I have to agree with Shawn on this one -- Windows Home Server is exactly what I want for what has become a significant home network in need of backup strategies.
If you want to argue that most consumers don't need WHS, well you may have a point. But then again MOST consumers don't have six PCs in there home. But geeks like me do have that many PCs and we are looking for an easier way to keep that network up and running. Windows Home Server looks to be just what I want.
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.. it also supports *nix and osX and my NAS box. Windows machines are a small part of my home network and my wife won't touch anything but her Apple notebook.
I too found in my beta testing of WHS that the support for operating systems outside of XP or Vista was pretty limited. Nothing better than the file sharing available on my little Linksys NSLU2, though with better data redundancy.
I agree with the rest of the posters so far that WHS is really a great product that serves a very important purpose, but it wasn't quite what I needed in a home server, since my network is down to only 2 Windows boxes, one of which is used as a test box and doesn't really require backup beyond the ghost image I restore from after I break it. There were no backup benefits for my wife's iMac or my Linux systems, so I've opted to use a Linux server rather than WHS. That doesn't mean I won't be recommending it to anyone with a Windows-only network.
I do have to agree with Mr. Berlind about one thing. If Apple built a home server product, it would most likely be better than the Windows Home Server. I know their product would at least be prettier than the Windows one. They'll have a high standard to live up to if they decide to join the fray, though.
I want to see if the Ubuntu Home Server Edition project (http://www.ubuntuhomeserver.org) can do a better job at cross-platform connectivity and backups while keeping the interface simple and easy to use. Maybe then I'll have my perfect solution.
I agree with the rest of the posters so far that WHS is really a great product that serves a very important purpose, but it wasn't quite what I needed in a home server, since my network is down to only 2 Windows boxes, one of which is used as a test box and doesn't really require backup beyond the ghost image I restore from after I break it. There were no backup benefits for my wife's iMac or my Linux systems, so I've opted to use a Linux server rather than WHS. That doesn't mean I won't be recommending it to anyone with a Windows-only network.
I do have to agree with Mr. Berlind about one thing. If Apple built a home server product, it would most likely be better than the Windows Home Server. I know their product would at least be prettier than the Windows one. They'll have a high standard to live up to if they decide to join the fray, though.
I want to see if the Ubuntu Home Server Edition project (http://www.ubuntuhomeserver.org) can do a better job at cross-platform connectivity and backups while keeping the interface simple and easy to use. Maybe then I'll have my perfect solution.
People that will love WHN. It has a place, and it will be used. I think MS(I'm ticked at MS by the way) made a very smart move by offering this.
Dan
Dan
I'm not willing to shave my head for it (although I'm nearly there with the way my hairline keeps receding) ... but I definitely plan to get a Windows Home Server. Based on the little bit of testing I've done, it elegantly solves the issues of backups and file sharing on a home network. That's enough to make me really happy because it simply takes the pain away. I think a lot of other power users with multiple machines on their home network will probably feel the same
way once they try it.
way once they try it.
I too was puzzled by Davis's negative opinion of the WHS and the concept in general. I have been a WHS Beta user for the past 8 months and I couldn't be more pleased with a Microsoft product and concept! It was a very stable Beta version. I too have 6 PCs on my home network and my son has lots of digital film and animation production work on two of them that he cannot aford to loose (he will be my gravy train when he becomes rich and famous!). It was the perfect solution for us. As families create, catalog and store more and more digital content, WHS like systems will be just one more important piece along with the online components. It is well worth the $199 to host on one of my old boxes I seem to find in every corner of my garage.
I've read all the reviews I could find and this was the only negative one of the bunch. I would fit right in with the systems I now have in use instead of having a faux-server to store all the important stuff on. The backup arrangement would also be attractive. With three wired desktops, one wireless desktop and two wireless laptops it would be a welcome platform. I'm not interested in the OS-X shortcomings, not a single Apple in the house because they cost too much to repair when they fail.
I haven't used WHS but it looks promising on a Windows Network. Sadly, Windows isn't the only thing I run and I like it that way. To stay on track; hopefully it will be able to work with SAMBA and be made to backup those shares. It's too bad that file sharing between the three dominant OS's(Linux, Windows, and MAC's) has not been made a non-issue making people take sides. I guess when you look at it; having a server ready to go out of the box as opposed to downloading, compiling, and configuring one is the best ways to go for many. I'm looking forward to WHS open-source equivalent to emerge. I hope it'll be coming soon. Until then, I'll go right ahead and configure awaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, hehe.
Having tested WHS, I can say that anything you can do connecting to Samba you can do connecting to WHS. I had my wife's iMac and my Linux systems connecting just like they did to the Linksys NAS I used before. However, only the Windows boxes benefited from the backup system in place. Now that Windows is quickly becoming an endangered species at my house I see no real benefit for me in WHS and have switched to Linux on my file server.
There is an open-source equivalent in the works, though I'm not sure just how quickly it will reach a release state. It's called Ubuntu Home Server. It's supposed to be able to give the same benefits to Mac and Linux that WHS gives to Windows.
There is an open-source equivalent in the works, though I'm not sure just how quickly it will reach a release state. It's called Ubuntu Home Server. It's supposed to be able to give the same benefits to Mac and Linux that WHS gives to Windows.
Those of us who have home networks and home
servers have
them for many reasons. The one in our house
started because
my sons an their friends wanted to play
network games
against each other, then because having
cables everywhere
was annoying my son installed permanent
wiring under house,
upgraded to cable internet, started to do
some of my work at
home, a home network, when there is more
than one computer
in house becomes a usefull tool. In my case
linux is used as
as well as being cheap and reliable, my son
who has built a
large part of it, has learned good skills
from our network.
I have never used WHS but for some it may
do the job, but
with a mixture of linux and windows, linux
is the better
option for me.
Most who have a use for a home network /
server, will have the skills required to
set one up, computer users with less skills
more than likely will not have multiple
machines or be using their machines in ways
that a server and network will be needed,
An easy to set up server will have a value
to users, who as their skills develop and
have multiple machines, and wish to use
them more efficiently. Also there are some
who will want a basic network / server
setup for the pleasure and satisfaction
they will get for building one up, as well
as a good solution for some small
buisinesses. WHS is targeted for this
market, and as Microsoft has built its
business on shrewd marketing there could
well be a demand for this type of product.
servers have
them for many reasons. The one in our house
started because
my sons an their friends wanted to play
network games
against each other, then because having
cables everywhere
was annoying my son installed permanent
wiring under house,
upgraded to cable internet, started to do
some of my work at
home, a home network, when there is more
than one computer
in house becomes a usefull tool. In my case
linux is used as
as well as being cheap and reliable, my son
who has built a
large part of it, has learned good skills
from our network.
I have never used WHS but for some it may
do the job, but
with a mixture of linux and windows, linux
is the better
option for me.
Most who have a use for a home network /
server, will have the skills required to
set one up, computer users with less skills
more than likely will not have multiple
machines or be using their machines in ways
that a server and network will be needed,
An easy to set up server will have a value
to users, who as their skills develop and
have multiple machines, and wish to use
them more efficiently. Also there are some
who will want a basic network / server
setup for the pleasure and satisfaction
they will get for building one up, as well
as a good solution for some small
buisinesses. WHS is targeted for this
market, and as Microsoft has built its
business on shrewd marketing there could
well be a demand for this type of product.
I think many private users and small (1-5 men)businesses want an easy to use server for backup, but uses small Sans, external harddrives etc for lack of such a server.
That said, what should one use for backing up Windows Home Server? San, USB harddrive?
That said, what should one use for backing up Windows Home Server? San, USB harddrive?
I have heard a good bit of "Drobo vs. WHS" and it should be recognized that Drobo is a USB attached drive. So in effect, Drobo is a compliment to your WHS and can attach just as any other external USB drive, and offer you redundancy without forcing the user to go through the hassle of choosing which folders or files to clone...
David Berlind mentions the ARS reivew - check out the ARS review at: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/storage-robot-at-your-service-a-review-of-the-drobo.ars
David Berlind mentions the ARS reivew - check out the ARS review at: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/storage-robot-at-your-service-a-review-of-the-drobo.ars
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