tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post5796262693626084379..comments2023-05-27T03:03:25.460-07:00Comments on SeanDaniel.com / technology: Why I plan on using the new Windows Home Server 2011Sean Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05628006595925427776noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-16477906620171063442011-03-12T22:56:25.038-08:002011-03-12T22:56:25.038-08:00"The biggest, most awesome SERVER feature of ..."The biggest, most awesome SERVER feature of v1 was DE and the fact I can throw in (almost) ANY SIZED drive and instant pooling, no mapping, RAIDing or using a cut and paste wizard to move folders around. I have a couple 250GBs, an old 160GB, couple 500GB, 1TB, etc. and they just WORK. I am in IT as well and don't want to 'work' while at home. The HOME product should be as dummy proof for home users and easy for the pros, too."<br /><br />This ^^<br /><br />I have enough to worry about, and enough bills to pay without dedicating time and hardware to my server. If I've got a spare hard drive, I throw it at WHSv1, it says "Thank you very much", and on we go. Sometimes they fail, I remove, on we go. <br /><br />And the idea that WHS designers and developers got around a table to discuss the future of their file server product, and arrived at "Stop keeping so much digital junk!" is simply frightening. Clearly end-users have case-studies worth studying. The fact is you guys seemingly don't use WHS as much as we do.Shemnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-14702976077608381742011-03-05T08:21:20.129-08:002011-03-05T08:21:20.129-08:00DE is WHS. Being a Sr. Software Engineer in OS de...<b>DE is WHS</b>. Being a Sr. Software Engineer in OS development, I fully understand the performance issues and tradeoffs between DE and RAIDx.<br /><br />When I'm at work, we use business grade server software. When I'm at home, the "wife factor" and not wanting to be an IT-guy is why I bought an HP Home Server with WHS1. Personally, I wanted to configure a Linux Server, but DE made the decision easy.<br /><br />If Microsoft asked the WHS community to rank its most important features, DE would be at the top of the pareto chart. <br />People who want to use WHS as Server 2008 should buy Server 2008! For the rest of us, listen to your customers and put DE back into our <b>home servers</b>.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-52162495407192755742011-03-02T10:27:15.396-08:002011-03-02T10:27:15.396-08:00Sorry Sean,
As many have already said, DE is too ...Sorry Sean, <br />As many have already said, DE is too integral a part of WHS for me to consider upgrading to WHS 2011.<br /><br />You guys really screwed the pooch without even considering including DE ver. 1 as an option.<br /><br />Now, I see there are possible plugins being developed to replace DE, but I don't think I should have to pay extra for a feature from the original version because you guys decided SBS was more important.<br /><br />I will continue to run WHS ver. 1 until it is no longer viable, then I will search for an alternative...hopefully by that time you will be working on the next iteration of WHS and it will include some type of DE. Until now, I will consider WHS 2011 as the equivalent of Vista and stay as far from it as possible.Bruiserkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-77165227487896879492011-03-01T15:15:53.900-08:002011-03-01T15:15:53.900-08:00Hi guys, is it possible to get the photo slideshow...Hi guys, is it possible to get the photo slideshow plug in for whs 2011 working on sbs 2011 as I need the e-mail functionality of exchange but after testing whs - this slide show feature is awesome.<br /><br />Any ideas?<br /><br />Thanks in advance, Al.Alannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-59390938670042305142011-02-25T11:36:54.021-08:002011-02-25T11:36:54.021-08:00This is just an example of why Apple and other sav...This is just an example of why Apple and other savvy software companies will continually erode Microsoft out of the home.<br /><br />1) You don't care<br />2) You don't listen<br />3) you make products to integrate to the enterprise/business<br />4) And the Biggest point you miss....... THE WIFE Factor<br /><br /><br />Home server V1 is great it is a product that has the wife factor in mind. <br /><br />Apple get it they make products that I don't have to SUPPORT at home.<br /><br />Make it simple, Make it easy, make it Slick, <br /><br />V1 had this (Mostly) V2 has slick thats it. The terms Pigs and lipstick come to mind with V2<br /><br />I will stay on V1 I will recommend V1 to people. why did HP drop media smart servers, yep V2 and no upgrade path<br /><br />Microsoft you lose.. AgainDavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-64935966199912124972011-02-23T05:49:05.579-08:002011-02-23T05:49:05.579-08:00So lets talk about migration from WHS v1 to WHS v2...So lets talk about migration from WHS v1 to WHS v2. Its actually a complete nightmare to move the data from one to the other now. Firstly, I'd need a complete new setup - its not just a case of upgrade the OS, leave the data. Now, thats really the fault of removing DE, and others have said this, but I don't actually see how you could have removed DE because of that reason - its physically impossible to upgrade now? <br /><br />Equally, RAID - urm? So DE was sold to us on the basis that we could just throw different drive sizes in the mix, and gain more space. So my WHS v1 has a 750Gb drive, a 1.5Tb drive and a 1Tb drive in it. Exactly what kind of RAID system do I get with that?! As someone else mentioned, don't sell RAID as WHS v2, its not part of your product, and we all know the rebuild times of a RAID 5 array - you risk a lot of data performing that (and thats assuming you know what you're doing). <br />Honestly, from where you are now, give up, or start eating humble pie - I personally wouldn't have minded if you'd said "erk, we've found this breaks SBS, we're changing the WHS ship date by 9 months to replace/fix DE" - you'd certainly still have customers if you did. <br />In the end though, WHSv2 is worthless - you can't migrate from v1, you can't even copy the data across in some cases, because it won't fit(!), and as someone else says, after 4 years work you've a) removed the main feature b) added some window dressing which next to know one will use?<br /><br />Posting something like "If you're data is too large for us, you've probably got too much" is absolutely hilarious - you're proffering a storage solution?! You're telling me that its my problem if you can't store it?! You deserve everything you get for that one.<br /><br />Answer this then, what really is the benefit of WHSv2 over a base windows/linux box with remote file shares? This is not worth its price tag. You don't listen to your customers, you remove DE, you don't add any kind of media center integration, you don't talk honestly with us - please, just give up.<br /><br />P.s. Has anyone noticed the format and points from this article have a surprising resemblance to Paul Thurotts supersite post? I'm guessing people are being asked to tow the line here if they want to play in M$ land.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-72011608692461505102011-02-23T03:18:31.078-08:002011-02-23T03:18:31.078-08:00Remote Access
Nice, but it's not really a core...<b>Remote Access</b><br />Nice, but it's not really a core requirement.<br /><br /><b>Remote Silverlight Video Streaming</b><br />This could be awesome.. <br /><br /><b>Photo Slide Shows</b><br />Nice, but 7MC handles this on network, and flickr/picasa elsewhere without using my b/w.<br /><br /><b>Music Player</b><br /><i>"I even use this in my living room when I have a get together"</i><br />So, you all listen to the music thru the little laptop speakers? There's no sign of this improved music front end down in 7MC, so my storage server, would have a better media playback interface, than my media server. Hmm.<br /><br /><b>"The ability to manage files without downloading them"</b><br />Umm.. remote desktop to server ?<br /><br /><b>DLNA 2.0</b><br />Excuse me while I go garrote a teddy bear, I've found that to be more productive than making DLNA ever do anything useful.<br /><br /><b>Launchpad</b><br />Cosmetic, sounds like a tweaked whs1 systray app.<br /><br /><b>Data Security</b><br /><i>Data is safe because its on your pc AND on teh home server!</i><br />Uh.. duh.. that's any NAS?<br /><br /><i>RAID5 discussion.. </i><br />Eek! raid5 for a collection of large (say 1.5 to 2tb) disks?<br /><br /><b>"What about the data on the server" ?</b><br /><i>We do backups.. automagically</i><br /><br />Umm.. yes, except theres a 2tb limit per backup volume, and my video dir is 7tb alone. And I can't get a (single) disk large enough to back that up to.. <br /><br />Plus, if you RAID, and you lose more than 1 (raid5) or 2 (raid6) disks, you need to have a backup of ALL the data. With DE, you only lost what you lost.. (So you set up your own separate physical backups for photos, docs, etc.. but for the LARGE video/audio shares, you accept the duplication fault tolerance, with no backup, as you can always re-rip).<br /> <br />I think the disconnect here is that DE provided a solution where you did not require a total data backup, provided you had another means to restore data. But that if you did lose disks, you still had access to all the data remaining. Contrast that to RAID, where once you pass that tolerance level, the entire array is gone. <br /><br />Then consider this is a home server, looking after recorded tv from 7MC, and I start looking for the option that sends me someone to explain to the wife & children why they have NO recorded episodes of Bodger the Educational Dinosaur Construction Worker to watch, as the RAID array needs 48hrs to rebuild. (Whoever you send, make sure they come wearing Bodger mascot costume, ideally well padded).<br /><br /><b>Massive Data Collections</b><br /><br />Way to go to demonstrateThis is the one area where DE did offer a somewhat unique solution, and is one reason many people found DE suitable for their needs. the disconnect between what you consider as 'massive' and what some of us consider massive.<br /><br /> 80gb photos, that's a decent enough amount =)<br /><br /> 130gb of video.. eh? that isn't a video collection, that's less space than most people have in their PVRs! even my old tivo had 300gb in it.<br /><br /> My videos folder is 7tb, how? Simply use Media Center, have access to HD channels, and watch as you need ~10gb to store an hours video, then multiply that by a few tuners, and a few people in the house, and you understand why even commercial providers here are offering 1tb PVRs, and still people run out of space. One of the benefits of running your own rig, is that 'running out of space' is not supposed to involve deciding which family member you are going to provoke this week by deleting their recordings, but should be fixable by adding some more space to the video share.<br /><br /><i>.. But maybe its time to take a hard look at what data you're hoarding.</i><br /><br />Umm.. i thought this was all about WHS2 being 'pure awesum!!!11!!' not 'omg, you has too much datas, delete some and you'll see how awesum we is'.<br /><br />If I have to delete data to make my storage fit your product.. then your product has failed to fit my needs. A shame, since it's predecessor was so well suited, and likely would remain so except for it's disliking for newer format disks.Bodger the Educational Dinosaur Construction Workernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-91922134343379759032011-02-20T17:25:34.097-08:002011-02-20T17:25:34.097-08:00"But I don’t understand why people instantly ..."But I don’t understand why people instantly now hate WHS????"<br /><br />Well, that does explain why the WHSv2 team didn't think the removal of DE was a big deal. The kind of disconnect from reality that only seems to exist at Microsoft. <br /><br />Remote access - most OEMs were providing a more robust solution than Microsoft was, and if you were unhappy with that, there were other remote access options, some free, some not, but all robust. <br /><br />Silverlight video streaming - are you kidding? INSANE? Silverlight has an adoption rate of what? 1% of the web? And .99% of that was forced corporate installs? How disconnected from reality are you that you're suggesting that a technology used by a tiny fraction of the web is the best way to provide people with streaming access to videos? <br /><br />Your data protection argument is so poor even you were forced to admit that you're scared you're going to loose data. And your massive data collections argument? 2TB? MASSIVE? We're about two releases of Windows away from 2TB OS installs, the way your OS division has been fattening up Windows. If your best argument to "massive storage" is that "well, you didn't need that data anyway, why don't you minimize", you deserve to be axed along with your product ASAP.<br /><br />Sorry Sean, you know as well as everyone else that you're putting lipstick on a pig.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-68720372444997773972011-02-18T12:07:15.191-08:002011-02-18T12:07:15.191-08:00Terry's points were best - where are the featu...Terry's points were best - where are the features? I know that the removal of DE would have been a minor side note IF MS would have added some of the features that the community have been asking for. <br /><br />It has been 4 years since WHSv1 - and while I like Sean's review and see some nice improvements - they are not really new features. In 4 years, we expected something big. The suggestions were there; the pieces are there (ie MediaCenter). But none were offered.<br /><br />The enhancements are "nice". But "nice" does not get people excited. Nor does it offset removal of features - that in V1 was one of the key features that they promoted.Rob Kellingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09385499769349353067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-45207131375565792832011-02-16T00:28:52.724-08:002011-02-16T00:28:52.724-08:00The Drive Extender was THE KILLER FEATURE of the w...The Drive Extender was THE KILLER FEATURE of the whs. Without it, it is not more than a pimpt windows xp.<br />And as a customer who has stored about 15 TB of Video-Files (I have copied all my VHS-Tapes of the last 30 years.), simply moving the Shares to different HDDs is not an option because such big HDDs will not exist in 2011.<br />Using WHS v2 as a File-Server for private photos is even impossible because of the missing DE. Simply photograph in RAW-format instead of Jpeg and you know what I mean. Last year I spend my holidays in Australia with my Canon 40D. I came back with about 256 GB of filled CF-Cards. and that was just one holiday trip. Now think about how long it takes to fill a 3 TB HDD.<br /><br />--> The WHS v2 without the DE is like to give birth to a stillborn child.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-28870011046967258412011-02-14T14:47:35.531-08:002011-02-14T14:47:35.531-08:00The most encouraging news about WHS v2 is not comi...The most encouraging news about WHS v2 is not coming from Microsoft:<br /><br />http://blog.covecube.com/2011/02/introducing-stablebit-drivepool-for-the-windows-home-server-2011/<br /><br />Why can't Microsoft do this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-87470198205827249172011-02-13T08:40:39.382-08:002011-02-13T08:40:39.382-08:00So Microsoft's solution to running out of stor...So Microsoft's solution to running out of storage is to delete your old data? <br /><br />Nobody will need more than 640K memory either.<br /><br />Once again Microsoft setting the trend for the future.Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06282843195518611676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-79902178847037997532011-02-11T13:48:54.738-08:002011-02-11T13:48:54.738-08:00Sorry. At first Microsoft tells us how painfull an...Sorry. At first Microsoft tells us how painfull and complicated a Raid is for a normal user and how great DE is. And Microsoft was right, DE in WHS1 is THE feature.<br /><br />But WHS2 without DE is not awesome, it is dead. <br /><br />MS will lose surely customers to Linux, because they will look at alternatives like AMAHI with Greyhole (a Linux DE). And when my server is Linux, why not change the clients to Ubuntu or something else ?<br /><br />I have 5 TB storage at home now and i need ALL of them like it is. I don´t want Raid because Raid is a server storage technology and nothing for home users with cheap onboard controllers. The custom onboard controllers are crap and i don´t trust them.<br /><br />For me i will stay at WHS1 as long as i can. And when the alternative really is Linux, so i will change complete with all my clients.JBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-383665333040028132011-02-10T13:28:22.800-08:002011-02-10T13:28:22.800-08:00It will not matter how much cheerleading is done f...It will not matter how much cheerleading is done for this new product. Silverlight Video streaming is just not going to happen for most users, even with a decent cable package streaming movies just won't work for 99% of people, uploads speeds are always limited so cool but useless feature for most. The best thing 2011 has going for is the x64 platform and that simply is not enough to keep this afloat, honestly how often is someone going to browse to thier server to do anything other than grab a file or photo, it is cool factor only, like another user said, to much frosting, not enough cake in this release. MS should just drop this product because it is not a "Home Server" at all, it is Windows 7 with an add on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-77195496747373068802011-02-10T09:10:42.442-08:002011-02-10T09:10:42.442-08:00(continued from above) - I wanted to add I do enjo...(continued from above) - I wanted to add I do enjoy the news on the video transcoding, but what ticks me off is that we watch a lot of TV and we can't set a RECORDED TV folder other than local to the W7MC. I would enjoy an all-in-one solution that would house our TV shows so we can watch, etc. That's convenience.Dennis Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901648396271681964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-89320864147036636592011-02-10T08:09:01.935-08:002011-02-10T08:09:01.935-08:00The biggest, most awesome SERVER feature of v1 was...The biggest, most awesome SERVER feature of v1 was DE and the fact I can throw in (almost) ANY SIZED drive and instant pooling, no mapping, RAIDing or using a cut and paste wizard to move folders around. I have a couple 250GBs, an old 160GB, couple 500GB, 1TB, etc. and they just WORK. I am in IT as well and don't want to 'work' while at home. The HOME product should be as dummy proof for home users and easy for the pros, too. <br /><br />I agree with whoever said it up top - the customers have yelled - DE, Tunrer Support/All-in-One Media Center Server are the MOST REQUESTED features and all you seem to do is ignore your customers. Also like someone said, I might not ever print 10,000 pictures, but you also have photo albums of years past you might not ever open to see. I personally love the slideshow picturewall screen saver of W7MC - when we pause TV for a break, we spend more time watching the pictures go by... so, to have 10,000 pictures is MY responsibility of data management, not yours to say, eh, you won't ever look at them all.<br /><br />Dropping customers like flies. Someone will make a product with user requested features...Dennis Mannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901648396271681964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-28217217836179970022011-02-10T07:43:05.806-08:002011-02-10T07:43:05.806-08:00It’s all convenience. It was definitely nice to h...<i>It’s all convenience. It was definitely nice to have in WHS v1, but I don’t think it’s absolutely needed in a server in the home.</i><br /><br />Yes, it's all convenience. For many people WHSv1 has been a very convenient way to store their digital data - like movie collections. In fact the whole concept of DE invited to store huge amounts of data while maintaining an easy way to expand your storagepool when needed.<br /><br />All the other new features are for convenience as well. One could easily install an FTP server on a server and achieve the "delete, copy, cut and paste things all over the shared folders without actually having to download it" - but that'd be not as comfortable as the new remote page.<br /><br />I guess my point is that the convenience of DE outweighs the new features - at least for me. And it seems many other WHSv1 users would agree.Treibwerkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09163526045740684077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-24172815139061520322011-02-10T07:38:15.348-08:002011-02-10T07:38:15.348-08:00although there are a lot of comments against WHS20...although there are a lot of comments against WHS2011 because of DE being removed, and rightfully so, I will still look at it. The geek that I am. Being in IT RAID doesn't bother me. Backups are the most important function for me, again IT mentality. That said, this is suppose to be a "home server" which means ease of use. Sounds like WHS2011 is geared to more for SOHO which means that this will not be a successful release. MS could have saved themselves (some) by adding Media Center, which it doesn't look like. Hopefully V3 will bring back some kind of DE and return to original roots like WHS V1.JLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01612227748988643371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-63812619194539064212011-02-10T06:57:27.501-08:002011-02-10T06:57:27.501-08:00No DE, no WHS2011 for me.No DE, no WHS2011 for me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-3284497289902422092011-02-09T12:46:08.900-08:002011-02-09T12:46:08.900-08:00The more I think about it the more I realise that,...The more I think about it the more I realise that, unlike in my earlier comment, I cannot live without DE.Mileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10391936104590123576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-45020740056660062272011-02-09T12:43:57.099-08:002011-02-09T12:43:57.099-08:00Or MS are getting the message but just don't c...Or MS are getting the message but just don't care!Mileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10391936104590123576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-38678183765158908222011-02-09T11:55:23.599-08:002011-02-09T11:55:23.599-08:00A large group of WHS users use the My Movies add-o...A large group of WHS users use the My Movies add-on to store their movie collections in digital form. My wife LOVES this capability and we currently store more than 12TB of movies and other data on our home server. We add 2TB drives to the system about every 3-4 months. If MS thinks for a second that I'm going to reconstitute RAID arrays to expand the pool (not to mention where I put all the data while I'm doing it) they are smoking crack!<br /><br />I've been in IT for nearly 20 years and hold multiple MS certs including an MCSE. To even begin to suggest that my wife or grandparents should setup a RAID configuration (of any kind) is ridiculous. <br /><br />A few months ago I was on a business trip and our home server ran out of storage. My wife called and I talked her through adding another drive to the storage pool over the phone. Quick, painless, simple! THAT is what what a HOME product should be. I had a similar situation with my grandparents about a year ago. They were blown away that they could add hard drives without having to wait for a holiday trip so I could do it for them.<br /><br />Microsoft took what was, in my opinion, THE best home device every conceived by the company and then removed THE #1 reason I recommended it to all of my friends and family.<br /><br />Until a Grandparents usable solution is found for WHS I will never suggest the platform to another friend or family member. I'm not here to support RAID configurations or explain how to identify LUN's and rebuild Arrays in my off hours for friends and family. Which is EXACTLY what will happen and everyone in IT knows it.<br /><br />I truly hate to keep rehashing this on every forum and blog post but it has to be said and MS Obviously isn't getting the message.Daniel D. Knoodlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09159082507757147050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-72231303010890446432011-02-08T20:42:50.443-08:002011-02-08T20:42:50.443-08:00Segmenting data into 2 TB chunks shifts the admins...Segmenting data into 2 TB chunks shifts the adminstrative burden from the server to the user. Who should be serving who? <br /><br />If I don't upgrade I can keep enjoying the superior storage model in WHS v1. I <b>will not</b> miss new features in WHS v2 that I don't use today but I <b>will</b> miss WHS v1 features that I won't have tomorrow.<br /><br />I think you are in the interesting position of facing very stiff competition from the v1 of your own product!<br /><br />It's not too late to do the right thing here and bring back DE. There will not be a v3 product if you ship v2 like this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-49408640828390015112011-02-08T15:01:48.957-08:002011-02-08T15:01:48.957-08:00Raid can be a MAJOR pain in the ass with the cheap...Raid can be a MAJOR pain in the ass with the cheap consumer level drive not allowing raid 5.... have 5 Seagate 1tb's that I tried to raid 5... only to have it constantly drop multiple drives and be told by Seagate support that if I had payed $175 a piece (compared to $75) for the server class drives it would workrandyf1965https://www.blogger.com/profile/06949570277667941555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8453126.post-55211036330177981882011-02-08T14:09:07.184-08:002011-02-08T14:09:07.184-08:00Sean, there is no disputing that WHS 2011 has some...Sean, there is no disputing that WHS 2011 has some nice features. You and I have discussed the data protection issue at length and I've written my take on my blog so I won't elaborate here.<br /><br />However I'm interested to hear your response on why you think Charlie Kindel was wrong when he said that RAID is not a consumer technology.<br /><br />http://blogs.technet.com/b/homeserver/archive/2008/08/11/why-raid-is-not-a-consumer-technology.aspxAlex Kuretzhttp://www.mediasmartserver.netnoreply@blogger.com