This particular item isn't as much for business purposes, but it's still a great idea for IT people on their off-hours. How many of you have multiple computers at home? How many of you actually run a Windows domain at home?

Don't feel alone. There's quite an untapped market in providing server-based services and better management and sharing among a group of home computers, and Windows Home Server (which was demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show) is a novel answer to a nagging problem. It centralizes management, backup, and file and printer sharing, and may at some point assist in streaming audio and visual media to and from different computers. Picture an Xbox Extender, supersized and ready to talk with multiple machines. This product is still in its infancy, but it's due at the end of 2007 as well.

Jonathan Hassell is an author, consultant and speaker on a variety of IT topics. His published works include RADIUS, Hardening Windows, Using Windows Small Business Server 2003 and Learning Windows Server 2003. His work appears regularly in such periodicals as Windows IT Pro magazine, PC Pro and TechNet Magazine. He also speaks worldwide on topics, ranging from networking and security to Windows administration. He is currently an editor at Apress LLC, a publishing company specializing in books for programmers and IT professionals.