14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has started offering a taste of the next major iteration of Windows MultiPoint Server
, with the Beta bits of the operating system now available for download.
Currently working on the successor of Windows MultiPoint Server 2010, the software giant is allowing early adopters to grab the Beta of Windows MultiPoint Server 2011.
Downloads are now live on Microsoft Connect, but early adopters interested in taking the platform out for a spin will need to fill in a survey first, and only then will they be permitted access to the actual Beta.
Softpedia readers might remember that Windows MultiPoint Server 2010 RTM was offered to customers worldwide in February 2010.
For those unfamiliar with the OS, Windows MultiPoint Server is designed to allow multiple thin clients to connect to a single server hub and act like they are individual PCs, even though, in reality, they are not.
The offering is geared toward educational organizations that are struggling to provide students with the necessary number of computers, informed Dean Paron, Product Unit Manager for Windows MultiPoint Server.
“Now, schools around the world are using Windows MultiPoint Server in their classrooms, labs and libraries to give students the experience of using the latest Windows technology that will help prepare them for the workforce,” Paron stated.
“Teachers and students are finding Windows MultiPoint Server to be a great way to collaborate with each other on school projects and experience Windows 7 and the power it brings to help them teach and learn.
“Education institutions, and other organizations such as non-profits and charities, are taking advantage of the benefits of Windows MultiPoint Server, such as a lower total cost of IT ownership, and easier setup, management and use.”
Of course, Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 brings to the table a number of enhancements designed to kick the offering up a notch.
Paron reveals that the Redmond company has tapped existing customers for feedback and built Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 in accordance with the input it received.
Paron also chooses to highlight no less than six of the new changes that are coming in Windows MultiPoint Server 2011:
“1. Desktop thumbnails that make it easier for teachers to orchestrate activities across the classroom, see what students are working on, and interact with student sessions.
2. Support for connecting thin clients over the LAN. This allows for virtually unlimited distances between stations.
3. The ability to string multiple MultiPoint Server “pods” and manage them from a unified MultiPoint Manager console. Great for labs and libraries where there are a large number of stations in a single place.
4. Split screen capabilities at each user station. Turn one screen into two separate stations for a new way of collaborative learning between students.
5. An ISV extensibility model based on a common SDK with the next versions of Windows Small Business Server and Windows Home Server, which enables ISVs such as learning and classroom management providers to integrate with MultiPoint Server.
6. Support for domain join to integrate Windows MultiPoint Server with your existing Active Directory infrastructure.”
Customers that want to deploy Windows MultiPoint Server as soon as possible best look at the 2010 version of the OS.
Those that want to test the platform, can download Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 Beta free of charge from Microsoft, and plan ahead for adoption in the coming year.