Updating my Storage Server

[burnabaytom]

Ive been using Windows Home Server 2011 for a storage server. Mostly to backup my home computers for bare metal recovery. I use the included Backup software on the server to connect to the computers and do the backup. I also store photos on the server. Most of my other files are hosted in the cloud.

I want to update the server and am at a loss what i should use for an operating system. I still want to use the Stablebit software to manage the disks and provide duplication.

My important uses include: 

1. backup

2 remote management (my storage server is headless)

3 File shares (so I can use DrivePool)

 

What do you suggest? I see that you are running Windows Server 2019. Would this give me the required functions (same look/feel) as Windows Home Server 2011?

[Shane]

Windows Server 2019 (any version) doesn't have the Windows Home Server Console nor the Client PC Backup app.

If it helps, I've been using Windows 10 Pro as a headless home server for some years now instead of WHS 2011, and it works quite well; 10 Pro allows up to 20 concurrent devices to access its shares, which is usually plenty for a household (YMMV), and the free version of Veeam Agent is installed on my family's PCs to back them up nightly to a share on the server's pool (that particular share is restricted to be writable only by a 'vbackup' user account I created on the server and use only with the Agents) and I also do separate backups of the server itself (in case someone deletes something in a family share). It sits in the rear of the house, gets a midnight reboot once a month, and I access it remotely if I need to check anything.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

For remote management, if you use Windows Server 2019 or newer, you can use "Windows Admin Center" which gives you .... pretty much full access over the system remotely.  It's pretty freaking awesome, actually!

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/windows-admin-center

I HIGHLY recommend this (though it won't install on domain controllers). 

 

For file shares, you can do that with Computer Management, it's just a bit more of a pain to setup. 

 

As for backup, I also recommend Veeam.  If you want centeralized backup, the Community edition of Backup & Recovery is ... a bit heavy on the initial install process, but works very well.

https://www.veeam.com/products/free/backup-recovery.html?ad=menu-products-portfolio-free