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Thread ID: 77415 2007-03-08 22:12:00 Windows Home Server SolMiester (139) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
531373 2007-03-15 17:12:00 Thanks for that Sol but can you elabortae on that a bit more?
Especially in relation to media streaming and SBS2003?

Thanks

C. Ali
Chemical Ali (118)
531374 2007-03-16 04:55:00 Bump (: Chemical Ali (118)
531375 2007-03-16 09:05:00 Probably just as well it is in beta then. I would imagine that your setup would potentially be similar to what a lot of home users will have but without your technical knowledge, SolMeister.

Err.. No. I went to a Microsoft conference on Wednesday where they were demonstrating this (amongst other cool things like Microsoft Softgrid). Windows Home Server is intended to be bought as part of a headless PC (i.e the box only) from a retail partner of Microsoft (eg. DSE, etc.). It is supposed to be plugged into the network, and adminstered over the home network, straight out of the box. As such, for most users it will be running on hardware which can support it, and not on old hardware.
somebody (208)
531376 2007-03-16 09:19:00 Thanks for the clarification somebody. :)
What does Microsoft Softgrid do?
winmacguy (3367)
531377 2007-03-16 09:58:00 Thanks for the clarification somebody. :)
What does Microsoft Softgrid do?

Kind of hard to explain. Have a read here: http://www.softricity.com/

It's basically a system that allows you to virtualise software running on a PC - for instance, a system admin at a large firm uses the Softgrid admin to set up a software app (for instance Microsoft Access) on the server. The client machine streams that app to the local machine, and does all the processing on the local machine, BUT it doesn't install. This means that if the software was to be updated, or you wanted to run 2 versions of Access simultaneously, you could without needing to install anything, or do complex packaging (you just stream the 2 versions off the server). It also means that since the software isn't installed, your PC is completely clean.

Its primarily aimed at system admins who have to deploy a single software application over hundreds of PCs - this way they don't have to install it on the computers, and updates are easy - they just update one image on the server.

I haven't really explained it too well unfortunately, but I hope what I've said sort of makes sense. If you have queries, email this guy: blogs.msdn.com as he was the person who did the presentation.
somebody (208)
531378 2007-03-16 10:18:00 Thanks for that somebody, it is not quite what I envisaged. I had pictured something like a bunch of PCs being easily connected to to perform a grid render or heavy duty scientific calculations or something.
So SoftGrid is more for remote access for PC admins to administer and perform assorted tasks with centralised applications.
winmacguy (3367)
531379 2007-03-16 17:29:00 Thanks for that somebody, it is not quite what I envisaged. I had pictured something like a bunch of PCs being easily connected to to perform a grid render or heavy duty scientific calculations or something.
So SoftGrid is more for remote access for PC admins to administer and perform assorted tasks with centralised applications.

Yeah - sort of - the idea is that admins don't need to remotely access PCs and install software - the user clicks on the program shortcut as though they were running a program which was installed on their PC, and it streams the latest image down from the server and runs that on a virtualised hardware layer without installing the particular program in question.
somebody (208)
531380 2007-03-16 23:11:00 Reurning to the original topic of this forum, I am looking forward to comparing the home entertainment server options from MS and Apple. winmacguy (3367)
531381 2007-03-17 03:52:00 i've just got an amd3000 with a 320gb hdd running xp pro quietly in the corner. no screen, keyboard, nothing. just a box with a hardrive and a lan cable.

i deliberatley steers clear of any software to manage it as it usually causes moer problems than it's worth
motorbyclist (188)
531382 2007-03-17 03:56:00 That is part of the reason why I am waiting to compare the "specialist" setups from both companies - considering that it will be new territory for MS and Apple's will be similar to the iTunes setup ( work on PC and Mac). winmacguy (3367)
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