14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is gearing up to make available the second Power Pack for Windows Home Server. Unlike the first major refresh of the Redmond company's home server, PP2 will be nothing more than a minor update, the software giant informed. At the end of the past week, Microsoft provided information pointing to the availability of Windows Home Server Power Pack 2 tomorrow, March 24, 2009. The company provided the info in the “Description of Software Update Services and Windows Server Update Services changes in content for 2009” KB article, according to MSWHS.
The KB article revealed that Windows Home Server PP2 was scheduled for delivery through Windows Update, Microsoft Update and Automatic Updates. Since the KB became public, the software giant has removed all references to Power Pack 2. At the same time, there is no telling whether this move impacts the PP's release schedule, or if merely the company doesn't want to spill the beans too early. Microsoft has failed to confirm in any manner an official deadline for Windows Home Server Power Pack 2.
Back at the start of January 2009, Todd Headrick, the product planner for the Microsoft Windows Home Server, revealed, “There is indeed another "minor release" in development and it will be called Windows Home Server Power Pack 2. For those who care about codenames - this is Windows Home Server Code Name "Snoqualmie" or SnoQ as everybody on the team calls it. Beta is NDA only.”
Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 was released to manufacturing, and subsequently made available for download in July 2008. Unlike traditional Windows client and server operating systems, the home server platform receives its major updates not as Service Packs but as Power Packs, combinations of new features and bug fixes, along with the natural evolution in performance and stability.
Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 is available for download here.