Windows Home Server or ?

[colorblind]

Currently I have two WHS boxes set up. One at work and one at home. I really like the interface and how it can perform a complete restore on a new drive for a client computer. Since I have some time on my hands I was considering building something new. At this point I am leaning toward Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials. I like that it can back up 25 users. However, it may be overkill for my needs. I have yet to try a NAS setup. My main goal is to back up data from client computers and replace a failed hard drive if necessary from a back up.

I want to try this unit and see how it performs. Not so much concerned about the hardware more curious as to what everyone recommends as software for the system. Or should I simply keep WHS?

http://www.amazon.com/ThinkServer-70...eywords=server

All suggestions welcomed.

 

[ViRGE]

For what it's worth, I have yet to find something as simple yet powerful as WHS2011/WS2012E. Microsoft really did their homework with this one.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Yeah, I've used Windows Server enough that I'd probably like trying WHS.

I wouldn't want to pay retail for it though. It looks like licenses cost more than that server hardware. So I use FreeNAS at home.

Do you MSDN?

 

[joutlaw]

I've looked for WHS alternatives as well. It's hard to beat for the price ~$50.

I did convert my WHS box to an ESXi host and virtualized WHS. I have virtualized FreeNAS and use it for Mac backups.

 

[ControlD]

i went from WHS to unRAID and I am much happier these days. Then again, I had major database corruption issues every couple of months with WHS which probably soured my opinion a little.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

i went from WHS to unRAID and I am much happier these days. Then again, I had major database corruption issues every couple of months with WHS which probably soured my opinion a little.

Yes, you'd want to assure than any DBMS data files will maintain their integrity. You might never find a problem with it if the files are small or the storage method fits what WHS offers as options (I think there was once a RAW storage option with ORACLE.)

I'm just not in a hurry to update our OS's here in the house -- all Win 7 64 except for WHS-2011 which complements Win 7 perfectly. If I add a single Win 8 installation, then I don't think I can back it up on the server.

The pricetag on the current options approaches "prohibitive" for the home systems, unless you have plenty to spend. At the same time, on EBAY or Amazon or somewhere -- I discovered that someone had acquired some WHS-2011 install discs new (surplus, I think), and they were shrewdly offering them for $150 each, or about half what the Essentials or other options offer.

I'm not budgeted for NAS of any kind at the moment, and it would be an unnecessary appendage to what is now a fairly flawless LAN in the house with wireless capability. I can see where it might be fun to build a NAS for fun. It's just not as high as other things right now in my budgeted computers with network priorities.

There IS a promotion of Windows 8/8.1 as a replacement to WHS. You'd have to check and see if it would do nightly backup of other Win 8 machines in the same manner that WHS works with Win 7.

 

[ViRGE]

At the same time, on EBAY or Amazon or somewhere -- I discovered that someone had acquired some WHS-2011 install discs new (surplus, I think), and they were shrewdly offering them for $150 each, or about half what the Essentials or other options offer.

Microsoft was selling WHS 2011 for $50 for quite some time.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Microsoft was selling WHS 2011 for $50 for quite some time.

Yes -- Absolutely! It was a sweet deal when you could order it off the EGG.

But now, look:

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind...11+home+server

I've been very pleased with it, and that's why I'm not doing OS upgrades for a while. If I buy a Win 8.1 license, I'll have to configure a local backup for it. That's not so bad, and all the other server functions would be there. But eventually, we would have Win 8 on all the household machines, and I'd want to have that backup feature for all of them. So I'd wind up spending at least $100 more for a server OS than this current Amazon WHS-2011 offering.

 

[kmmatney]

Has Anyone tried this for backups?

http://www.urbackup.org/

I'm also currently running WHS2011, but wondering what I'll do next, and was looking at running this with Windows 7/8. It can save whole partitions as well aws backup only folders.

 

[Towermax]

I've been very pleased with it, and that's why I'm not doing OS upgrades for a while. If I buy a Win 8.1 license, I'll have to configure a local backup for it. That's not so bad, and all the other server functions would be there. But eventually, we would have Win 8 on all the household machines, and I'd want to have that backup feature for all of them. So I'd wind up spending at least $100 more for a server OS than this current Amazon WHS-2011 offering.

I'm not sure I get what you mean. I have Windows 8.1 on my main machine and WHS 2011 backs it up fine. I did a test restore from WHS 2011 and it worked fine also.

What am I missing here?

 

[colorblind]

I'm not sure I get what you mean. I have Windows 8.1 on my main machine and WHS 2011 backs it up fine. I did a test restore from WHS 2011 and it worked fine also.

What am I missing here?

This is what you are missing or not.

Depends on how you formatted your drive.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2781272

 

[Towermax]

This is what you are missing or not.

Depends on how you formatted your drive.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2781272

OK, thanks--now I understand.