How To Build A Windows Home Server

How To Build A Windows Home Server

How To Build A Windows Home Server is an article from HardwareHeaven.com which documents the process of choosing components for a Windows Home Server 2011 box.

“…from the low wattage Intel CPU, through the motherboard, PSU, memory and drives before looking at the setup process and how the OS looks and works in day to day use.”

Component selection, Windows Server 2011 Installation, Setup and configuration through to everyday use, this comprehensive 5 page post can be found here.

Creating Shared Folders in WHS

Brian Burgess from groovyPost is back with another how to for WHS users and this time its on how to create shared folders on Windows Home Server.

Adding Shared Folders - Access Rights

Brian takes us back to basics for this how to and takes us through the process including lots of pics (which we like).

Create Windows Home Server Shared Folders.

DrivePool Release First Public Version of BETA M4

Stablebit_drivepool_logo2

DrivePool have their first public version of BETA M4 available for testing.

This BETA M4 1.0.0.5380 includes the following changes:

  • Better Dashboard integration.
  • Better Windows integration.
  • Superior pooling engine. 100% native code, runs over NTFS.
  • Duplication changes run in the background.
  • Same general architecture that uses pure NTFS files on the pooled drives.

Upgrade instructions and notes are available from here.

Add-In: InteliSAN LDisk v2.0.0.6 RC

InteliSAN LDisk the add-in which adds iSCSI Target Storage capability to WHS has had an update.

InteliSAN Disk Pooling

Version 2.0.0.6 release candidate for WHS 2011, WSS-e and SBS-2011 includes the following changes:

Improvements:

  1. Improved error recovery for Failed Disks
  2. Automatic detection of new disks
  3. VMWare/ESX iSCSI support
  4. Online Help updates

Fixes:

      5.   Corrections in pie chart % calculations

InteliSAN LDisk is currently available as a free trial with pricing to be announced.

More details are available from here.

KeepVault Acquired by AuthenTec

Proxure today announced that their online backup service KeepVault has been acquired by AuthenTec a leading provider of mobile and network security.

Here is their press release:

AuthenTec Acquires Proxure to Enhance Security Offerings for Consumers, Small Businesses

MELBOURNE, Fla., January 9, 2012 – AuthenTec (NASDAQ: AUTH), a leading provider of mobile and network security, today announced that it has acquired the assets of Proxure, Inc., a provider of syncing and cloud-based storage services for PCs and mobile devices. AuthenTec has acquired all of the assets of Proxure, including all software products and intellectual property. Proxure’s portfolio, which includes its popular KeepVault secure backup service and KeepSync software which synchronizes a user’s identity across multiple devices, will become part of AuthenTec’s Software and eCommerce portfolio and will also be incorporated into future product offerings. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“The addition of Proxure’s KeepVault and KeepSync products further expands the AuthenTec portfolio of convenient security and identity management solutions for consumers and small businesses,” said Tom Aebli, Vice President of Software and eCommerce for AuthenTec. “This strategic acquisition allows AuthenTec to offer both local and cloud-based identity management solutions in conjunction with our TrueSuite® Software and Eikon™ family of USB fingerprint readers. By combining cloud-storage solutions from Proxure with effortless personal security of AuthenTec’s fingerprint sensors, AuthenTec will be uniquely positioned to offer online backup and identity sync solutions across tablets, laptops and smartphones with the simple swipe of a finger.”

“We look forward to building on Proxure’s product offerings, both direct to consumers and for electronics OEMs, now as part of AuthenTec,” said Andreas Benamou, CEO of Proxure. “Proxure’s products are a great strategic fit for AuthenTec, which continues to expand its mobile and network security portfolio. Now, as part of AuthenTec, we will be able to leverage the AuthenTec product portfolio, strong customer relationships and mobile and network security focus for a unique solution offering.”

Proxure was founded in 2005 by consumer software experts from Roxio, Sonic, and VERITAS. The Company’s single goal was to create innovative user-friendly software to better connect today’s digital lifestyles. Proxure helps enables users to enjoy a converged digital life across a broad range of devices from personal computers to mobile phones and more.

AuthenTec’s software and eCommerce offering includes identity management software that helps people better manage their digital identities and online social networking, USB fingerprint readers for one-touch security that can easily be added to a notebook or desktop PC, and PC and mobile applications that enhance security and the user experience.

To recognize the addition of Proxure to AuthenTec, during the month of January the AuthenTec Web store is offering a free Eikon fingerprint reader for anyone purchasing a one-year agreement for Proxure’s KeepVault online backup service. By combining the Eikon Fingerprint Reader with the KeepVault product, consumers will enjoy single swipe access to their cloud-stored data — the first of a kind offering to protect personal data storage in the cloud with a single finger swipe. To sign up for KeepVault and obtain a free AuthenTec Eikon reader, visit store.authentec.com.

About AuthenTec

AuthenTec is a leading provider of mobile and network security. The Company’s diverse product and technology offering helps protect individuals and organizations through secure networking, content and data protection, access control and strong fingerprint security on PCs and mobile devices. AuthenTec encryption technology, fingerprint sensors and identity management software are deployed by the leading mobile device, networking and computing companies, content and service providers, and governments worldwide. AuthenTec’s products and technologies provide security on hundreds of millions of devices, and the Company has shipped more than 100 million fingerprint sensors for integration in a wide range of portable electronics including over 15 million mobile phones. Top tier customers include Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Fujitsu, HBO, HP, Lenovo, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Samsung, Sky, and Texas Instruments. Learn more at authentec.com or follow us on twitter.com/authentecnews.

Throughout January when you sign up to KeepVault for 1 year AuthenTec are offering a free Eikon  fingerprint reader valued at $25

KeepVault Special Offer

KeepVault offerings can now be found here (including for Windows Home Server) and here.

Problems Restoring a Sony Vaio F Series with WHS V1

Paul Roberts had some problems restoring a Sony Vaio F Series laptop with version 1 of Windows Home Server.

Sony-Vaio-F-Series-Laptop

Although the restore process did install the proper drivers for the 64bit Realtek PCIe GBE controller and the hard drive it could not find his WHS via the network and even opening up the Console and pulling the WHS Restore files out of a recent back up did not work.

Upon investigation Paul found out that Sony, Alien Ware and anything else using a newer Realtek PCIe network card would have this issue.

You can read the Paul’s full story here.

Stream Video to the XBOX 360 from WHS 2011

Rik Hepworth reminded me that if you want to use your Xbox 360 to watch video streamed from your Windows Home Server make sure that the Guest account is enabled on the server.

WHS 2011 Guest Account Privileges

Although streaming is turned on by default enabling the guest account and disallowing it’s access to everything except the folders you want to stream will get everything working – Thanks Rik

G Data Internet Security for Home Server

G Data Internet Security for Home Server protects both version 1 of Windows Home Server and WHS 2011 and up to 5 connected PCs.

G Data InternetSecurity for HomeServer Box

Protection is controlled centrally on the home server and is completely transparent on the PCs connected to it. The G Data Internet Security for Home Server includes a AntiVirus, Firewall, AntiSpam and AntiPhishing.

G Data InternetSecurity for HomeServer - WHS 2011

Here are the full details:

Award-winning technology

  • Award-winning virus detection thanks to two virus scanner modules
  • Secure protection against viruses, worms, rootkits, spyware, diallers, Trojans, adware and other riskware
  • Instant protection against new viruses: email and web-based CloudSecurity blocks infected emails or websites in real time
  • Integrated rootkit blocker / special module for discovering rootkits

G Data ManagementServer

  • Easy setup: installation, virus scan, updates, settings and reports are remotely controlled using the home server
  • Seamless integration into the Microsoft HomeServer 2011 console
  • Automatic distribution of updates in the network
  • Also central administration of clients that are not always connected to the home server (notebooks, netbooks, tablet PCs)

G Data AntiVirus and AntiSpam client

  • „Invisible“ client protection in the background, including for computers that are not permanently connected to the home server.
  • Mail protection for Outlook, Outlook Express, Mozilla and POP3 / IMAP mail clients
  • CloudSecurity: Instant protection against new viruses and spam
  • Fully functional when working offline
  • If desired, independent settings and virus scans on the client are possible

G Data Firewall client

  • Remotely controlled installation and configuration
  • Simple administration using individual learnable access rules on the client
  • Monitors all incoming and outgoing connections
  • Blocks and reports DoS attacks, port scans and much more.
  • Four security levels or expert mode
  • Invisible stealth mode

G Data Internet Security for Home Server is priced at $99 (£99) and includes a one-year licence for 5 PCs with hourly virus signature updates, software updates and version upgrades.

More details are available from here.

Thanks to WeGotServed for the details.

The Media’s View on Storage Spaces

Storage Spaces - Parity and a Two-way Mirror

We explained about Windows 8’s feature called Storage Spaces in our article the other day entitled Drive Extender Reincarnated in Windows 8?

For those of you who haven’t read the original article yet I recommend you head over to MSDN to read it. In the meantime the blogosphere have given there opinion on Storage Spaces and below we list other blogs with similar articles which you may be interested in:

The BYOB Podcast Episode 73

BYOB Logo

The latest edition of the BYOB podcast is up and this week its all about Data Recovery, Encryption and Hard Drives:

…we have the pleasure of being joined by Scott Moulton owner/founder of myharddrivedied.com.  We had a blast and learned an incredible amount about data recovery, hard drives, SSDs, and encryption…Get comfortable as this 2:10 minutes and every minute is a learning experience.

Episode 73 of the BYOB podcast is one you should defiantly listen to.