Windows Home Server – Part 1 - Australian Media Center Community

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Windows Home Server – Part 1

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Windows Home Server – Part 1

Published by GlenR
10th November 2007

Windows Home Server – Part 1

This is the first of a two-part review of auspcmarket’s Windows Home Server system. In this article I will cover the software only, and in part two I will review the hardware that auspcmarket has selected to deliver this system on. So, is Windows Home Server worth deploying on your home network or is it just another marketing hype from Microsoft? Read on…
Microsoft has set out to give home users benefits similar to those that corporations enjoy - centralised data storage, automated backups and security from hardware...

Read the complete review...

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#1 (permalink)

By bigbob on 12th November 2007, 09:13 AM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Good, easy to read review, well done !

I have been a WHS user on the beta program for some months and it has been ideal for me. I do not have extensive experience in servers and I just needed something simple that works without any fuss.

Bob

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#2 (permalink)

By woohoo on 12th November 2007, 12:15 PM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Thanks Glen - that's a great review and answered a whole bunch of questions. No doubt Part 2 will cover most of the rest. In the meantime, I do have a couple of questions (let me know if I should be raising these somewhere else)...

I see server recording of TV is for the future, but how does VMC handle storage of recorded TV now, assuming one workstation has the tuners but you want replay access for all machines? Do you just setup a shared folder on the server?

You might be covering this in Part 2 as well, but does WHS require a gigabit LAN?

Does WHS need to run 24/7, or can it be set to wake on call from the workstations?

Thanks again

Mike

#3 (permalink)

By GlenR on 12th November 2007, 12:25 PM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by woohoo

Thanks mike, glad you liked the review.

Quote:

Originally Posted by woohoo

I see server recording of TV is for the future, but how does VMC handle storage of recorded TV now, assuming one workstation has the tuners but you want replay access for all machines? Do you just setup a shared folder on the server?

VMC can only record to a local drive, so you can't have it record directly to WHS. To access recorded TV on a number of media centres you have to share the RecordedTV folder and have the others watch it. theer's a few threads on this in the forum a quick search should answer all you questions on that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by woohoo

You might be covering this in Part 2 as well, but does WHS require a gigabit LAN?

No. But of you are sreaming media it will help. And backups will obviousl;y run quicker over a gigabit LAN. I did all my testing at 100Mbps

Quote:

Originally Posted by woohoo

Does WHS need to run 24/7, or can it be set to wake on call from the workstations?

Didn't try that. Backups by default run overnight, so the intent is 24x7, but there would be nothing to stop you having it sleep and respond to WOL or whatever I'm sure.

#4 (permalink)

By woohoo on 12th November 2007, 07:39 PM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

That's a very comprehensive and prompt review service you run Glen - thanks again. It sounds like it's a good way to go. I'll settle back to enjoy Part 2

#5 (permalink)

By andysl on 15th November 2007, 12:54 PM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Thanks for the great review.

I just ordered my 120 day trial, can't wait to free up my current PC and get this server up and running.

I've heard people have problems with the remote connections (over the Internet). Have you used this feature much?

#6 (permalink)

By GlenR on 15th November 2007, 03:21 PM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by andysl

I've heard people have problems with the remote connections (over the Internet). Have you used this feature much?

I did test it briefly and it worked OK, but I haven't used it extensively.

#7 (permalink)

By Zilch on 16th December 2007, 06:58 PM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Great article!

Did you test how well WHS works as a print server? Other than files, this is what I use my current 2003 "home" server for.

(Also, as a VMware machine, but that's a bit much to ask) ;-)

Some comments on how it worked with Vista Media Centre would have been good too!

Zilch.

#8 (permalink)

By Mike on 17th December 2007, 07:41 AM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zilch

Some comments on how it worked with Vista Media Centre would have been good too!

My WHS runs a core 2 duo with 2 GB ram through a GB LAN and it serves my 5 Vista rigs (1 x Media Center, 1 x Workstation & 3 laptops) and an iMac 24" really well!

Print server? - no idea since both my printers are connected to the workstation in the study and the WHS is buried out the back of the house where nobody ever goes.

Mike

#9 (permalink)

By Mastiha on 17th December 2007, 08:26 AM

Re: Windows Home Server – Part 1

You didn't happen to test whether it would stream to a XBox 360?

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