need to start doing backups of all machines..Home Server on a NAS?. should I use Win

[smashed_99cbr]

I need to setup automated backups for 3 machines... should I use Win Home server or is there a way to do this with a NAS solution?

 

[Arrakis9]

i belive hp sells home servers that have a special sort of backup software or it might just be win home server not sure. but i belive that home server would be your best bet for automated backups. one thing you have to watch out for is using a single hard drive to do all the work, i'd really reccomend a raid 1 or raid 5 with win home server due to the fact that it uses a compleatly diffrent file system if the drive starts to die on you, you'd have a really hard time recovering the information off of it. also due to that fact if a peice of critical hardware dies on the machine your down to the same problom were you cant just hook the drive up to another machine.

 

[newtekie1]

What are you trying to back up exactly? Just user files?

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

I need to setup automated backups for 3 machines... should I use Win Home server or is there a way to do this with a NAS solution?

The HP media servers are going to be your simplest but most expensive ( 800 USD new and about 4-500 USD used from ebay and such) option, building a WHS machine can be done for about 500 dollars including WHS license ( look here for a good how to build guide ), there are also open source alternitaves to such as Free NAS
which is based of linux and is 100 % free and more powerful than WHS or the HP media serves.
I have used all 3. Now all that said again I state the easiest way is with a NAS like the HP media server, which are literally idiot proof my 87 year old Grandma was able to set up and configure one with all of a 5 min phone call. Building a WHS is the in between option cheaper than a NAS but slightly more complicated but 10 x easier than Free NAS. With Free NAS you will still have to build a machine nut you'll save about 80 dollars from not having to buy a WHS license, but it's a fair bit more difficult and more complicated to set up, but you do gain a lot of flexabillity. But it does have it's share of problems, and also doesn't always play nice with other machines and OS's, but it really is more of a power user option.

It's up to you what you choose, but if you looking for pure back up, with the ability to expand, and even start to archive your media, you really can't go wrong with iether a home built WHS machine or a HP media server.

i belive hp sells home servers that have a special sort of backup software or it might just be win home server not sure. but i belive that home server would be your best bet for automated backups. one thing you have to watch out for is using a single hard drive to do all the work, i'd really reccomend a raid 1 or raid 5 with win home server due to the fact that it uses a compleatly diffrent file system if the drive starts to die on you, you'd have a really hard time recovering the information off of it. also due to that fact if a peice of critical hardware dies on the machine your down to the same problom were you cant just hook the drive up to another machine.

THe HP NAS drive come with WHS, as well as a specialized front end client and they are stupid simple to set up and make the automated process happen, even down to the point if you hae a windows PW for the machine needing back up be the same as the PW for your WHS client, when you log in it automatically logs you in on WHS for back ups.

I hope this was helpful, any more detailed questions just MSG me.