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Windows Home Server Questions

DeaconFrost

DeaconFrost

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I'm thinking about picking up a copy of Windows Home Server. I was hoping it would show up on my TechNet subscription, but no such luck. I have a few questions though.

I'm still not sure about drive management, in terms of redundancy. I curretly have a RAID5 array in my server using a Promise Fastrak Controller and 3 250 GB WD drives. Would it be better to leave my array intact, or just allow WHS to use the drives in a data pool thing? Storage size is important, but I'd like to know I have some kind of redundancy, whether it be with some sort of software RAID done in WHS or with my controller.

I remember reading somewhere that WHS has some added features/benefits for those who are running Vista, and also those who are using Live OneCare as well. I believe OneCare's backup utility works in conjunction with WHS's utility very well. How about for the VIsta users?
 
You won't see WHS on TechNet. TechNet is generally for business type products only. WHS is considered a consumer product. That's why you don't see Money, Games, etc... on TechNet.

WHS requires you to break your raid down to individual drives. At least that's the way Microsoft wants it. If you do otherwise, you are way off the radar scope as far as intended use. It may not even install/initialize properly. I'm not sure, I toe'd the line and broke my RAID-5 down to independent drives.

When WHS installs, it will scoop up all your drives and assemble one big JBOD under one accessible volume.

If you want redundancy, each individual share in WHS can be set for mirroring simply by right-clicking it and stating you want it so. WHS will then ensure that all data for that share is duplicated on two separate, independant drives in the JBOD. Think of it as selective mirroring. I actually like this idea. Uses excess drive storage space only where absolutely necessary.

The only thing you need to remember under WHS is if you need to replace a drive, make SURE you detach it from the JBOD in the storage manager pane. This allows WHS to make sure any data on that drive is re-located elsewhere in the JBOD. After the replacement is installed, simply add that drive to the JBOD. It really is quite painless. It can take some time, however, depending on how much data that drive had on it.

WHS also self-balances storage across the JBOD as needed. It does it in the background so you never see it or feel it, but you know it's happening if you happen to have the management console open you'll see "Balancing Storage" or something like that in the status bar.

WHS handles Vista the same as it does XP. I am unaware of any special features (other than maybe the ability to restore previous versions of files, but that's more a Vista thing than a WHS thing).

WHS's backup system is absolutely the best, smartest backup system you'll see these days. You will have NO desire to use Onecare or any other backup system, nor will you need to.

One important thing.... The installer for the OEM version (which is really all there is) of WHS has a limited-options installer. Make sure the drive you want to install WHS on is the first, primary drive your BIOS assigns. You have no option for the drive during install as it's almost all a silent install with no options. WHS will grab whatever is assigned as drive C in by the BIOS and use it as the install target.


DeaconFrost said:
I'm thinking about picking up a copy of Windows Home Server. I was hoping it would show up on my TechNet subscription, but no such luck. I have a few questions though.

I'm still not sure about drive management, in terms of redundancy. I curretly have a RAID5 array in my server using a Promise Fastrak Controller and 3 250 GB WD drives. Would it be better to leave my array intact, or just allow WHS to use the drives in a data pool thing? Storage size is important, but I'd like to know I have some kind of redundancy, whether it be with some sort of software RAID done in WHS or with my controller.

I remember reading somewhere that WHS has some added features/benefits for those who are running Vista, and also those who are using Live OneCare as well. I believe OneCare's backup utility works in conjunction with WHS's utility very well. How about for the VIsta users?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the info. It sounds like I'll be able to sell my RAID card then, if I do intend to purchase WHS. I have a trial version installing to a VM at the moment to check out the interface a bit. The more I read, the more I like about it....especially since I now have an Xbox360 to stream media to.
 
RAID on WHS didn't work out well for me. My plan was to set up a mirror set to protect the OS partition and let WHS' JBOD feature take the rest of the drives. That didn't work out. I tried the install three times before it loaded, and even then it had errors. At that point I was so frustrated that I ended up ditching the idea as it seemed to cause more problems than it could ever hope to prevent.

WHS isn't at fault here. RAID is simply not supported and I was using a crappy Sil3112 RAID card. When it's time for an upgrade I will try RAID again with a better RAID controller. I just hate the idea of running that box without some sort of drive redundancy protecting the OS.
 
WHS has a PowerPak coming out soon that will let you back up the OS from itself. Will also support 64 BIT os
 
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