Home Server, the IT Pro’s best friend

will.craddock — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:11:38 GMT

During my interview process with Microsoft I endured a number interviews and in every single one I was asked the same question “What is your favorite Microsoft product?” Much to every persons chagrin I answered Windows Home Server. In my opinion this one of the best products Microsoft has released in the last 5 years and it has been completely under marketed.

Why you might ask would an enterprise server person think so highly of a little 10 user home server…well the simple fact is as an IT Pro I support my family, friends and acquaintances for any and all computer related problems. A home server in any of these homes saves me calls, trips over and in the worst case provides me with a way to remote in and resolve the issue. The reality is that there is more than 1 computer in a very large number of houses today and that just increases the complexity of file sharing, managing all the pictures, music, videos, etc and the every popular possibility of a hard drive failure or worse.

Your music, photos, videos and other media are part of your life - but they're scattered over multiple computers, disk drives, CDs, DVDs, and MP3 players...Macs and iPods too. The Home Server centralizes all your files, from all your home computers, in one place so you can grab them anywhere you have an internet connection and share how you want.

There has been a number of companies with hardware offerings with the Microsoft Home Server as the OS and you do have the option of building one yourself. I personally really like the HP Home Servers and they just got a whole bunch better with 2 new releases.

Grab your files

Get more from your digital life
The HP MediaSmart Server is your new entertainment hub. It automatically centralizes your digital media and enables you to enjoy it from anywhere you have an internet connection!

The HP Media Collector lets you consolidate your Windows PC media files and libraries (including iTunes® music libraries and playlists) on the server. You can even remotely stream your music and photos from your server to any Internet-connected computer for access while you are at home or away.

You can extend your digital media experiences by conveniently streaming your favorite music, videos, and photos from your HP MediaSmart Server to PCs, Macs, gaming consoles (Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3), and TVs on your home network.(*) Now you can quickly and easily enjoy them on the big-screen.

* Digital Media Receiver (UPnP) required for streaming to home stereo system or TV

Share your files

Centralize your digital life
By bringing all your family's photo, music and video libraries together, from all the computers in your house, the HP MediaSmart Server provides you with a media solution for both PCs and Macs.

Forget files scattered across multiple computers and devices in your home. Your whole family can quickly access them from any internet-connected PC or Mac on your network.

Free your photos and music
Streamline the way you manage and publish your photos to photo sharing sites such as Snapfish and Picasa Web Albums. You can even upload to your favorite social media site such as Facebook using any Internet-connected computer.

Enjoy your music collection from anywhere in your home or across the world from any internet connected PC or Mac.

Protect your files

Easily backup and protect your digital memories
What's the point of keeping your media together if you can't keep them safe? The HP MediaSmart Server backs up your files easily and automatically - you don't even have to think about it.

The server automatically backs up and protects the content on your computers, whether they run Windows XP or Vista and even Macintosh computers running Mac OS X Leopard using Apple's Time Machine.

Search and Rescue
Recovering lost files or even an entire hard disk is no problem, even in the event of a hardware or software failure. In addition, you can designate folders to be automatically copied onto multiple hard drives, or to an online backup service such as Amazon S3, for additional layers of redundant protection. That way you can know your content is stored.

A Solution for PC and Mac Households

The HP MediaSmart Server automatically backs up both Windows PCs running Microsoft's Windows Home Server Backup and Apple Macs using Apple's Time Machine software.

The initial configuration of the HP MediaSmart Server requires a Windows-based system, but after installing the Control Center for Mac OS, you can:

Use Mac OS X Time Machine™ to backup files to the server
Access shared folders on the server using the Control Center
Access the HP Photo Publisher to publish photos on the HP MediaSmart Server or a number of popular photo sharing sites
Serve up iTunes music-any computer on the network that runs iTunes can access an iTunes shared library on the HP MediaSmart Server

One of the great things about home server is the community that has build up around it. There are a number of great blog sites dedicated to the product, Microsoft has a series of MVP’s specifically around Home Server (including a friend of mine from back in Canada in Graham Jones who runs the Vancouver Technology User Group). There are also a large number of add-on's for the Home Server that have been developed for the community.

If you have not looked at this product, I suggest you do so. There is a 120 day free trial version you can order and test or you can download a copy from TechNet if you are a subscriber. I have tested it in the past running as virtual machine on my home testing server. You can even install the home server client on a domain joined machine to allow you to access the shared music, photos, etc at home and to allow you to make a back up of your documents, etc. Powerful stuff for every home.

Microsoft Home Server Reviewers Guide

Windows Home Server Getting Started Guide

Will Craddock's Technology Adventure in Ireland : Mac

Home Server, the IT Pro’s best friend

Grab your files

Share your files

Protect your files

A Solution for PC and Mac Households