Windows Home Server PowerPack 1 Ships

Microsoft will announce on Monday the immediate availability of Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 (PP1), a major functional update to the company's home server product. PP1 adds new functionality and fixes a long-time data corruption bug that briefly tarnished the product's reputation.

"This is great news for customers," Joel Sider, a senior product manager from the Windows Home Server team told me in a recent briefing. "Not only are we resolving the data corruption issue, we're also add some useful new features, such as 64-bit client support, shared folder backup on the server, and several remote access improvements."

PP1 will be delivered by a free Web download beginning Monday and will be automatically pushed out to home servers via Windows Update beginning in August, Sider said. A separate HP update, aimed at that company's popular MediaSmart Server, will ship concurrently with PP1 and provide McAfee-based anti-virus and anti-malware functionality and PacketVideo streaming media support.

Microsoft is also updating the Windows Home Server software development kit (SDK) for PP1, providing add-on developers with access to the server's new capabilities.

More information about PP1 will be found later today at the Windows Home Server team blog. I will be updating my Windows Home Server information on the SuperSite for Windows later today as well.