Windows Server 2012 released!

Microsoft has release Windows Server 2012; it’s the start of something big with everything going to the Cloud and being a Cloud OS.

You can find the official blog post here.
Information on the different editions and pricing can be found here.

Together with this release, Microsoft has created a website where you can find all information; check it out here.

A trial version can be found here, check it out!

Windows Server Essentials 2012 isn’t part of this release; it’s still a Release Candidate.

Windows Server 2012 Essentials Release Candidate released…

Microsoft has released a new version of Windows Server Essentials; this is the release candidate which should be the last version before the final version.

You can download it here.

Major changes in the Release Candidate (from the SE Blog):

• Increased support for importing your own SSL certificates. Previously, customers had to do a lot of work to configure domains obtained in our domain wizard by using SSL certificates that were acquired outside of our domain wizard. We have now updated our wizard, which should make this process much simpler.
• Installation of only critical setup updates during setup. One of the things that all Microsoft teams care about is getting customers up and running as quickly as possible. With the RC release we have changed our logic to only install critical setup-related updates during setup time. This might not seem to be a big issue if you only occasionally install Windows Server 2012 Essentials, but to partners that install Windows Server 2012 Essentials often, this change will make setup faster and more predictable. Note that customers will continue to select the update strategy that they want to use after the server has been set up.
• Windows SBS Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) changes. We have updated the BPA rules to include the latest set of rules and have also made it possible to ignore specific BPA rules by using our UI.
• Office 365 changes. We have now made it easier to import existing Office 365 users into Windows Server 2012 Essentials.
• Verified DHCP supported. Windows Server 2012 Essentials supports turning on the DHCP role and setting a static IP address for the server.

If you want more information you can find it on the Server Essentials Blog.

Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing

Windows 8 has RTM’d and is now sent to OEM’s, it will be available on 15/08 for MSDN/Technet subscribers.
Now we’ll have to wait and see how home users/businesses will react to it, with its massive UI changes… will they love it or hate it…?

You can find details here.
And a post from Steven Sinofsky here.

Windows Server 2012 Essentials Localized versions

The localized versions of Windows Server Essentials are out. (Chinese (Simplified), German, French, Japanese)

You can find them here (just change the language combobox to the one you need):
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30327

Windows Server 2012 Essentials released…

It’s finally here and it has a new name…

In the past there were different products called SBS Standard, SBS Essentials, Windows Home Server.
Microsoft has tried to combine all of these and release it as one product.

There are  mixed feelings roaming the internet but the fact is that our beloved Windows Home Server is gone. :-/
And no home user will ever pay 425$ for the Server Essentials version.

Here you can find the different editions.
There is a Server Essentials Forum to share information/ask questions.
More information on the Microsoft website.
You can download it here.

Below are a few screenshots of the new Dashboard; taken from a fresh install.
The existing version of AutoExit for WHS/SBSe can be installed and should work.

Windows Server Essentials Dashboard – Home

Windows Server Essentials Dashboard – Users

Windows Server Essentials Dashboard – Devices

Windows Server Essentials Dashboard – Storage

Windows Server Essentials Dashboard – Applications

Windows Server Essentials Dashboard – AutoExit

Windows Server Essentials Settings – General

Windows Server Essentials Settings – Media

Windows Server Essentials Settings – Anywhere Access

.NET Version Detector 12 R2 Released!

.NET Version Detector has been updated.

The UI has been completely re-designed; it now shows which CLR the versions belong to, by grouping them together.
A list of the versions that are installed by default on each OS has also been added.

Go get it here: http://www.asoft.be/prod_netver.html

Windows Release Preview is out!

Microsoft has just released the Release Preview versions of the Windows 8 Client and Windows Server 2012:
You can find more information here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/iso
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/hh670538.aspx?wt.mc_id=TEC_108_1_3
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/31/delivering-the-windows-8-release-preview.aspx

Where can I find the WHS/SBSe log files and what do they contain?

There is a great post on the Small Business Server blog which describes the different log files, where they can be found and what functionality is writing into them.

Also note that a tool exists, which is called Windows Server Solutions Log Collector Tool and which is an efficient/easy way to collect all of the logs.
It can be downloaded here.

.NET Version Detector 12 released!

.NET Version Detector has been updated.
It now supports detecting .NET 4.5 and supports Windows 8.

Go get it here: http://www.asoft.be/prod_netver.html

Windows 8 & Windows Home Server

With the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 available you can start testing with W8 + WHS.

Issues exist between the two and the Windows Team has an extensive post on their blog explaining them + work arounds.
Have a look here for the details: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/windowshomeserver/archive/2012/03/25/connecting-windows-8-consumer-preview-with-windows-home-server.aspx

If you have problems; don’t hesitate to discuss them in the WHS forums or file bugs on the Connect site. (links are in the post on the Windows blog)