reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (Full Version)

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SirKenin -> reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/26/2007 6:15:51 PM)

I am just starting to beta test a new offering from Microsoft, Windows Home Server.  It is a scaled down server solution that is reportedly to be sold bundled with hardware eventually.  Anyways, unlike some previous betas, we are allowed to divulge details about it, so if you are interested in the product feel free to ask me here or on the other side (depending on whether you care what the "in" crowd clique thinks, may they rot in pieces).

The idea of it is to provide a centralized solution for file and multimedia storage for a fraction of the cost of regular server products, so I am going to put it on my file server to try it out as opposed to Windows 2000 Server.  I am really intrigued to find out what this software can do.. and of course report any bugs.



DomKen -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/26/2007 9:56:14 PM)

A strange idea for a product.

I'm going to assume this is aimed at the tech savvy multiple computer residence. I presently use a windows XP pro desktop as a file and print server while my roommate and I use our laptops on the wireless network for most of our computing. The desktop sees service as the heavy duty game PC, City of Heroes mostly, as well.

So what advantages would this new server package provide for me?



SirKenin -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/26/2007 11:39:27 PM)

Imagine being able to ghost both of your laptops to the server and then restore the image any time you want...  And that is just for starters.  I am looking forward to playing with it, after I give my server a good swift kick in the balls..   It seems to be screwing up today for some reason.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/27/2007 4:42:28 AM)


quote:

The idea of it is to provide a centralized solution for file and multimedia storage for a fraction of the cost of regular server products,


What's a fraction of FREE? Fedora is FREE, does all that, and has every application you'd ever need. Supports Logical Volume management, hardware and software RAID, Can host a Windows Domain for logins and remote profiles, etc.

Once again, MSFT arrives at the market late, and with an inferior offering.

If you don't like the Red Hattishness of Fedora, Ubuntu does all the same things, but with a debian flavor.






farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/27/2007 4:44:40 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: SirKenin

Imagine being able to ghost both of your laptops to the server and then restore the image any time you want...


Can't you store a ghosted image on a Windows XP Pro share?




SirKenin -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/27/2007 9:59:10 AM)

Fedora might be free, but what home user in their right mind is going to use it?  How about a program that is intuitive and easy to use?  Fedora offers neither to the home user.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/27/2007 10:08:50 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: SirKenin

Fedora might be free, but what home user in their right mind is going to use it? How about a program that is intuitive and easy to use? Fedora offers neither to the home user.


So you haven't used Fedora Core 6 or Ubuntu, eh?










SirKenin -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 11:39:58 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: farglebargle


quote:

ORIGINAL: SirKenin

Fedora might be free, but what home user in their right mind is going to use it? How about a program that is intuitive and easy to use? Fedora offers neither to the home user.


So you haven't used Fedora Core 6 or Ubuntu, eh?


I have both..  Ubuntu sent me a pile of CDs for 32 and 64 bit environments to distribute as well.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 12:06:00 PM)

Well, then you know the "Ease of Use" and "Intuitive" arguments don't stand up anymore.




SirKenin -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 2:02:22 PM)

That depends.  If you use them standalone, not so much. When you try to integrate them into a reasonably substantial Windows network things go to hell in a handbasket in a quick hurry.  In my case it was attempting to deploy Fedora Core as a file server on my network in a domain with Active Directory.  Configuring Samba is anything but intuitive.  Pain in the ass comes to mind.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 2:11:00 PM)

"If you use them standalone, not so much. When you try to integrate them into a reasonably substantial Windows network things go to hell in a handbasket in a quick hurry"

That's not my experience, but hey, that's what they mean about your mileage varying.




farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 5:47:47 PM)

http://lds.linbox.org/wiki/Screenshots

FWIW, I understand that'll work under vmware.




BrainSlugs83 -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 7:50:07 PM)

Fedora also doesn't support the .NET framework 3.0 (mono ins't even finished with 2.0 support yet) -- So as a .NET web developer, running a linux server is out of the question. (no intention of flaming, just my honest opinion)

As for windows home server, is it based off of 2000, or 2003 server? -- I assume 2003 because that's their latest, but microsoft doesn't seem to be the brightest corporation ever...

I'm running a 2000 server right now, that uses IIS to host .NET based applications; Is this possible with the home server?  Also it it possible to set it up as a PDC? (Sorry, my vocabulary dates back to the days of NT4...  I forget what this is called now -- basically, "are you able to setup a centralized login validator for your home computer's on your home network..." - ?)






BrainSlugs83 -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 7:52:21 PM)

oooh oooh, will it run SQL Server? Or is it limited to SQL Express?



SirKenin -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (2/28/2007 11:45:06 PM)

Well, I have it installed right now, and it is an overly simplified 2003 Server.  It still has some very powerful features, but it only takes seconds to have the sharing all set up and the box ready to go.  It does have some powerful features included, but anybody that knows how to set up XP can set this up in a matter of minutes.  It simply destroys any linux distro I have seen for intuitivity and ease of use.

The main feature seems to be the console, where you can back up any computer in the domain or workgroup.  It is beautiful.  I love it.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (3/1/2007 2:50:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: BrainSlugs83

Fedora also doesn't support the .NET framework 3.0 (mono ins't even finished with 2.0 support yet) -- So as a .NET web developer, running a linux server is out of the question. (no intention of flaming, just my honest opinion)


.Net lost in our eyes when it was learned that we'd need to replace 100 PC's because it's unsupported on Windows2K.

What's the point of going to a C/S model if you burden the client with a Thick Client that big? Talk about a Turkey.



BrainSlugs83 -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (3/14/2007 12:44:51 AM)

.NET for ASP is SERVER SIDE ONLY... the clients don't need to have it installed.

And what do you mean it's unsupported on windows 2K? I have a windows 2K web server hosting IIS with several .NET 2.0 ASP sites.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (3/14/2007 5:01:46 AM)

Not .Net ASP. The .Net Framework for applications.




Aubre -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (3/14/2007 5:37:06 AM)

What kernel is it based on? 2003? XP? Vista?

You can use Samba to serve files while authenticating to Active Directory, we've been doing it for years.
We get a lot more requests for PHP types of services than .NET/ASP.



farglebargle -> RE: reeFor the IT guys - Windows Home Server (3/14/2007 6:54:51 AM)

I dunno what kernel it's based on. I didn't originally post about it.

Samba v4 will let you do your AD auth from a linux box.

quote:


31 January 2007

Samba 4.0.0 TP4 Available for Download

Samba 4 is the ambitious next version of the Samba suite that is being developed in parallel to the stable 3.0 series. The main emphasis in this branch is support for the Active Directory logon protocols used by Windows 2000 and above.

While we welcome your interest in Samba 4, we don't want you to run your network with it quite yet. Please note the WARNINGS in the README and the STATUS file, which aims to document what should and should not work.

With 4 years of development under our belt since Tridge first proposed a new Virtual File System (VFS) layer for Samba3 (a project which eventually lead to our Active Directory efforts), we felt that we should create something we could 'show off' to our users. This is a Technology Preview (TP), aimed at allowing you, our users, managers and developers to see how we have progressed, and to invite your feedback and support.

The uncompressed tarball and patch files have been signed with Jelmer Vernooij's key (ID 1EEF5276). The source code can be downloaded now.





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