# Replacing Home Server - still need Remote Access



## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

Ok, I've been a big fan of Windows Home Server. I'm running a WHS 2011 box as we speak. However, Microsoft doesn't seem to like it any more. With Server 2012, the "lowest end" version they're selling is the $450 Windows Server Essentials - a far fry from the $55-$100 WHS software.

So I'm looking at replacing all the WHS functionality now that Win 8 is coming out. Since MS is doing a $40 Win 8 Pro upgrade offer, I'll be taking them up on it.

Win 8 has Storage Spaces, so the WHS V1 Drive Extender feature has finally been replaced.
Win 7 & 8 have backup procedures that support bare-metal restores (though not consolidated) so that takes care of THAT vital feature.

The last one is remote access. WHS had a built-in web server package that automatically configured your router so that you could have people go to yourservername.homeserver.com and log on to a website in your living room. I used this to give my kids and other relatives access to files (pictures, videos, etc) without having to email them.

Now, I could easily get a domain at godaddy or any of the other hosting services - but there are storage limits (and I can sometimes put up multi-gigabyte videos of parades and such). Is there something out there that will work with *my* PC (I'll have one dedicated for this) and allow me to put up websites and storage areas (and act as an impromptu resume to demonstrate my web programming skills in case I want to find another job)?

I haven't really researched this much since WHS did all that FOR me. So now I have to research everything again. Are there any such products out there?

Thanks in advance.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

djlong said:


> Ok, I've been a big fan of Windows Home Server. I'm running a WHS 2011 box as we speak. However, Microsoft doesn't seem to like it any more. With Server 2012, the "lowest end" version they're selling is the $450 Windows Server Essentials - a far fry from the $55-$100 WHS software.
> 
> So I'm looking at replacing all the WHS functionality now that Win 8 is coming out. Since MS is doing a $40 Win 8 Pro upgrade offer, I'll be taking them up on it.
> 
> ...


I ran a website on my home PC several years ago (~1998) using Linux. This was on a dialup connection using a dedicated line. I didn't keep it up all the time, but it worked and the price was right.


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## steve053 (May 11, 2007)

I'm still rolling with the first version of WHS on my HP MediaSmart server. Planning on upgrading Essentials in the near future.

*Technet* should do the trick.


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## heathramos (Dec 19, 2005)

djlong said:


> Win 8 has Storage Spaces, so the WHS V1 Drive Extender feature has finally been replaced.


didn't know about storage spaces but sounds interesting if you could add drives of different sizes and still use the full space of each drive (I have seen conflicting info on this).

I have 6 2tb drives in a RAID5 setup currently (hardware RAID). If I want to add space to it, I would add another drive, break the RAID, re-create it with the new drive and it would add 2TBs to it.

I wonder if I could do the following:

add my RAID to a storage pool with no resiliency since the RAID would handle that. Create a large storage space, maybe 50tb. later when I run out of space, get a 4 bay USB enclosure with built in RAID and add that to the pool. after the pain of the initial set up, I would have the performance of a hardware raid and could add storage without messing with the previous raids in the pool.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

RAID isn't my problem. Storage Services gives me that functionality without the headaches of RAID maintenance. It's not like I need the super-fast performance of a RAID array.

No, it's remote access TO the array that I need.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

You could setup a server and use a dynamic dns service which is supported in most routers now.

Here's a dated, but good, write up to start. http://stevehanov.ca/blog/index.php?id=73


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## Groundhog45 (Nov 10, 2005)

Here's a good article about using Win8 as a replacement home server.

http://windowssecrets.com/newsletter/a-cheap-effective-home-server-using-windows-8/


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

Looks like the combination of SkyDrive and Fetch will give me the last bit of what I'm looking for.

Thanks!


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## kfcrosby (Dec 17, 2006)

Just another suggestion is the Amahi Project. I've been watching it for awhile and it is gaining maturity. May be time for me to switch my WHS box

http://www.amahi.org/

Kevin


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