Thursday, August 19, 2010

Our first Aurora add-in, which also works on Vail

Looks like our first Aurora add-in has shown its head!  the AWIECO RemoteLauncher.  If you want to try add-ins, then go ahead and try this one out.

The AWIECO RemoteLauncher add-in for Small Business Server "Aurora" and Windows Home Server "Vail" Beta Refresh is a free and useful add-in, which gives you more administrative possibilities to manage your SBS or WHS remotely. With this add-in you have access to predefined System Tools like

RemoteLauncher

  • Windows Explorer
  • Command line
  • Event Viewer
  • Services
  • Control Panel
  • Computer Manager
  • Device Manager
  • Registry Editor
  • Task Manager
on your Small Business or Home Server directly over the Dashboard. If you need other tools and applications to run over the Dashboard, you can simply add them by a right mouse click. Through this add-in, you can start applications installed on your Server from your client.

Dana Epp – SBS MVP and Security Expert talks about Remote Access and security precautions to take

Dana Epp on Five by 5–Securing Remote Access

Dana covers important topics about what you can do to give your employees remote access, while at the same time ensuring the security to your network is maintained.  Learn more about Dana’s AuthAnvil program at Scorpion Software.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Try out Windows Server Codename “Aurora” and a new version of Windows Server Codename “Vail”

Today is a special day, because not one, but TWO products make it to public beta.  The Small Business Server mystery sku known as “Aurora” and the next public beta of the Home Server sku, known as “Vail”.  It’s official once it’s on the official blog!

Vail, you’re probably familiar with (if not just a little bit) as it’s been in public beta for a while, but this version has more stuff!  For example, you can now change users passwords, or set a password policy, or even change the password of the home server!  An a lot of the bugs and reports that you, our beta testers have submitted, are now fixed

Aurora is the new server, you’re probably not familiar with

Windows Server Code Name "Aurora"

Aurora is a light weight version that provides the essentials of what a business needs.  You know, data security, protection, backup, access.  All that good stuff.  You might notice that Vail and Aurora have similar consoles, that’s on purpose.  The base platform of the system is similar in nature, but Aurora uses the Active Directory to store it’s users so you can have that single sign-on and user management experience you’ve become familiar with in a business.  It also has shares, and PC backup, and the familiar remote access webpage, now coined “Remote Web Access”.

I’m planning on a series of posts over the next week to get you acquainted with “Aurora”, but for now, you should get started!

As always, Aurora is available over on the Microsoft Connect Website, and so is Vail.  Remember to test it out, beat it up, and file those bugs.  Now’s the time to make sure your business or customer’s business can be fully operational on Aurora, so let us know if it’s not, we want to hear from you!

More details about Vail public preview 2

More details about Aurora public preview