Pros: Very seamless integration with other windows PC's. Performs backups very efficiently (better than any third party product i've ever found). Does very good network announcements so workstations on your LAN should never have a problem finding the system and browsing it (which is far far faster than the Ubuntu/Redhat servers i'm used to using at home). With PowerPack2 (free update from update.microsoft.com) there is a newer generation remote access web front end and other tweaks for Windows 7. As a serious MS basher, I've had to eat a lot of crow about WHS. Note: Most users who are having problems that i've seen either A.) Are trying to use RAID because they didn't read about DiskExtender or the other whitepapers about why RAID doesn't work worth a darn for Grandma at home and there are newer (raid is 20 yrs old now!) technologies that work just fine -or- B.) don't have compatible hardware and are having driver loading problems.

Cons: Cons: General Version 1.0 look and feel stuff- The remote web access is less tweakable than I want it but this is something that is supposed to be specifically addressed in PowerPack2 Aftermarket/tweaker friendlyness- It is only sold OEM (there is NO retail for those who keep saying "i wish i bought retail"). I wish there was a packaged version that had more desktop style drivers in it but I completely understand why they didn't do that. Most newegg people can build a junker PC to use as a home server and have it not breakdown all the time (which is a big no no in the server market). However the average BigBox shopper can't, not even close, so they get HP or Acer, etc to do the front end work and many of then tailor it (like HP) by adding feature such as native MacOS backup (only on the HP vers) or native iTunes streaming (which you can add yourself later to the OEM version). That said, Microsoft isn't dumb, there is a reason they sell a lot of OEM copies to Newegg to resell (duh!)

Overall Review: I've been a server admin for 15 years. At first I struggled with the whole "why no raid!" (I bought a sata raid card & ditched it after I read the engineering paper on WHY they didn't go with raid). I also struggled with the whole "Why can't I tweak it to death like I can my linux boxes" (which I still love my linux boxes don't get me wrong, I run 1000+ linux servers for a living). I then realized something. After installing the product my wife NEVER asked where the printer driver was and how to find the pictures from the TV-PC or her laptop. She never asked "did the backup break again".. not once. I then realized, what I wanted was something that just ran, all my pc's connected to seamlessly , and my wife/kid had NO problem working with. i.e. I don't want to have to bea sysadmin at work & at home. If you are a constant tweaker stay away if you just want a reliable smart home-tuned system buy this and throw it on a junker PC (after checking compat.), it kicks every NAS's rear