Windows Home Server Privacy Statement

Published: April 2009

Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy statement explains data collection and use practices of the Microsoft Windows Home Server ("Windows Home Server"); it does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft sites, products or services. By accessing the software, you are consenting to the information collection and use practices described in this privacy statement.

Windows Home Server lets you store and share music, photos and other files from the home computers on your network on the server. By default, Windows Home Server will routinely back up information on your server from the computers on your network that have the Windows Home Server Connector software installed. Computer users on your network will also have the ability to transfer files from their computer to the Windows Home Server for storage in personal or shared folders. None of this information is sent to Microsoft by Windows Home Server.

Collection and use of your personal information

The personal information we collect from you will be used by Microsoft and its controlled subsidiaries and affiliates to provide the service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized, and may also be used to request additional information on feedback that you provide about the product or service that you are using; to provide important notifications regarding the software; to improve the product or service, for example bug and survey form inquiries; or to provide you with advance notice of events or to tell you about new product releases.

Except as described in this statement, personal information you provide will not be transferred to third parties without your consent. We occasionally hire other companies to provide limited services on our behalf, such as packaging, sending and delivering purchases and other mailings, answering customer questions about products or services, processing event registration, or performing statistical analysis of our services. We provide those companies the minimum personal information they need to deliver the service, and they are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose.

Microsoft may disclose personal information about you if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with the law or legal process served on Microsoft; (b) protect and defend the rights of Microsoft (including enforcement of our agreements); or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, users of Microsoft software or services, or members of the public.

Personal information collected by Microsoft software, sites and services may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents maintain facilities, and by using Microsoft software, sites or services, you consent to any such transfer of information outside of your country. Microsoft abides by the safe harbor framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of data from the European Union.

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Collection and use of information about your computer

Internet enabled features in software will send information about your computer ("standard computer information") to the websites you visit and web services you use. This information is generally not personally identifiable. Standard computer information typically includes certain information about your computer software and hardware, such as your IP address, operating system version, Web browser version, your hardware ID (which indicates the device manufacturer, device name and version), and your regional and language settings. If a particular Windows Home Server feature, software or service sends information to Microsoft, standard computer information will be sent as well. The privacy details for each Windows Home Server feature listed in this privacy statement describe what additional information is collected and how it is used.

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Security of your information

Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. For example, when you access your server remotely, Windows Home Server helps protect the information stored on your server through the use of server authentication and encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

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For more information

If you have questions about this privacy statement, please contact us by using our web form.

Microsoft Privacy
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, Washington 98052

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Specific features

The remainder of this document will address the following specific features:

Activation

What This Feature Does:

Microsoft asks that you activate Windows Home Server so that we may verify that your installation is done with a genuine Microsoft product. When you activate Windows Home Server, you are not required to send any contact information to Microsoft, such as your name or e-mail address.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

During activation of this software, product key information is sent to Microsoft along with a hardware hash, which is a non-unique number generated from the computer's hardware configuration. The hardware hash does not represent any personal information or information about the software. The hardware hash cannot be used to determine the make or model of the computer and it cannot be backward calculated to determine any additional information about your computer. Standard computer information is also sent.

Use of Information:

Microsoft uses the information to confirm that you have a licensed copy of the software, and then it is aggregated for statistical analysis. Microsoft does not use the information to identify you or contact you.

Choice/Control:

Activation is mandatory and must be completed within a predefined grace period. If you choose not to activate the software, you cannot use it after the grace period expires. If the software is not correctly licensed, you will not be able to activate it.

Important Information:

Windows can detect and tolerate changes to your PC configuration. Minor upgrades will not require re-activation. If you completely overhaul your PC you may be required to activate Windows again.

Computer Backup

What This Feature Does:

After you install the Windows Home Server Connector software to a computer on your network, Windows Home Server will automatically backup folders on the computer to the Windows Home Server by default.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

Folders on the client computer will be backed up to the Windows Home Server, including data files, system files and applications. Temporary files such as the system cache and the temp files will not be backed up. None of this information is sent to Microsoft.

Use of Information:

The contents of backed up folders are visible to all Windows Home Server administrators. The backup can be used to restore lost or corrupted files or entire volumes.

Choice/Control:

Backup is configurable in the Windows Home Server Console. To configure what volumes and folders are backed up, select the computer to configure in the Computers & Backup tab. Then click the "Configure Backup" button to configure backups for this computer.

Important Information:

When encrypted folders or files are included in the backup, they will remain encrypted.

Customer Experience Improvement Program

What This Feature Does:

The Customer Experience Improvement Program ("CEIP") collects basic information about your hardware configuration and how you use our software and services to identify trends and usage patterns. CEIP also collects the type and number of errors you encounter, software and hardware performance, and the speed of services. We will not collect your name, address, or other contact information.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

CEIP reports generally consist of information about your Windows Home Server and the computers connected to it on your network, including:

Configuration, such as which version of Windows the server is running, the storage capacity of your server, whether a monitor is connected to your server, how many clients the server is backing up and how many user accounts are on the server. Configuration information about the client computers connected to your Windows Home Server are included in reports as well, such as which versions of Windows the clients are running, whether the clients use Windows Update and whether the clients' Windows firewalls are turned on or off.

Performance and reliability, such as the number of milliseconds spent backing up the client computers to the server and whether backups have succeeded.

Program use, such as whether certain features have been used, the number of shared folders on the server and the number of files backed up from the client computers.

CEIP also generates a globally unique identifier (GUID) that is stored on your computer and sent with CEIP reports to uniquely identify your computer. The GUID is a randomly generated number that does not contain personal information. When CEIP reports are sent to Microsoft, standard computer information is also sent.

Use of Information:

We use this information to improve the quality, reliability, and performance of Microsoft software and services.

Choice/Control:

CEIP is off by default. You are offered the opportunity to participate in CEIP during setup. You can change your CEIP settings at any time by doing the following:

  1. In the Windows Home Server Console, click the Settings button.

  2. To turn CEIP off, in the Customer Experience Improvement section of the General settings page, check or un-check the Customer Experience Improvement check box.

  3. To turn CEIP on, in the Customer Experience Improvement section of the General settings page, check the Customer Experience Improvement check box.

  4. Select OK.

Shared Folders

What This Feature Does:

Shared Folders allows you to store content on shared folders on the Windows Home Server. By default, shared folders are accessible to other users, computers and devices on your network. Shared folders can also be accessed by Remote Access users.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

The content in Shared Folders is stored on your Windows Home Server and can be accessed from other computers and devices.

Use of Information:

No Shared Folder content is sent to Microsoft.

Choice/Control:

The Windows Home Server administrator has read-write access to all content in Shared Folders. The Windows Home Server administrator can grant or revoke a user's access to specific shared folders through the Windows Home Server Console. The default set of users who have access to a Shared Folder varies by type of Shared Folder. For example, by default, all users on your network have read-write access to shared folders and no access to other users' personal shared folder.

Windows Home Server Drive Extender

What This Feature Does:

Windows Home Server Drive Extender allows you to keep multiple copies of the shared folder content on your home server. If your server has multiple hard drives, this features helps safeguard your data in the event of a single hard drive failure.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

Windows Home Server Drive Extender makes multiple copies of the shared folders content specified by the Windows Home Server administrator. By default, all shared folders are duplicated if the server has multiple hard drives. None of this content is sent to Microsoft.

Use of Information:

The Windows Home Server administrator has read-write access to all content in Shared Folders.

Choice/Control:

The Windows Home Server administrator can enable or disable Windows Home Server Drive Extender duplication for any shared folder through the Windows Home Serve Console. To do this, go to the "Shared Folders" tab, select a specific shared folder, and click Properties. In the Properties dialog, you can turn duplication on or off.

Important Information:

Duplication is on by default for all shared folders on home servers with more than one hard disk. Duplication is off by default for home servers with one hard disk.

Windows Desktop Search

What This Feature Does:

Windows Desktop Search automatically scans all files and folders stored on your Windows Home Server and builds an index of this content. This index can then be searched to find specific files or folders, specific words within files and folders, or specific metadata associated with files and folders.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

The index of your files and folders stored on your Windows Home Server can be searched by any Remote Access user through Windows Home Server Remote Access.

Use of Information:

The Windows Desktop Search index is not sent to Microsoft.

Choice/Control:

The Windows Home Server administrator can enable or disable Windows Home Server Drive Extender duplication for any shared folder through the Windows Home Serve Console. To do this, go to the "Shared Folders" tab, select a specific shared folder, and click Properties. In the Properties dialog, you can turn duplication on or off.

Windows Error Reporting

What This Feature Does:

The Windows Error Reporting feature allows you to report problems you may be having with Windows Home Server to Microsoft and to receive information that may help you get around or solve such problems.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

The Windows Error Reporting feature collects information about problems and errors that occur while your Windows Home Server is running. Reports contain information that is most useful for diagnosing and solving the problem that has occurred, such as where a problem happened in the software or hardware, type or severity of the problem and basic software and hardware information (such as operating system version and language, device models and manufacturers, or memory and hard disk size).

Error reports do not intentionally collect anyone's name, address, email address, computer name, or any information that will be used to identify you or contact you. It is possible that such information may be captured in memory or in the data collected from open files, but Microsoft does not use it to identify you.

In rare cases, such as problems that are especially difficult to solve, Microsoft may request additional data, including sections of memory (which may include memory shared by any or all applications running at the time the problem occurred), some registry settings, and one or more files from your computer. Your current documents may also be included. When additional data is requested, you can review the data and choose whether or not to send it.

Use of Information:

Microsoft uses the data it collects is for solving customer problems and improving our software and services.

Choice/Control:

You will be offered the opportunity to participate in Windows Error Reporting during setup. When you choose to enable it, Windows Error Reporting will automatically report problems you encounter to Microsoft. When Microsoft needs additional data to analyze the problem, you will be prompted to review the data and choose whether or not to send it. You can change your Windows Error Reporting settings at any time by:

  1. In the Windows Home Server Console, click the Settings button.

  2. In the Windows Error Reporting section of the General settings page, check or un-check the Windows Error Reporting check box.

  3. Select OK.

Important Information:

For more details on what information is collected and how it is used, see the Microsoft Error Reporting Service privacy information at go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=31490.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Important Information:

Windows Home Server includes Microsoft Windows Server 2003 software. For information about controlling the Internet-enabled features in Windows Server 2003, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=88333.

Registration

What This Feature Does:

Registration of your Windows Home Server is optional and can be done at any time.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

To complete the registration process, we will ask you to provide some information about yourself, such as your name, mailing address, and email address. In addition, we will automatically send some information about your computer, such as the computer name, computer manufacturer, and a portion of your product key. The partial product key information is used to identify the computer manufacturer and the channel you purchased your computer from. The partial product key cannot be used to uniquely identify your computer.

For more information about the privacy of your registration information, including how to update it, read the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement on the Microsoft website.

Choice/Control:

At any time, you can visit the Profile Center on the Microsoft.com Web site, click on Update Profile, and edit any of the personal information in your profile. You will also be able to indicate what kinds of communications you wish to receive from us.

Remote Access

What This Feature Does:

Remote Access allows authorized users to access the contents of your Windows Home Server from anywhere in the world using an Internet connection. Remote access also allows authorized users to connect to the Windows Home Server Console or Windows Home Server client computers on your network using Remote Desktop functionality.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

Connection settings are stored in a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) file. These settings include domain, and connection configuration settings such as color-bit depth. Credentials for these connections, as well as Terminal Server Proxy credentials, are stored by the credential manager in Windows Home Server. A list of trusted Terminal Server Gateway server names is stored in the registry. This list is stored permanently unless deleted by an administrator, and is not shared with third parties or other Windows components. None of this information is sent to Microsoft.

Use of Information:

Data is collected on your Windows Home Server so you can connect via Remote Access with your desired settings. This information is not sent to Microsoft.

Choice/Control:

Remote access is off by default and must be configured by a Windows Home Server Administrator before it can be used. Only users on the server that have remote access rights can use Remote Access. This is configured by the home server administrator.

Important Information:

All data sent over the Internet to enable Remote Access or during Remote Access is transmitted using an SSL connection. Users must be authorized to access the Windows Home Server remotely, and can only gain access to the client machines on which they have a user account.

Windows Home Server Power Pack 2 and Later

Windows Home Server periodically verifies that remote access is available to receive connections in order to help you identify and resolve problems with your Internet connection. The IP address of your network will be sent to Microsoft and a connectivity diagnostics service hosted by Microsoft will establish a test connection to your Windows Home Server to verify connectivity only. No additional information is sent to Microsoft.

Windows Live Custom Domains Service

What This Feature Does:

Windows Live Custom Domains service enables you to create an Internet domain name you can use to connect remotely to your Windows Home Server.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

In order to set up the domain name, you must have a Windows Live ID e-mail address and password. The Internet Domain Name Setup Wizard will prompt you to enter an existing Windows Live ID or create a new one. You can register for a Windows Live ID at the Windows Live ID Website. All the registration information that you provide will be stored by the Windows Live ID service in your Windows Live ID profile. To learn more about the Windows Live ID service, the information stored in the Windows Live ID profile, and how Windows Live ID uses and helps to protect your personal information, read the Windows Live ID privacy statement.

When you set up the domain name, your Windows Live ID e-mail address and password will be sent to Microsoft. Your machine name, the internet domain name you choose, and IP address of your network will also be sent to Microsoft in order to associate the domain name to your Windows Home Server. No additional information is sent to Microsoft.

Choice/Control:

The Windows Live Custom Domains service is optional; you may choose not to use it. You can change the domain name by selecting "Settings" in Windows Home Server Console, selecting "Remote Access", and selecting "Change" in the Domain Name section.

Important Information:

Once your Internet domain name has been created, we will obtain and send to your Windows Home Server a certificate for the domain name issued by Microsoft or a third-party certification authority. This certificate will be stored on your computer by Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) for use by Internet clients that engage in SSL communications with your Windows Home Server.

Universal Plug and Play

What This Feature Does:

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is an architecture supported in Windows that provides peer-to-peer device control for network devices. UPnP technology enables discovery and control of devices and services through standards-based protocols.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

Using the address that is provided in the discovery process, your computer can receive information from UPnP devices, including any changes in their status. If a UPnP device provides a URL, you can use a browser to access control features, information, or device-specific capabilities from the manufacturer.

Use of Information:

The information exchanged includes basic information about the devices and their services, and a URL that can be used to gather further information such as device make, model, and serial number. Additionally, the information can include a list of devices and services, and URLs used for accessing features.

Choice/Control:

Before allowing the UPnP feature to communicate on your network, it is recommended that you verify that your network is secure. For example, if you use a cable modem to connect to the Internet, consider installing a router that isolates your area of the network from that of your neighbors. Or, if you have a wireless network, it is recommended that you turn on a secure authentication service such as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). For more information about setting up a secure wireless network, see Windows Help and Support. Also, to allow or prevent discovery of UPnP devices on your network, you can enable or disable the SSDP Discovery Service in Windows.

Windows Media Connect

What This Feature Does:

Windows Media Connect lets you share files in your library with other users on your home network and to browse the files that are in libraries that other users on your network are sharing. Before you turn on sharing, you may wish to verify that your network is secure. For information about securing your network, see Windows Help and Support.

Choice/Control:

Media sharing is turned off by default. To turn it on, do the following:

  1. In the Windows Home Server Console, click the Settings button.

  2. Go to the Shared Folders settings, and turn on Media Library Sharing for specific Shared Folders and click OK.

Windows Update

What This Feature Does:

Windows Update collects basic information about your computer to identify which updates your computer needs and to improve the updating service.

Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:

For details about what information is collected and how it is used, see the Windows Update privacy information at go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=81204.

Use of Information:

For details about what information is collected and how it is used, see the Windows Update privacy information at go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=81204.

Choice/Control:

During setup, Windows Home Server performs a one-time, mandatory check with Windows Update to get the latest important updates for your computer. If updates are found, Windows Home Server automatically downloads and installs them so your computer is up to date the first time that you log on or use it.

During Setup, you will also be prompted to choose whether to enable ongoing automatic updates from Windows Update. If you choose to use this feature, Windows Update will automatically download and install important and recommended updates.

You can also enable or disable automatic Windows Update at any time. To enable or disable automatic update, do the following:

  1. In the Windows Home Server Console, click the Settings button.

  2. In the Windows Update section of the General settings page, turn Windows Update on or off and click OK.

When installing Windows Home Server Connector, you can choose to have updates applied to Windows Home Server Connector automatically. If you choose to have updates installed automatically, they will be downloaded from your Windows Home Server. You can choose to download and install Windows Home Server Connector updates manually when you install the Windows Home Server Connector software, and you can change your choice by reinstalling the Windows Home Server Connector software and selecting "Download and install the updates myself" during the software setup.

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