Windows Home Server
- Thread starter cavemanoc
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Plus dedicated add-ins to manage media sharing (FireFly), power management (LightsOut) etc etc
Basic back up can be achieved by products like True Image if you have someway to store the backups on a different PC/NAS drive.
The main thing for home server is that it controls it all for you and the backups are stored on the server. Then if a machine crashes or you have to re-install from the back up, then you put in the restore disk, it connects to the server and then rebuilds the hard drive.
This though is nothing that can't be done with other products.
Taff
I spent the last week convincing a friend that I should build him a WHS box out of his old bits, and had a bit of a pause on the 'do I really need it?' question. It's amazing how many of WHS's features you take for granted when you've got it - in many ways it is so easy to use, that you don't realise just how simple it makes life!
I barely use half of the functionality of WHS (again part of the appeal is that you don't have to be a server admin to benfit from it, and you can take or leave it's features as you need them!) - but I love the following:
I do love the fact that you can restore nuked machines from the server as well - so simple - even if I do tend to re-install anyway
The point above is well made - you can do all of these things with other software available to the market, but I don't think any of them combine all the functionality of WHS in such a neat, easy to use, package, with so much flexibility offering feature for the casual home user, and die hard server enthusiast alike!
I barely use half of the functionality of WHS (again part of the appeal is that you don't have to be a server admin to benfit from it, and you can take or leave it's features as you need them!) - but I love the following:
- Folder duplication - soooo simple, and a nice 'first step' to protect your important data
- Media plug-in: Still getting to grips with this, but it'll be nice to have everything integrated into the WMC shell
- 'Incremental' Backup - the fact that I have 4 machines on Windows 7 now means I can back them all up on the WHS box, but it takes only a fraction of the storage space that individual backups would need.
- Automatic drive balancing - didn't even realize it had this until I plugged in my new 1.5TB drive and it started shuffling in the background - very nice!
- Plug and Play storage upgrade: Wow - just wow - one click on the connector console and it's in the cluster - nice!
I do love the fact that you can restore nuked machines from the server as well - so simple - even if I do tend to re-install anyway
The point above is well made - you can do all of these things with other software available to the market, but I don't think any of them combine all the functionality of WHS in such a neat, easy to use, package, with so much flexibility offering feature for the casual home user, and die hard server enthusiast alike!
From the looks of things I can do all the backup stuff I want with the integrated Windows 7 functionality to my NAS with the Backup and Restore center feature so I think I will save the £65 and just use Vista Business for my File/Print server as there is no actual performance increase.
Vista sucks end of.
Has anyone installed WHS onto hard drives that are in Mirrored pairs? Id like to setup pairs of hard drives that are mirrored when I replace my current WHS and then turn off folder duplication. I love the fact it does it automatically, but Im concerned about the 20GB System partition being all on its own with no backup. If the drive was mirrored it would be ok...?
Probably a bit of a silly question but is WHS an operating system?
I'm going to get Windows7 64bit for my PC in the living room as it has 4GB of RAM. Do I need to get another copy of W7 for the machine that will have WHS on it?
Also does it matter that the living room PC is 64 because what I've read online says the WHS is 32bit?
Really sorry if these question are a bit on the noob side.
I'm going to get Windows7 64bit for my PC in the living room as it has 4GB of RAM. Do I need to get another copy of W7 for the machine that will have WHS on it?
Also does it matter that the living room PC is 64 because what I've read online says the WHS is 32bit?
Really sorry if these question are a bit on the noob side.
EddScott,
WHS is a completely standalone operating system. It is designed to be run on a PC, which will be used as a server, with one or more hard drives.
It is not a desktop operating system, you would not install Office or games to it. It is designed to be set up, and placed away in a cupboard somewhere, and not used day-to-day.
You can then connect your other PCs using the WHS Connector, and it will schedule backups of your "daily" use PCs, as well as acting as a central storage location for your home network.
So - you'll have 2 (or more) PCs:
Cupboard PC - Windows Home Server, plus umpteen hard disks.
Living room PC - Windows 7
Additional PC 1 - Laptop
Additional PC 2 - Another laptop
Additional PC 3 - Wife's desktop
etc
WHS is a completely standalone operating system. It is designed to be run on a PC, which will be used as a server, with one or more hard drives.
It is not a desktop operating system, you would not install Office or games to it. It is designed to be set up, and placed away in a cupboard somewhere, and not used day-to-day.
You can then connect your other PCs using the WHS Connector, and it will schedule backups of your "daily" use PCs, as well as acting as a central storage location for your home network.
So - you'll have 2 (or more) PCs:
Cupboard PC - Windows Home Server, plus umpteen hard disks.
Living room PC - Windows 7
Additional PC 1 - Laptop
Additional PC 2 - Another laptop
Additional PC 3 - Wife's desktop
etc
Skeeter - can be done, but unsupported.
If the system drive fails, then you can rebuild it. You can also back it up with an external USB drive.
If you need microsoft tech support for anything, their first reply would be: Remove the RAID. It unsupported, doesn;t mean to say it will not work!
If the system drive fails, then you can rebuild it. You can also back it up with an external USB drive.
If you need microsoft tech support for anything, their first reply would be: Remove the RAID. It unsupported, doesn;t mean to say it will not work!
OK, thats exactly what I'm after then. The bedrooms will have WD TV Lives in them. Is there any issues with using WHS and WD TVs?
Sorry - another question.
As I understand it, a bluray film is stored on the server as an MKV file? I've read that WHS won't read an MKV file - is this right?
I would like to be able to watch the Bluray movies in HD on the WD TVs.
As I understand it, a bluray film is stored on the server as an MKV file? I've read that WHS won't read an MKV file - is this right?
I would like to be able to watch the Bluray movies in HD on the WD TVs.
the WD TV's will work fine with the MKV files. it's the WD TV that is "reading" the file, WHS is just storing it.
As long as the WD boxes can map to the WHS either by the creation of a mapped network drive of a direct connection e.g. /WHS/Videos/DVDs/BandOfBrothers then there will be no problem.
As Easy says, WHS doesn't care what you put on it, a file is a file to it. So it doesn't care between mkv's or avi's etc.
Taff
As Easy says, WHS doesn't care what you put on it, a file is a file to it. So it doesn't care between mkv's or avi's etc.
Taff
Also in regards to Blu Ray, depends what you use to rip it. I used AnyDVD to rip mine and ripped it to an ISO format. That way I can mount them in virtual drives and use them as if the Blu Ray disk was actually in the DVD drive.
Note : I then use Arcsoft Total Media Centre Platinum to view them.
Taff
Note : I then use Arcsoft Total Media Centre Platinum to view them.
Taff