Windows Home Server

Windows Home Server enables families with multiple PCs to organize, share, and automatically protect documents, photos, music, and videos. Windows Home Server supports third-party applications and enables integration. Below you will find development guidance and additional resources.

What is a Windows Home Server software add-in? Add-ins are supplemental programs that extend the functionality of Windows Home Server. These applications can be added to and managed by Windows Home Server via integration into the Windows Home Server Console, running as a web service on Internet Information Server, or operating in a client/server fashion.

Step by Step: Developing an Add-in

You develop applications to run on Windows Home Server with APIs, both from Windows Home Server and Windows Server 2003. Specific guidance about APIs is available in the Windows Home Server SDK. To begin developing for Windows Home Server it is helpful to have an understanding of Visual Studio 2005, Visual C#, and Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0.

The following steps are intended as a check-list to guide you through the process of creating an add-in along with the appropriate technical resources available to you.

1. Evaluate Windows Home Server
   Order an evaluation version for review.
   
   • 120-day evaluation physical media
2. Review documentation
   
   • Windows Home Server Developer Guidelines: Guidelines for developers who are writing applications for Windows Home Server.
   • Windows Home Server SDK: Learn how to use the Windows Home Server application programming interface (API) to build applications.
   • Technical Briefs: Provides an in-depth look into various features and functionality of key Windows Home Server technologies. (Link goes to a list of download links.)
3. Develop your add-in
   The Programming Tutorial provides a basic introduction to the Windows Home Server API. There are three ways you can extend Windows Home Server:
   • Console Tab
   • Web Service
   • Client/Server
4. Publish and promote
   After you’ve created your add-in and tested it with Windows Home Server, you’ll want to let customers know more about it. Discover how to get listed on Windows Marketplace for commercial add-ins or listed with enthusiast-created add-ins.
   • Enthusiast add-ins