Windows Home Server

A home server is a computer, similar to other computers in your small office or home, but with a specific role, or number of roles depending on your needs. The server connects to your network and for most users, those roles include the following: storing and sharing files to multiple computers (i.e. a desktop computer or laptop), streaming music, videos and photos to networked media devices (e.g. digital media receivers such as the Logitech Squeezebox, Netgear Entertainer, Media Center Extenders and even digital photo frames) automatically backing up computers each night and enabling remote access to various computers and devices on the network when you’re away from your office or home.

Call us for a quotation

Why Do I Need a Home Server?

Hopefully the list of features, right, provide a few pointers as to why you need a home server, but the headline is this – if you have multiple PCs in your small office or home and a growing collection of data, music, videos and photos, then all of those files need looking after. If a computer breaks, a drive fails or you accidentally wipe out a folder, then those files could be lost forever.

A home server not only takes the pain out of protecting those files by automatically backing up each of those computers overnight, but also makes it much more easy to enjoy your music, video and photos thanks to its easy folder sharing and media streaming capabilities – both in the office/home, and increasingly, outside the office/home through internet streaming add-ins allowing you to stream you collections to remote computers and mobile phones.

An Overview of Windows Home Server

Windows Home Server is a full-blown server OS as you would find in the Enterprise, with many of the more advanced features hidden away and a friendly, easy to use dashboard helping you manage key features, which are as follows:

Automatic Backup and Easy Restore – Automatically backs up up to 10 PCs in your business or home each evening, with the ability to open up and navigate through each day’s backup and restore a single file, an entire folder or quickly reinstall the entire computer complete with all files, user data and drivers intact, thanks to its image based backup technology.

Folder Duplication – added protection of the data on your shared folders (in case of drive failure), by duplicating that data to a separate physical drive (if connected).

External Backup – further protection of your shared folders by copying all data to en external USB drive for off-site storage.

Health Warnings – Monitors all computers connected to the home server (courtesy of a small dashboard application called the Windows Home Server Console you install on each computer in the office or home) and detects issues with anti-virus and firewall status, using a simple “traffic light” (Red, Amber Green) warning system. Can also alert users to issues with the home server itself.

File Sharing – Shared folders on the home server act as central repositories for documents, music, videos and photos. Any authorised home computer and user on the network can then access those folders to add more files, copy and delete files as well and stream media files to an appropriate networked playback device.

Printer Sharing – Connect a printer to the home server and any office or home computer can print to it.

Remote Access – A free URL (xxxx.homeserver.com) is provided for every home server to allow users to connect to it remotely from any location with Internet Access. Users can then access folders on the home server itself, or control any authorised office or home computer directly using Remote Desktop.

Media Streaming – Stream music, videos and photos to a wide variety of playback devices on your network, including digital media receivers, Media Center Extenders, networked TVs, digital photo frames, networked Hi-Fis etc.

Add-Ins – A thriving and growing library of third-party applications providing additional features for your home server including power management, enhanced media streaming, hard disk management and more.