2003 server versus WHS

[williamlee]

Hi all-

I wanted to see if anyone had opinions on using 2003 versus WHS here? Let me give you some background first...I have a license already for 2003, but am debating whether it is worth spending $100 for WHS as a home server. I have installed the trial version of WHS, but have not really played around with 2003 yet to compare the two. While I realize WHS is basically a modified version of 2003, I'm not sure how easy it would be to get the same functionality out of 2003 compared to WHS.

I already run two RAID5 linux boxes, but my main PC is Vista, and we have some XP machines in the house also. I thought it might be fun to play around with WHS and set up automatic backups / imaging for the Windows PCs in the house. I would also use it as a media server and additional backup server on top of the RAID5 boxes.

Anyways, if anyone has run both 2003 and WHS in a home environment and has opinions, I would love to hear them.

Thanks!

 

[-Dragon-]

I haven't tried anything with Server 2003 but WHS is nice in that it's a fire and forget solution to home PC backup. Install the server software, install the client software, check that the icon on your taskbar is green from time to time, log in once a month if you remember and check storage space and maybe do a quick server backup and you're done, daily full PC backups that you just never have to think about.

Try out a new OS and don't like it? Do a restore, back up in an hour.
Do something stupid and get a virus or some other badware? Roll back a few days, do a restore, back up in an hour.
Accidentally delete a file off your computer and can't recover it, or save/overwrite a file you need? Open up the backup archive and browse for the one file you screwed up, and you're good to go.

There's even a few services out there where you can back up more important files online automatically.

I'm a big proponent of using computers to make our lives easier and WHS is one of those things it's supposed to without requiring constant babysitting to make sure it's doing its job.

2003 just doesn't come with the tools preconfigured to do it all easy mode, so basically you gotta ask yourself, are you the kind of computer geek that's gotta have absolute control over every aspect, or do you just want to "push the button" and let it figure out how to make your life easier for you.

 

[sonofander]

Howbouts the best of both worlds?

I run on Server 08 and virtualize a WHS box on my server for automatic backups of my PCs. Gives me the control I want over my server but also provides the set it and forget it backups