Microsoft Releases Second Power Pack For Windows Home Server

Microsoft has finally released Windows Home Server Power Pack 2 which is a free package that significantly improves WHS's core set of features especially and will be available as a Windows Update.

In a statement released on the Windows Home Server blog, the WHS team said that the current service pack would improvement remote access configuration, enhance functionality for PCs running Windows Media center and make content streaming support for Windows Media Center Extenders better.

Windows Home Server is essentially a more media friendly server operating system that allows home users to back up, access, share, and store content in a centralised vault. Interestingly, it also spawned a flourishing ecosystem of plugins with more than 100 third-party add-ins already available.

Users will need Windows Home Server with Power Pack 1 installed on their home servers before installing Power Pack 2. Microsoft Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 can be purchased from for as little as £73 and comes in a 1 server - 10 Client Access Licenses.

The next version of Windows Home Server, codenamed Vail, is expected to be a 64-bit only server, based on Windows Server 2008 R2 and could well be Microsoft's first 64-bit only consumer product. It is scheduled to be launched next year and will come with a rehauled user interface.

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