unRaid

[onebxr]

Because all 8 drives will be filled, the server is the redundancy.
-1

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by screwballl

whereas with unraid, if a drive fails, you just replace it and it automatically places the backup files back onto the new drive and you don't lose anything

Same with WHS, what is your point?

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by RangerXLT8

Well with 8 HDD why not do a RAID 0 +1 for redundancy.

The whole idea is to have the drives independent of a RAID array so you can add and remove drives at will without having to rebuild an array.

[screwballl]

I did some checking and this happens is ONLY if you tell WHS to do it with specific folders and files, otherwise if something is stored on a drive that fails, it is lost without this drive extender.

Drive Extender

Windows Home Server Drive Extender is a file-based replication system that provides three key capabilities:[11]

• Multi-disk redundancy so that if any given disk fails, data is not lost
• Arbitrary storage expansion by supporting any type of hard disk drive (Serial ATA, USB, FireWire etc.) in any mixture and capacity
• A single folder namespace (no drive letters)

Users (specifically those who configure a family's home server) deal with storage at two levels: Shared Folders and Disks. The only concepts relevant regarding disks is whether they have been "added" to the home server's storage pool or not and whether the disk appears healthy to the system or not. This is in contrast with Windows' Logical Disk Manager which requires a greater degree of technical understanding in order to correctly configure a RAID array.
Shared Folders have a name, a description, permissions, and a flag indicating whether duplication (redundancy) is on or off for that folder.
If duplication is on for a Shared Folder (which is the default on multi-disk Home Server systems and not applicable to single disk systems) then the files in that Shared Folder are duplicated and the effective storage capacity is halved. However, in situations where a user may not want data duplicated (e.g. TV shows that have been archived to a Windows Home Server from a system running Windows Media Center), Drive Extender provides the capability to not duplicate such files if the server is short on capacity or manually mark a complete content store as not for duplication.

but if you setup raid then you ill have everything backed up.

[onebxr]

unRAID Server Pro



Single unRAID Server Pro Registration key … $119

Flash GUID:

This version supports up to 16 hdd's.
this is what I would need, the free version only supports 2 HDD's
So the price is about the same, I would just need to figure out which one is the smarter choice.
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[screwballl]

For those building their own server, unRAID Server OS is available as a free download. Unregistered unRAID Server OS supports Basic functionality:

• up to 3 hard drives
• all features except User level security

To support more hard drives and User level security, you must purchase a Registration Key:

• unRAID Server Plus key - support up to 6 hard drives
• unRAID Server Pro key - support up to 16 hard drives

Single unRAID Server Pro Registration key … $119

still cheaper than WHS but with built in redundancy (without having to tell it what to make redundant)

One potential downside to unraid is the hardware compatibility:

Hardware Compatibility

unRAID Server is a combination of outstanding Open Source software packages and proprietary applications. The current OS is based on the linux 2.6 platform and has support built-in for the following hardware:
Processor

• Intel or AMD; recommend 2.0GHz or higher.

Memory

• Minimum 512MB, maximum 1GB. Recommend 2 sticks of 512MB in order to run in dual-channel mode; speed matched to the FSB of your CPU.

Network Controllers

• Intel PRO/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet

Motherboard IDE controllers

• Intel PIIXn
• Intel ICHx
• AMD-7xxx and AMD-8111
• ATI IXP

PCI IDE Controllers

• Promise Ultra100/133 TX2 [PDC20268]

Motherboard SATA controllers

• Intel PIIX/ICHn
• JMicron
• Silicon Image SATA (untested)

PCI SATA Controllers

• Promise SATAII150/SATA300 TX4
• Promise FastTRAK S150 SX4 (untested)

Other

• Generic VGA
• PS/2 keyboard

Other combinations of hardware are supported as well. Please contact Lime Technology Customer Support for assistance in qualifying your hardware.

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by screwballl

still cheaper than WHS but with built in redundancy (without having to tell it what to make redundant)

One potential downside to unraid is the hardware compatibility:

You still have to buy an OS for uraid to run on. Unless you already own one you're still forking over more money. Not to mention you know WHS will be supported, who knows how long this uraid company will be around.

Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Home Server 32 Bit 1 Pack - OEM

[drew and not u]

I just got a copy of Windows Home server I'm going to try out. I'll let you know once I've tinkered with it for a bit.

[onebxr]

let me know how it works drew, I am very interested.
-1

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by onebxr

let me know how it works drew, I am very interested.
-1

Been using it for the past 3 months, and I really like it. You can add and remove HDDs without loss of data.