I was wondering when Microsoft would come out with a product like this. Paul Thurriot has a write up on it here. I disagree with this quote from Paul’s article: “[Microsoft product manager Todd] Headrick told me that people don’t do backups today because it’s too complicated and they don’t like to push buttons.” My experience with customers has been that they don’t do backup because they aren’t aware that hard drives do three things really well: read, write, and fail. Most non-geeks think that, once data is on a computer, it’ll be there forever. Unfortunately, a computer has mechanical parts and wears out just like your car does.

Setup is very simple, and WHS does an automatic backup of all computers (clients) connected to the same network the server is connected to once the Windows Home Server Connector application is installed on the client computer. This is the solution to many homes’ backup and media needs. I also see it as a solution to many small businesses’ backup problems, especially when combined with this technique. Small businesses with only three to seven computers usually don’t need the complexity of, and can’t afford to use ($consultant’s fees$) even Small Business Server. I’d like to try a beta - but there won’t be a public one. :-(

Way to go Microsoft!