The server’s Remote Web Access site can be customized with your own graphics, logos, and links, the layout can be changed by dragging components around the page, and you can limit which items are visible (e.g. Remote access gets a fairly major overhaul in WHS2011.
On the plus side, WHS 2011’s Server 2008 provenance means that unlike the current WHS, it’s fully compatible with Advanced Format hard drives (those that use a 4K sector size rather than a 512 byte sector), which are increasingly common and almost impossible to avoid at the larger disk sizes (i.e. It’s worth mentioning that a number of third party developers are aiming to restore Drive Extender-like capability to WHS 2011 via add-in software, though efforts are still in the alpha and beta stages. The other major consequence of the loss of DE, and by extension, Folder Duplication, is that the only way to keep a redundant copy of data at the ready is to use RAID, which in turn requires multiple disks of the same size and type. Microsoft provides a wizard that makes the task relatively painless, but even so, managing storage is a lot more work in WHS 2011 than it is under the DE model. one with its own drive letter), and then moving folders over from existing drives to take advantage of the newfound capacity. Whereas adding a new drive to WHS2003 (say, a 1TB unit) simply increases the size of the storage pool by that amount, doing the same in WHS 2011 involves the creation of a new and distinct drive (i.e. The upshot of this is that managing storage in WHS 2011 now means dealing with drives individually and being cognizant of their capacity. a 1 TB internal SATA and 2 TB external USB/eSATA) into a single unified storage pool, and it also loses the Folder Duplication feature which replicates a folder’s contents to another physical disk to protect against a disk failure. This means that unlike its predecessor, WHS 2011 can’t combine multiple hard drives of different sizes and types (e.g. Despite much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments by the WHS enthusiast community, Microsoft has seen fit to excise the much-loved Drive Extender (DE) storage replication and expansion feature from WHS 2011. The biggest and most controversial change in WHS 2011 concerns how it utilizes storage space. Thankfully, this is no longer the case in WHS 2011 server backups now include the OS files and server settings and they automatically take place twice daily–at Noon and 11PM, though you can customize both the frequency and timing of backups. Conversely, a big weakness is that a backup of the actual server itself must be manually initiated, and server backups only include client backups and the contents of shared data folders, not the operating system and configuration settings (such as user accounts, etc.). One of the biggest strengths of the current WHS is its automatic backup of client PCs. Alerts can now be delivered through e-mail as well as via the client software, which makes it easier to keep tabs on network status when you’re not connected to it.
The Launchpad can also be extended to allow access to OEM server customizations or third-party software add-ins.įor administrative access to the server, the Dashboard takes the place of the current WHS Console utility and mostly mimics its predecessor’s look and feel. backup or AV software out-of-date) and gives users easy access to server data and features such as shared folders, backups, Remote Web Access (more on that later), etc. A new client utility called the Launchpad delivers health alerts about the system and server (e.g.
WHS 2011’s client software can now be installed directly via a browser, and both Windows and Mac systems are supported (the existing 10 user limit remains in place).
(To facilitate sharing and streaming, WHS 2011 supports DLNA 1.5 and can participate in Windows 7 HomeGroups). Upon completing installation, WHS 2011 provides a checklist of (and convenient links to) the initial configuration tasks that should be performed, such as configuring server backups, enabling remote access, and setting up file sharing and media streaming options. Microsoft has done much to simplify the process of getting WHS 2011–and the systems you’ll connect to it–up and running. To be sure, WHS 2011 addresses most of its predecessor’s biggest shortcomings, though not all of the changes are necessarily for the better.
Formerly known by its “Vail” code name, Windows Home Server 2011 delivers a number of major improvements, not the least of which is that it sports 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2 under the hood–a major step up from the 32-bit Windows Server 2003 that underpins the current version. It’s been a long time coming, but the next version of Microsoft’s Windows Home Server is finally poised to make its debut this month. The latest version of Windows Home Server adds a lot of features–and subtracts a big one too.