In our Clear Choice Test of Microsoft's latest version of its file-pinching network-attached storage software - dubbed Windows Storage Server R2 - we found it to be fast, difficult to misconfigure, highly efficient and a useful storage operating system for both local drop-and-add NAS boxes and branch-office storage devices.

Overall, we found this version of Storage Server contains several features especially suited to branch operations, including sparse file management, reduction of redundant files and an extremely proficient backup mechanism.

Windows 2003 Storage Server R2, released last month, cannot be purchased directly by consumers, but is sold as part of an OEM NAS appliance. We tested OEM samples of this code from HP and Dell. The software is sold to OEMs in four iterations: Express, Workgroup, Standard and Enterprise.

The Dell product tested was a large desktop server unit; the HP NAS box came in a 1U rack server. The Dell unit ran Windows Storage Server R2 Standard Edition, which supports all features; the HP box supported Wordgroup Edition of the Microsoft software. The Workgroup edition can report itself as an Standard Edition, so check which version you're getting, or you're in for surprises.

WINDOWS STORAGE SERVER R2 WINDOWS 2003 STORAGE SERVER R2 Microsoft

4.13

HP (starts at $2,500), Dell (starts at $2,500). Pros: Very efficient NAS, easy drop-and-add features, very good feature set to match Windows networks. Cons: Needs administrative tuning features; not really non-Windows client-friendly. The breakdown Installation/integration 25% 4* Scoring Key: 5: Exceptional 4: Very good 3: Average 2: Below average 1: Subpar or not available Management/administration 25% 4 Performance 25% 4.5 Security 25% 4 TOTAL SCORE 4.13

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This software uses two main methods to achieve far higher efficiency in storing and transmitting file information: Single Instance Storage (SIS), which reduces identical instances of files to a single file with appropriate stubs or place holders for other copies; and its function that records delta-only file changes. We tested these functions discretely and in combination with another feature of the software - enhanced Distributed File System (DFS) - for failover and availability.

The SIS service, which is not supported in either the Express or Workgroup versions, reduces file duplication across multiple machines. It runs in the NAS server and monitors files being written to the server. Once the first instance of a file is stored on a Windows-based NAS appliance, subsequent identical files aren't stored there; file stubs pointing to the initial copy of the file are stored in their place. This yields a great savings in server space.

For organizations that use the Windows-based NAS box to store many unique personal documents, the savings will be small. However, organizations that launch a static fleet of applications from network resources will see a comparatively dramatic reduction in the overall displacement of these kinds of files, in our testing more than a 90% space savings.