Windows Home Server
Remote access to your files and folders over the Internet is one of the huge advantages to having a Windows Home Server. Lets take a closer look at how to go about it. This article assumes that you have already set up your Windows Home Server for remote access over the web and configured a custom domain name.
As a big fan of Windows Home Server I've have been somewhat curiously waiting for more information to trickle out about the newest edition of WHS. Wait no more. Microsoft has released the new public beta version of Windows Home Server, code name "Vail."
Here's is what Microsoft is saying are the big improvements in the latest edition of Windows Home Server:
- Extending media streaming outside the home or office (Love this! I'm all about streaming media)
- Multi-PC backup and restore (essential and important elements of WHS)
- Simplified setup and user experience (Probably a good thing, depending on MS's definition of "Simplified")
- Expanded development and customization tools for partners (won't make much difference to the average user)
One of the great features of Windows Home Server is the ability to connect to the Server and access your files remotely over the Internet. I love being able to work at the coffee shop and download any files or documents on my server through the WiFi connection. And, since I (try) to save everything or importance on my WHS, any files I create or update can be saved back to my server immediately so I don't need to remember to do it later. If Windows Home Server is able to automatically configure your router for you, setup really is a snap. Your router will need to support UPnP, so if your router supports that option, make sure you have it turned on in your router settings.
So, you’ve got yourself a Windows Home Server and you’ve setup all your home PCs to backup to your home server on a regular basis. But what about backing up the Server itself? There are a couple ways to go about. You could choose an online backup solution which protects in case of natural disasters, fire, theft, etc. You could also choose to backup to a external USB drive... which is the option we'll take a look at here.
This is an ideal little solution if you run Windows Home Server with a normal or complex password policy but don't want to have to login to your PC every time you boot up. I use this for my Windows Media Center PC. There are times when a reboot is needed, such as after a Windows Update, or a power outage, whatever. In such situations, I just want my Media PC to go right into Windows on Start up. Especially since I don't have a keyboard and mouse connected.
I know what you may be thinking.... "Why would I want to exclude my PC or laptop from being backed up by Windows Home Server? Isn't that the main reason to have a Home Server?" Yeah, you're right, it is a big reason. However, there may be reasons why you would want to turn off the backup for one or more computers. My example: I have a test PC here at home that, as you can guess, I use for testing. I can play around with settings, applications, whatever, without fear of "hosing" my everyday PC. I don't really need to back anything up. Granted, this is not a "typical" reason that would likely apply for Average Joe PC User.
A more common reason could be if you already save all your files on the Windows Home Server. If you work strictly off the server and save everything to your personal folder in instead of My Documents or another local folder, there may not be a real reason to backup to the server.
There are a few reasons why you may want to configure your Windows Home Server with a static IP Address. One of the reasons, and the reason I wish to assign a static IP, is to setup remote access. Before I take a look at some of those features like Remote Access, I'll focus on laying the groundwork by setting up WHS with a static IP address.
Most configurations for Windows Home Server can be done with the Windows Home Server Console, but occasionally you may need to log into the WHS desktop. You can actually use the Remote Desktop feature in Windows to access the desktop rather than digging up a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
One of the most important and critical features of Windows Home Server is the ability to automatically backup your home computers to the server. This feature is enabled automatically when you add new computers to the network by running the Windows Home Server Connector, but by default it probably backs up way more than you need. Most users are probably needlessly taking up too much hard drive space on your server.
I think it’s actually a wise idea on the behalf of Microsoft to err on the side of too much backup. The worst scenario would be if something wasn’t being backup up when you were assuming that it would be backup. Post-hard drive crash is not the time to discover you weren’t backing up all your critical files.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what folders need to be backed up. Most people will store their "stuff" in their My Documents folder, or the Desktop. However, it's very possible that you have created other folders, or store items in other locations. It's also possible that you are using an application that stores files or a database outside of the typical user profile. When it doubt, back it up.
Windows Home Server sets up a group of shared folders by default. Music, Photos, Public, Recorded TV, Software, and Videos. And, of course there is a Users folder which holds the personal folders for any users you create. If you purchased your Windows Home Server pre-configured from a manufacturer like HP, you may also have a few additional shared folders.
You can create as many additional shared folders as you need and control which users have access to these folders. Let's take a closer look at how to create a new shared folder.
One of the first things you'll likely want to so once you get your Windows Home Server up and running is to add some user accounts. Windows Home Server allows for up to 10 accounts, plus a guest account, which should be plenty to for most families.
The first step to take will be opening the Windows Home Server Console...
Getting Started
Looking to get started with Windows Home Server? Follow along with the turorials to get up and running.
Planning and Installing Windows Home Server
Installing Windows Home Server Connector
Adding Users in Windows Home Server
Adding Shared Folders in Windows Home Server
Configuring Backup in Windows Home Server