A recent update for Windows XP Embedded (XPe) adds new features and includes patches for bugs in the embedded tools and the Windows XP Professional components that developers use to create an embeddable version of Windows XP. Microsoft also announced that, contrary to previously stated plans, it will not release a componentized, embeddable version of Windows .NET Server; instead, it will componentize the next version of Windows server (originally code-named Longhorn, but Longhorn appears to be the next Windows client and Blackcomb the codename for the next Windows server). Until Blackcomb, developers will have to use an updated version of the Server Appliance Kit to build Windows-powered server appliances such as Network Attached Storage devices.

Windows XPe SP1

Windows XPe is a componentized version of Windows XP that Microsoft created to spur the use of Windows as an operating system (OS) for appliances or networked devices, such as point-of-storage devices or sale kiosks. With Windows Embedded Studio, the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Windows XPe, a developer can choose only the Windows XP components that a smart device and its application will need, thereby controlling both the size of the image and the functionality exposed by the device. This allows developers to exploit their knowledge of existing hardware, software, applications, and Windows development to get smart devices to market quickly and inexpensively. (For more information on XPe and componentization, see "Release of XPe Shows Value of OS Components" on page 12 of the Feb. 2002 Update.)

The first update to Windows XPe is called Service Pack 1 (SP1) and contains substantial new embedded-specific features, as well as patches for bugs in the tools and the Windows XP SP1 components that developers use to create an embeddable image. (For more information on the tools and building an image, see "Second Windows XP Embedded Beta Released" on page 9 of the Oct. 2001 Update.)

New embedded features. XPe SP1 includes new features that enhance the capabilities of XPe-based embeddable images, and make it easier for developers to build these images. For example:

• Remote Boot Service allows an embedded device without persistent storage (such as a hard drive) to download the embedded OS image for execution when the device boots from the network.
• Device Update Agent allows an embedded device to periodically find, download, and install any update it needs, without user intervention.
• System Deployment Image Manager is a tool that makes it easier for a developer to automatically stage or install tested embedded OS images on the targeted embedded devices.

XP component updates. XPe SP1 also includes updates to the actual Windows XP components potentially used in XPe embeddable images, such as:

• The .NET platform, including the Common Language Runtime (CLR) and class libraries, which allows developers to write applications and Web services based on the .NET Framework that will execute on their smart device
• Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), which increases the range of IP addresses that can be assigned to devices
• WinHTTP Service, a high-level programmatic interface to HTTP that facilitates server-to-server communications using standard Internet protocols.

SP1 does include some video and television-related components, but does not include all the components included in the recently released Windows XP Media Center edition, or any components such as the inking technology included in the recently released Windows XP Tablet PC edition.

XPe patches. In addition to the new features, Windows XPe SP1 includes patches for bugs in both the Windows Embedded Studio and the Windows XP components. Determining the exact number of patches is difficult, as many are provided as cumulative patches to implement fixes to services, such as the Internet Information Service (IIS), or applications, such as Internet Explorer (IE) and Windows Media Player. Many of the cumulative patches fix Windows XP security bugs and vulnerabilities for which Microsoft has issued a security bulletin, but others simply repair bugs to the developer tools, dependency information, or online (help-based) documentation.

The Componentized Server Postponed

Microsoft had previously committed to release a component-driven embeddable version of Windows .NET Server within 90 days of the release of the retail server version, but has now postponed this plan by tying the release of a componentized server to the release of the post-Windows .NET server version. Initially, the post-Windows .NET Server release, which was to resynchronize with the Windows client (Windows XP) was codenamed Longhorn, but it appears Longhorn will be solely a client release, and Blackcomb will be the subsequent server release. It is unknown when Blackcomb will be released. (For information on a realistic Windows release schedule, see "A Fork in the Road to Longhorn?" on page 7 of the Nov. 2002 Update.)

Microsoft says it is not releasing a componentized version of Windows .NET Server because the Server Appliance Kit, which does not offer the same configuration flexibility or granularity, currently offers all the functionality and footprint needs of OEMs and developers that are building server-based smart devices today. Microsoft's reasoning seems to be that if developers are concerned with minimizing the size of the embedded image or tightly controlling the feature set of an embedded server device and this is more important than time-to-market, then they can use either Windows CE .NET or Windows XPe and then add or develop any additional server functions that their applications need.

Availability and Resources

For more information on XPe, see www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/xp/default.asp.

For a list of the Quick Fix Engineering (QFE) updates in XPe SP1, see www.microsoft.com/windows/Embedded/xp/downloads/updates/default.asp.

For information on obtaining XPe SP1 from a distributor, see www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/xp/howtobuy/default.asp.

For information on the Server Appliance Kit (SAK), see www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/sak/default.asp.