Kitz Forum
Computer Software => Windows => Topic started by: soms on February 14, 2008, 11:55:49 PM
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Windows Home Server is based on Windows Server 2003 and is designed for the home... hence the name.
One of the main features is the ability to automate the backup of your home computers to the server over a network.
Client computers are registered to the server using client software available for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista. Once registered things such as backup settings and server access can be configured from the server.
The purpose of creating this topic is for members to discuss WHS in general, whether you have it and use it, are thinking of getting it and so on.
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I think for the average 'Home' user They are just not going to use this .
For the computer 'geek' yes (although there are plenty of free Linux servers about ) and if you know what you are doing you could do multiple updates without WHS.
I designed a LAN, obtained free computers and then set up a network for our local charity run school (at the cost of £0 ).
I then was given a 'HP Netsever 2000' I set this up as a PDC and had W2K Adv. server running with WSUS to do the updates.
I had all this system running and handed it over to them to look after before I ended my free help to them.
The Headmistress ask me to take the server away as it was far to complicated for them to run and look after . :(
all the hours / days / weeks I sent learning about Win server and all the configuring. :(
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I am tempted to look into WHS. Mainly for the backup functionality. WHS OEM is only around £90 with 10 CAL licences.
The only thing stopping me is that I don't have a spare machine good enough to live up the role.
I would really fancy a power-lower mobile CPU based machine with RAID 1 configuration but the best I have going spare is a 600MHz Celeron with 256MB RAM and a 40GB HDD ???
I agree for many users it might not be appealing. But when a hard drive fails and all those e-mails and documents are made inaccessible or even lost it might prove its worth.
We have 3 machines will lots of important info and e-mails stored on them so in this case WHS looks like a good all-in-one backup and sharing solution whilst avoiding the potential complications of a domain set up or the expense of full Windows Server.
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mike - i think i would have had a few choice words for that ungreatful head mistress >:D
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Isn't there a very basic problem with WHS? Namely that while it can backup client PCs it has no means of backing up itself.
Given that its possible to install software to the server and also that Windows Updates are used then what happens when MS/random software breaks your server? It'll happen - bound to at some point I'd have thought. I see some manufacturers supplying USB keys and the like for imaging the server but are people going to remember to image the server regularly? Are they going to test restoring the image? I wouldn't have thought many would.
SIS is very clever but this is all a bit too platform-specific for me (and we have a Win2k3 server at home). I think I'd just use a NAS box personally - that's partly how I do it now.
What is becoming apparent is that 100Mbps LANs, even at home are just about obsolete now - multi-GB backups across a 100Mbps link are just way too slow. Anyone putting new cable in should really make sure they use something capable of 1000Mbps.
I can see the temptation with WHS, I really can. Then I think about it and realise its another Windows box which will need updates etc and I think that I'd rather have something a bit "thicker" :) Like a Terastation ;)
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mike - i think i would have had a few choice words for that ungreatful head mistress >:D
I did, it ended up being a 15 page letter.
Not long after I stopped my help and handed the job to another parent volunteer, the whole network was of of action for weeks, virus's / trogens etc. infecting every computer, I can say in the 15 years I help't I never had any problems.
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>>> Not long after I stoped my help and handed the job to another parent volunteer, the whole network was of of action for weeks, virus's / trogens etc. infecting every computer, I can say in the 15 years I help't I never had any problems.
Shouldnt laugh.... but I bet you had a snigger or two when you found out ;)
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Shouldnt laugh.... but I bet you had a snigger or two when you found out ;)
Now would I do that. . :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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>> Now would I do that.
I would ! :lol:
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/11/microsoft_windows_home_server_bug/
"Microsoft has admitted that it will not deliver a fix to a Windows Home Server 2008 data corruption bug it first discovered late last year until June at the earliest."
Perhaps best to wait eh? :)
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6 months to fix a data corruption bug??? Those guys really give you confidence, don't they? :P
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6 months to fix a data corruption bug??? Those guys really give you confidence, don't they? :P
We don't have this problem do we Eric. ;D Linux for ever 8)
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:lol: :P
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:)