14 DAY TRIAL // Customers looking to buy appliances designed to run the next major iteration of Windows Home Server won’t be able to get HP machines, Microsoft confirmed officially. It appears that Hewlett-Packard has decided to discontinue their MediaSmart Server line. This obviously also impacts the HP MediaSmart Servers which were offered to customers with the first version of Windows Home Server.
Furthermore, it appears that HP has no plans to bring to the market any new servers designed to run the existing or future version of Windows Home Server.
“HP has told us they do not plan to provide a platform for Windows Home Server code name “Vail”. HP has told us they will continue to sell the existing version of MediaSmart Server through the end of the calendar year 2010 and will honor service and support agreements,” revealed a member of the Windows Home Server Team.
Some users might still remember that HP was Microsoft’s main partners when it came down to bringing the first Windows Home Server machines to the market.
In fact, a lot of the marketing efforts around Windows Home Server’s launch were focused on the new HP MediaSmart Servers.
Microsoft denied that this announcement is connected in any way to the software giant’s recent decision to amputate Drive Extender from Windows Home Server Codename “Vail.” Furthermore, the Redmond company underlined that it continues to have strong support from original equipment manufacturers that will ship new servers with Windows Home Server Codename “Vail.”
“Vail will have a big impact on the home media environment, providing an easy streaming and seamless digital file sharing experience for consumers, and Acer is excited to be alongside Microsoft delivering on this goal,” noted Gianpiero Morbello, Acer Group Corporate Vice President Marketing & Brand.
“We are entirely committed to the future of Windows Home Server V1 and V2,” added D J Thompson, Managing Director of Tranquil PC, “We will also ensure that there is a suitable transition path from V1 to V2 for our existing and new clients.”
But even though HP’s decision to retire the MediaSmart Server line might not be related to the cutting of Drive Extender from Vail, I cannot help it but wonder whether the commercial success, or lack thereof, of HP MediaSmart Servers running Windows Home Server might be behind it.
Microsoft hasn’t release any statistics illustrating the adoption level of Windows Home Server, and it would be interesting to see just how many MediaSmart Servers with Home server did HP actually managed to sell.