Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 is getting closer and closer to the first public Beta finish line, but is not quite there yet. Microsoft failed to reveal the deadline for the delivery of Power Pack 1 for Windows Home Server, and only pointed to early June for availability. Well, the public beta program for Power Pack 1 is just about to debut, as the Redmond company revealed to future testers the next stage in the evolution of Windows Home Server.

"We're getting ready for Power Pack 1 Public Beta, are you?" reads an excerpt out of an email sent to Windows Home Server testers, according to Winsupersite. "We request your participation in a quick three-question survey to help us understand how many people will participate in the beta." The survey is hosted over at Microsoft Connect, but it is available only to the testers that have already been accepted in the Windows Home Server Beta program.

Power Pack 1 is just a label for the first minor update for Windows Home Server. According to Microsoft, Power Packs are nothing than mere equivalents of the more traditional Service Packs. At this point in time, over 2,000 testers have downloaded the Windows Home Server Evaluation Edition waiting for the public beta for Power Pack 1 to drop. The next development milestone for the operating systems comes after approximately a month of private beta testing.

The promise is that Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 will deliver enhanced remote access and backup capabilities, including the new Windows Home Server Data Backup feature, as well as full support for Windows Vista SP1 and the 64-bit version of the Client Connector and, last but definitely not least, a fix for a data corruption bug.

"There is still time to download it and complete installation, so act now! Also, please download and review the Power Pack 1 Release Documentation available on the Windows Home Server connect site or at the link below. It will help you to get prepared for the upcoming beta and learn more about what is included in Power Pack 1," it is added in the email.