Group Logic has released ExtremeZ-IP 7.0, a major update for the AFP file and printer server for Windows hosts serving Mac clients. The update adds several dozen new features, performance and security enhancements, and bug fixes. A new option enables Macs to work with Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) Service, which enables Mac users to access previous versions of files from a Windows server.

The new option, called ShadowConnect, is an add-on enables Mac users to access VSS snapshots to restore deleted files and folders and previous versions. Users can browse shadow copy files with Cover Flow and with Quick Look previews.

One set of features enables cross-platform filename compatibility. File name policies can prevent Mac users from creating filenames using characters that cannot be used in Windows filenames. A new file naming policy can now also suppress the creation of .DS_STORE file on the Windows server. Paired with the new policy is a new File Name Policy Reporter, which can search through volumes and to find previously created files and folders that violate the filename policy.

ExtremeZ-IP 7.0 gives administrators some new capabilities, including the ability to view all users' home directories. ExtremeZ-IP Administrator application now contains a GUI for creating and removing services on clustered servers. ExtremeZ-IP Administrator will now warn users if they create a volume that is a subfolder of an existing DFS root emulator volume. Administrators can also now use the Administrator app to manually re-index the search index.

ExtremeZ-IP 7.0 supports Windows Error Reporting, so that Group Logic can analyze crash information voluntarily uploaded to Microsoft.

Version 7.0 fixes several dozen bugs and issues, including several related to support of Microsoft DFS systems. (DFS support was added with version 6.0.)