[SERVER] No more WHS

CM96 · 10th July 2012, 10:25 AM

It seems that in addition to SBS, Microsoft has decided to consolidate Windows Home Server into Server 2012 Essentials as well.

Quote:

In what we would call a pretty unexpected move, Microsoft has decided that they will be killing Windows Home Server after the current 2011 version. As a result of this, Microsoft will discontinue sales of the OS in 2013 with OEM support ending in 2025.
...
Microsoft's solution to killing Windows Home Server is to wind it's features into Windows Server 2012 Essentials. This would not be as much of an issue unless you realize that Windows Server 2012 Essentials costs approximately $400.

News
Source (end of Page 4)

I know there are some WHS diehards on here who won't be happy to see this.

Also yes I did rip the title off the other thread.

Jim G · 10th July 2012, 10:27 AM

Yikes. $60 vs. $400? Looks like there might be some more people playing with *nix for their servers

CM96 · 10th July 2012, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim G

Yikes. $60 vs. $400? Looks like there might be some more people playing with *nix for their servers

That or just buying more WHS2011 licenses and holding on for dear life

Anywho I wouldn't say MS has shot themselves in the foot just yet but in the future they will lose a large amount of users who would've gone straight for WHS. People just aren't going to pay $400 for software where a previous (and better suited) iteration cost $50-$60 - especially the crowd who are building their servers on a budget.

silenthunter · 10th July 2012, 3:15 PM

I don't think they'll lose many customers. People will just use Windows 7 with 3rd party tools to emulate WHS functionality.

EvilGenius · 10th July 2012, 4:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CM96

It seems that in addition to SBS, Microsoft has decided to consolidate Windows Home Server into Server 2012 Essentials as well.

News
Source (end of Page 4)

I know there are some WHS diehards on here who won't be happy to see this.

Also yes I did rip the title off the other thread.

Apart from the price difference I don't think there was much reason for WHS v2 to exist any more? The only reason it was ever worth using was drive extender, easy mass storage. Without that in V2 (without 3rd party addons) it was kinda pointless?

Decromin · 11th July 2012, 10:34 AM

I've been running a WHSv1 ex475 and WHS2011 on a microserver for quite a while now, and now that the 475 is dying, I'm looking at a replacement. After some testing, it looks like it is going to be Windows 8 ... the primary reason I use 2011 is for the MyMovies functionallity, and the 475 for the drive extender. With storage spaces, I get the drive extender back (and a better implementation so far), and the mymovies stuff is being moved from WHS to Win8 anyway. Only thing I'll miss is the central backups, but I think I'll start using crashplan or similar to sort that out.

Creekin · 11th July 2012, 11:00 AM

i saw this yesterday, just moments after buying a microserver on here and deciding to run whs on it

ran out and picked up my copy last night and its installed and updating now...

was chatting with the retailer about this news and even he said...ppl will just go back to pirating it...

LostBenji · 28th July 2012, 8:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Creekin

ppl will just go back to pirating it...

Who said they stopped......

Matt_NZ · 28th July 2012, 11:01 AM

I think a Windows 8 box will probably do just fine as a WHS replacement. With Storage Spaces in Win 8 (a better alternative to Drive Extender in the original WHS) and the ability to advertise a Storage Space to a Home Group, one of the bigger benefits of WHS is covered. You do lose the centralised management of backups I guess, but assuming the other machines are Win 8 as well, they'll notice the central Storage Space and offer to use File History against it.

Akh-Horus · 3rd August 2012, 12:43 AM

I was going to start a thread about WHS 2011 but saw this.

I'm looking - or was at least - at setting up a home server arrangement but am now wondering if I should given the support will go and the costs of future software will be multiples of what WHS2011 costs.

Jezmad · 3rd August 2012, 3:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akh-Horus

I was going to start a thread about WHS 2011 but saw this.

I'm looking - or was at least - at setting up a home server arrangement but am now wondering if I should given the support will go and the costs of future software will be multiples of what WHS2011 costs.

As Decromin said, Windows 8 does everything WHS1 & WHS2011 does except centralised backups.

Akh-Horus · 3rd August 2012, 9:54 PM

Except it isnt released yet lol and I want something between now and then.

tin · 6th August 2012, 3:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jezmad

As Decromin said, Windows 8 does everything WHS1 & WHS2011 does except centralised backups.

And you can always set up a "BACKUPS" share on the "server" box, then use the Windows backup tool (that IS still in 8, right?) to make backups onto it...

Of course the clients need to be non-Home versions if it's like Windows 7 and won't back up to network targets - WTF to MS on that decision as homes start to get multiple PCs, and even NASes and basic file servers.

Matt_NZ · 6th August 2012, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tin

And you can always set up a "BACKUPS" share on the "server" box, then use the Windows backup tool (that IS still in 8, right?) to make backups onto it...

Of course the clients need to be non-Home versions if it's like Windows 7 and won't back up to network targets - WTF to MS on that decision as homes start to get multiple PCs, and even NASes and basic file servers.

Windows 8 still has the same backup options as Win 7, but they'd rather you use File History instead.

FH works across networks and takes advantage of HomeGroups. Once you publish a StorageSpace to your HomeGroup, File History on all Win 8 PCs will recommend that StorageSpace as a backup destination. Unfortunately, it's only good for backing up files - it won't do settings or a system image.

tin · 7th August 2012, 4:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt_NZ

Unfortunately, it's only good for backing up files - it won't do settings or a system image.

Yeah - that system image part was the main reason I actually thought MS had done some good with their new backup program.

10th July 2012, 10:27 AM	#2
Jim G Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Newcastle Posts: 745	Yikes. $60 vs. $400? Looks like there might be some more people playing with *nix for their servers __________________ Newcastle-based commercial + portrait photographer Trades

11th July 2012, 10:34 AM	#6
Decromin Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney, Aus Posts: 1,283	I've been running a WHSv1 ex475 and WHS2011 on a microserver for quite a while now, and now that the 475 is dying, I'm looking at a replacement. After some testing, it looks like it is going to be Windows 8 ... the primary reason I use 2011 is for the MyMovies functionallity, and the 475 for the drive extender. With storage spaces, I get the drive extender back (and a better implementation so far), and the mymovies stuff is being moved from WHS to Win8 anyway. Only thing I'll miss is the central backups, but I think I'll start using crashplan or similar to sort that out. __________________ Spin my nipple nuts and send me to Alaska!

28th July 2012, 11:01 AM	#9
Matt_NZ Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 3,264	I think a Windows 8 box will probably do just fine as a WHS replacement. With Storage Spaces in Win 8 (a better alternative to Drive Extender in the original WHS) and the ability to advertise a Storage Space to a Home Group, one of the bigger benefits of WHS is covered. You do lose the centralised management of backups I guess, but assuming the other machines are Win 8 as well, they'll notice the central Storage Space and offer to use File History against it. __________________ ASUS P6T SE ~ Intel i7 930 ~ Gigabyte 9800GTS ~ 6gb DDR3 RAM ~ 500gb SATA Seagate HDD ~ LiteScribe ASUS DVD-RW ~ Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Currently addicted to: Star Wars Galaxies (Obraik on Chilastra)

3rd August 2012, 12:43 AM	#10
Akh-Horus Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Western Vic Posts: 5,586	I was going to start a thread about WHS 2011 but saw this. I'm looking - or was at least - at setting up a home server arrangement but am now wondering if I should given the support will go and the costs of future software will be multiples of what WHS2011 costs. __________________ [Logitech 'G' Owners Club Member #1] OCAU Fishing Club Member #43 i5 2500K stock, 256GB SSD, 16GB 1600 DDR3, 2TB WD Black, 7950OC People I wont trade with: treeplant & OJR

3rd August 2012, 9:54 PM	#12
Akh-Horus Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Western Vic Posts: 5,586	Except it isnt released yet lol and I want something between now and then. __________________ [Logitech 'G' Owners Club Member #1] OCAU Fishing Club Member #43 i5 2500K stock, 256GB SSD, 16GB 1600 DDR3, 2TB WD Black, 7950OC People I wont trade with: treeplant & OJR

10th July 2012, 3:15 PM	#4
silenthunter Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 2,576	I don't think they'll lose many customers. People will just use Windows 7 with 3rd party tools to emulate WHS functionality.