Using Windows 8 as Home Server

[FleurDeLis425]

I am curious as to how many people are using Windows 8 as a home server rather than WHS2011 or WSE2012.

 

I have seen articles on line about doing this. I am planning a new build and I would like to stay away from WHS2011 and WSE2012 seems a bit overkill for me. Especially since I have a mix of OS's (Mac, Linux, and various Windows versions), some of which are already on a domain. I know there is a way around it, but it all just seems like a hack.

 

Additionally, Windows 8 is appealing because it comes with Hyper-V, something I would need to spend $800 on to get with WS2012.

 

Thoughts?

 

[Al_Borges]

I switched from WHS 2011 to Windows 8 back in January and haven't looked back

 

Pretty straight forward. I am using stabilebits drivepool to host my shared storage. Sharing via homegroup folders is easy

 

Using a combination of Crashplan + and Acronis for backup, including "bare metal " backup

 

Reduced the PC count in the house by 1 and get full backup support

Across the entire homegroup

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[ikon]

How do you find the BMR capabilities compared to WHS?

[awraynor]

I have the book from our friend Terry Walsh at WGS which may give a few more tips. 

You do a few things differently, but it sounds like a viable option for sure.

 

http://store.wegotserved.com/collections/frontpage/products/building-a-windows-8-home-server-step-by-step

[Al_Borges]

Ikon -  I assume  BMR means  "Bare Metal Recovery"

 

Works fine.     I tested both Acronis 13 and the built in utility in windows 8.   Acronis builds a "recovery" usb image for you.

 

I keep the recovery images on a USB drive.   hooked it up, and booted off the recovery stick.   for the test, I restored to a spare drive

 

An advantage of WHS is that the recovery process "discovers" the server thru the network and you then can access the backup images directly. 

For Acronis and other methods,  the images are offline. 

 

This points to a key piece of advice , regardless of  how you choose to do backups.    Test it every which way !!.

 

when you create a backup set - 

 

• Make sure you can recover your files individually from the complete archive
• Test the  bare metal recovery process
• Burn/Archive  the recovery tools. 

[jmwills]

But from an initial cost standpoint, WHS is the better bargain.

[awraynor]

I agree about the cost for sure. And for some reason I was never able to get Acronis to work well.

[oceang]

I used to use Acronis as my main line defense.  I then used WHS2011 and now W2012 R2 with Essentials Role. However, I always like to have a second string and still maintain and test my Acronis restores as well. They all work, but WHS and W2012 are more convenient and as pointed out above, WHS2011 is the most cost effective.

 

I really like the BMR on W2012 R2 which doesn't even require a boot from a USB. Just connect via wired LAN and boot from the network and it all happens.

[Al_Borges]

We are fortunate to have multiple options for homeserver /backup

today.

 

WHS 2011 is cost effective only if you don't consider the costs of maintaining a separate machine just to have a dedicated home server.

 

 

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[ikon]

It doesn't have to be a separate, dedicated machine.