Back-ups and more, with Windows Home Servers

By: Bob Rogers

Windows Home Servers

Home networks and very small business networks need backup and file sharing systems that are easy to install and use. A single computer is easy to backup using external hard drives. Cloud storage is a growing option but not for for quick access to data and low cost backups. When a systems has two or more computers, a server makes the backup task much easier. I highly recommend evaluating using a very simple server computer running "Windows Home Server" (WHS).

"Windows Home Server" is a Microsoft Server Operating System and has some very powerful and useful features:

1. Backup any networked computer: wakes them up, does backup, puts them to sleep at a set time each day. The system also warns you if a computer was not backed-up.
2.  Restore lost data or even entire hard drives (my wife Linda had a SMART failure warning on her notebook (impending hard drive failure), I replaced the hard drive and was able to restore all files using "Windows Home Server"
3. Media Server features such storing streaming files to all computers on the network.
4. Document Management consolidates shared files.
5. Remote Access to all server files through secure websites: I also use the iPhone/iTouch application Orb to file files from anywhere I have an Internet connection: you can access Terabytes of your music/videos etc. on an iPhone.
6. Add-ins allow more features to be added to WHS.

Here is a simple low cost solution I purchased for $350.   The  Acer Aspire EasyStore AH340-UA230N Home Server with "Windows Home Server" pre-installed. The EasyStore is quite, reliable, easy to setup, and easy to use.

Specifications:

• Operating System:   Windows® Home Server
• Processor:               Intel® Atom™ Processor 230 (512KB L2 cache, 1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB)
• Chipset:                   Mobile Intel® 945GC Express
• Memory:                 2GB (2/0) DDR2 800 SDRAM 256MB flash ROM
• Storage:                  Up to 2TB SATA hard drive, Up to four 3.5" hot-swappable (except operating system drive)  4.0TB maximum
• Interface Ports:      RJ-45 LAN, eSATA, Recovery/reset pinhole, Five USB 2.0
• Communications:   Gigabit LAN
• Dimensions:           7.9" (200mm) W x 7.1" (180mm) D x 8.3" (212mm) H
• Weight:                   11.2 lb. (5.1kg) with one hard drive

I attached a 750GB USB2 external drive to the 1TB Acer Aspire and turned on file duplication and now my backups are being backed-up. To take advantage of the Gigabit LAN data transfer rate of the server, I also upgrade the Ethernet switch to a  NETGEAR  GS108 8-port Gigabit Desktop Switch 10/100/1000 Mbps Switch. A few computers on the systems also needed 1 GB LAN cards and I upgraded the cables to category 5, 5e, and 6.