WHS vs Windows 7/8 as a server.

[Brendon 119]

So a discussion has arisen in the live tv thread in regards to this topic and rather then continue to hijack the tv thread i thought we could continue here.

 

Currently i am using WHS2011 as my media server with a windows 7 based HTPC (server always on, HTPC not), there is also the pc i am on now, which is the workhorse (running Win 8.1 Pro), it controls the entire network, keeps me in work, holds my beloved DDO, and constantly running uTorrent (also always on), these 3 are the heart of the home network along with numerous notebook, pods/pads and whatever else the kids can manage to connect to it lol. This has worked flawlessly and i have never had an issue until i realised i cant have WMC on the server for live tv.

 

Now there are a lot that are praising the capabilites of a headless Win 8 to do the job of WHS, so sell me on it

 

What are the pros and cons you have found?

 

How well does it handle the network? and what impact on the cpu? (currently running an i3 in the server with no issue as are 90% of ones i have built for customers of mine)

 

I don't use raid so the media drives shouldn't be an issue, aside from livetv streaming from the backend what else would i be gaining (or losing) thats worth telling 3 teenagers i am taking their central nervous system offline to reinstall the OS in the middle of school holidays lmao

 

Right now i am content to wait for a backend solution like DVBLink, i am always open to change however, it just takes some arm twisting.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Brendon

[Logos302 86]

You only really lose the backup aspect when it comes with WHS.   Everything else can be replaced with arguably better software.  You will also lose congruent connections 7/8 have limits, servers do not (Licensing is there limit)  Now I'm not sure this has an affect on MBS but it might if you had 10 MBC computers or more.  Everything else is the same as the core OS is the same whether it be Server or Client for the most part anyways.

 

 

As a side note I went the Server 2012 Essentials route when planning my upgrade.  

Edited January 20, 2014 by Logos302

[Brendon 119]

Cheers mate, i know the desktop OS' back to front as i fix them all day every day and with my web work i prefer linux servers, but linux is too messy for the kids and everything they want to do at a whim. Networking has always been a pet hate, i set it up, it works, i am happy i don't tinker or tweak lol and that's what WHS 2011 did, it worked and worked well until i found something it didn't do

 

One quick question though, if i change the server out to Win 8 the 27TB of media is going to be fine and readable? WHS didn't do anything stupid in the initial format? as i said not using raid, that would have been the only issue afaik.

[Koleckai Silvestri 1154]

WHS uses NTFS so you should be fine in that regard.

[Brendon 119]

Thanks Wayne, just spent an hour getting re-educated (as i said, it's a pet hate networking) and i have been convinced to give 8.1 a try with WHS 2011 using hyper-v, supposedly giving me the best of both worlds, there is more then enough ram to handle it, may have to juice the cpu though but that's ok, pretty sure i have an i5 sitting around doing nothing.

[Koleckai Silvestri 1154]

Understand how that is. Best to try in a VM to learn how to get around any quirks.

[Brendon 119]

Still got half a dozen test machines laying around from closing the store mate, play will take place on one of those first, the names billy not silly lol when and if i am happy with it i'll switch the main server over, thinking about it though i don't really even need WHS, so am going to bang together a win 8 machine remove all the useless metro apps etc.. and see if it does all i need without the VM. Using skydrive gives me access to the few files i'll need outside the home network.