bcre8v2]

I am running both a Maxtor NAS 500GB and a Buffalo Terastation.

The Maxtor (10/100) is as slow as dickens (for my needs), but we still store our shared files (pic's, movies, etc) on it.

The Terastation (10/100/1000) is typically performing between 7 and 8 MBps (56 to 64 Mbps) via ftp and 75% of that throughput for Windows mapped drive even though it's plugged into a GB Switch.

I have disabled the Media Centers (Buffalo calls theirs PCast) on both devices as I found way too much chatty network noise with this enabled.

The best throughput I get is with an old IBM Thinkpad with an external USB drive connected.

Cameron's link to the NAS review is timely as cheap NAS cases seem be the next rage.

-Steve

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by cameron

Here's a link for you - Small net Builder NAS Charts

Wow, great find! The Linkstation Pro is indeed quite fast. I've had my eye on the D-Link for a while, it looks like a good bet for something reasonably fast with RAID1:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/29671/75/

Moving a 2.6 GB file from one XP-based PC to a Windows Vista-based PC, both machines connected over Netgear Gigabit routers, I'm seeing speeds around 6.2 MBps (49.6 mbps). I'm not smart enough to grasp the whole "large frames" issue though. ;-)

Just for fun, while that 2.6 GB file was transferring, I kicked off a 2.2 GB file transfer from my Maxtor NAS - I got 490 KB/s. After the first transfer was finished, the Maxtor NAS got much faster - 3.27 MB/s - but still obviously slower than a machine to machine transfer. I see on the chart that's pretty much at the bottom of the pack.

Originally Posted by cameron

I find that using my wired 100mbps network at home that I get anywhere from 4-6mbps - I guess I was just hoping for more.

4-6 mbps (megabit)? Or 4-6 MBps (megabyte)? Because 4-6 mbps isn't very fast at all. 4-6 MBps seems in line with what the chart you referenced above says. I wonder why they don't test over gigabit?

Originally Posted by cameron

The ftp problem is a killer for me also - if I can't figure out how to address it soon I may be picking up a new router.

Does Buffalo recognize this as their problem though, and are they trying to fix it? I guess the good news is that a new router is dirt cheap.

[cameron]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

4-6 mbps (megabit)? Or 4-6 MBps (megabyte)? Because 4-6 mbps isn't very fast at all. 4-6 MBps seems in line with what the chart you referenced above says. I wonder why they don't test over gigabit?

Doh! I always forget to reference which one I'm talking about. I actually get 4-6MBps. While it is in line with their charted speeds for the Terastation - it's still significantly slower than some of the other products tested. Maybe I just had un-realistic expectations however.

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

Does Buffalo recognize this as their problem though, and are they trying to fix it? I guess the good news is that a new router is dirt cheap.

I haven't contacted them yet - but from what I've read on other forums they've been told that its an issue numerous times but basically won't acknowledge it. I also really don't want to get a new router - as I'm very comfortable with this one and find that it's a fantastic home router - especially with the DD-WRT hacked firmware installed.

EDIT - just fired off an online support request - we'll see what comes back.

[aroma]

I've been using this Lacie product for a while now to serve up my media. I have a large photo library, entire music library and 250-300 DVDs stored on this little beauty, and while I don't have any hard numbers, I've been quite pleased with the performance I've gotten out of it.