Comments on: Using Windows Home Server in a Small Business

By: Alex Kuretz

Alex Kuretz — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:34:28 +0000

Paul, are you asking for the server, or for the client PCs? The home server will back up all the PCs and can restore them as a full OS image in the event of a disk crash.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:58:27 +0000

What is the best way to backup of OS/Programs and restore for disk crashes.

By: Alex Kuretz

Alex Kuretz — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:18:21 +0000

@Jackson – You can definitely back up the 10 workstations, and the system running the database should back up just fine. I also know of no issues around backing up the systems running the medical software. You will want to make sure you meet any privacy/security regulations for your area, of course.

By: Jackson

Jackson — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:31:05 +0000

Hello!

Alex,

I read your article, It was very interested for me because I just starting in the network career. I Would like to know, if I can install a WHS in my small business that run 10 PCs include the XP Professional running as a serve as a database store and keeping up the workstations with two medical software running and sharing folder between their. Can you give me an advice to what to do?, and what is the best and economy solution for my business?

I really appreciate your help.

Sincerely,

Jackson Atehortua

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:44:17 +0000

I agree, but I also hope that future releases of SBS include some of the great features found in WHS. It would be so easy to sell a version of SBS that had the PC image backup and Drive Extender technology!

By: Alex Kuretz

Alex Kuretz — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:46:34 +0000

Many of the perks of Server 2003 are disabled or prohibited in the EULA, but other than that there’s no limitations on who can buy or use WHS. As long as you use the product as it is licensed and intended, you’re good to go.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:09:38 +0000

Can Windows Home Server be used in a business environment without purchasing a business license for the application? Considering how WHS is a slimmed down version of Windows Server 2003, I can’t see Microsoft letting people enjoy the perks of WS2K3 at a fraction of it’s operational or selling cost …

By: Alex Kuretz

Alex Kuretz — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:57:21 +0000

It’s definitely possible, however I’ve not done it myself. I believe some forum members have done this with the Hamachi VPN software, I’ll suggest you do a search in the forums and then post there if you have further questions.

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:51:58 +0000

Hello again, my boss recently had his hd on his home computer crash with some business documents on it. So that got me thinking, is there a way that WHS can do backups outside the LAN. I did a little research and it seems this is possible. There are two methods, one by using OpenVPN and the other creating a VPN on the server. Creating the VPN on the server, using the built in MS software, seems like the easiest, but I have no experience with VPNs. Will the VPN connection stay open on the client computer when it restarts or loses and gets the connections back? I know with OpenVPN this is possible but apparently there is some scripting that would need to be done. The two methods I’m referring to can be found here.
http://wiki.wegotserved.com/index.php?title=Create_a_VPN_Using_Your_Windows_Home_Server
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/whssoftware/thread/1408be22-2e1b-4230-90d4-84f0b86b22b8/

By: Alex Kuretz

Alex Kuretz — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:18:06 +0000

It can take a very long time to get all the updates downloaded for the EX47x servers, usually leaving it for a few hours will allow things to finish on their own. I’m glad to hear you got it working!