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  1. #1
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    Default Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    I am used to working with server 2008 r2 but I was wondering if anyone could quickly compare that to windows home server 2012 for me? I wasn't sure if I would lose important features, I probably don't use a fraction of the 2008 r2 features.

    I need to be able to setup user accounts and groups for sharing, VPN for remote access, to install software that has to run off a server (Sage ACT for example), configure raid etc.

    cheers


  2. #2
    DF VIP Member akimba's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    There is no Home Server 2012, only Home Server 2011 then it changed to Server Essentials 2012.

    I got Home Server 2011 at home and does the trick for me seems pretty rock solid I got a 3 Disk raid 5 running on it. The management suite is pretty much the same as 2008 R2 so if you know your way around that then you should be fine ;-)

    I would to see if there is any restrictions on the number of users allowed to connect etc tho.

    Thanks to akimba

    evilsatan (13th December 2013)  


  3. #3
    DF VIP Member wakadoo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    server 2011 does not pool drives though.

    I actually liked the old home server 2003 more than 2011.

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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    Looks like a limit of 10 devices which should suit this job fine, for £35 it sounds like a bargain!


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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    Quote Originally Posted by wakadoo View Post
    server 2011 does not pool drives though.

    I actually liked the old home server 2003 more than 2011.
    It does if you buy an addin called Stablebit, which is fantastic and has saved my bacon before...

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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    Quote Originally Posted by evilsatan View Post
    I am used to working with server 2008 r2 but I was wondering if anyone could quickly compare that to windows home server 2012 for me? I wasn't sure if I would lose important features, I probably don't use a fraction of the 2008 r2 features.

    I need to be able to setup user accounts and groups for sharing, VPN for remote access, to install software that has to run off a server (Sage ACT for example), configure raid etc.

    cheers

    I've been running it for years mate and it works very well for me. I would recommend it because the interface makes it easy to manage too for people that aren't necessarily IT literate

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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    If you want full 2012 r2 but still want the essentials features (VPN, remote access etc.) you can add the 2012 Essentials role.

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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    On my server because I use it for downloads too are:

    Stablebit - Drive Pooling
    ESET - AntiVi
    Malwarebytes - Just in case
    Plex - To Stream stuff
    SABNZBD, Sickbeard and an NZB indexer
    iTunes and Supersync - to sync music and audiobooks around to various machines
    Calibre - ebook synching
    Crashplan - For offsite and some onsite backups


    and that's it my friend and all works really well.

    If you need anymore info give me a shout.

    Cheers

    Chesser.

  9. #9
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    I will be using mirror raid, isn't pooling just making numerous HDDs appear as one? Similar to raid5 but no redundancy unless enabled?


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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    Yes but it works, I had an external disk pack failure, stuck the disks in the server and it recognised the signature and just continued working, you can duplicate and as long as you keep the disks the same size can absorb a disk failure

  11. #11
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    So disk pooling is used instead of RAID and has advantages over RAID? This is all new to me as I use 2008 r2 and RAID my volumes in RAID1 or RAID5.


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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    I guess the main advantage is you can use any disks as long as you have capacity to cope if you lose one, have a look at Stablebits website http://www.stablebit.com/ it explains everyhting

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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    Quote Originally Posted by chesser View Post
    I guess the main advantage is you can use any disks as long as you have capacity to cope if you lose one, have a look at Stablebits website http://www.stablebit.com/ it explains everyhting
    If you are going 2012 stablebit is not required. You can use Storage Pools and Storage Spaces.

  14. #14
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    indeed mate I guess Home Server is designed for ease of use and management, if you are ok with 2012 then go for it.

  15. #15
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    So basically a very flexible RAID as in you can use different sized disks, no need to format them etc? In my case (a new server build) RAID should suffice but it's good to know for future use!


  16. #16
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    Quote Originally Posted by evilsatan View Post
    So basically a very flexible RAID as in you can use different sized disks, no need to format them etc? In my case (a new server build) RAID should suffice but it's good to know for future use!
    Exactly that mate, no need for same sized disks and you can set up each storage space with a different redundancy levels, for example here's mine:

    Thanks to beerman

    evilsatan (13th December 2013)  


  17. #17
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    That is actually really cool, so it will automatically stripe each HDD as per your virtual drives and their duplicates dictate to ensure redundancy if a dive of any size fails? I only wonder as you could have 1x1TB, 1x500GB, 2x250GB in pools, if the 1TB drive died you could be in trouble.


  18. #18
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    You do need to have some sort of plan in place as you can oversubscribe the vitrual disks and just add storage at a later stage. You can see this in my screenshot as I have 4 x 3TB yet I have 14TB subscribed.

    Im not sure you would be able to set a 1TB parity with those disks. You would be able to set a 1tb mirrored with those disks, if the 1TB failed it would have a mirror on the other disks.

    Thanks to beerman

    evilsatan (13th December 2013)  


  19. #19
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    I'm thinking about coming away from Ubuntu server in favor of a home server powered by windows.
    I'm guessing WHS 2012 r2 is the latest and greatest? Would like some info on setting certain things up - very similar to your setup chesser.

    Got around 12TB to be used, does Windows support ZFS, not in my previous experiences it doesn't.


  20. #20
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Can anyone quickly compare home server OS to full server OS?

    I'm building a N54l server with WHS2011 to see how it is, RAID1 with WD red drives, upgrade to 4GB RAM. Only used as a fileserver and printserver but handy to have the option of installing applications later


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