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Windows Server 2003 or Home Server...?


drscouse

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Ive read WHS is based around Server 2003... is it just a more user friendly experience to setup configure, or are there fundamental differences...??

The ability to have remote access, and more importantly Outlook Web Access is very appealing to me.. I just want a unified solution, and wondered whether this is just as easily achieved with 2k3 or is WHS the better option..??

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I don't know anything about Home Server except for that it is supposed to be used for backup, easy file access and media streaming at home. Windows 2003 Server covers much, much more. For Outlook web access I believe you need the Microsoft Exchange Server. I have no idea about how it's set up or anything but I believe that it is to be installed on an existing windows server (preferably 2003 or 2008 I think). That is at least what they used at high school, when I was there. There is probably a Linux/FreeBSD alternative as well but I don't know anything about them :-/

For 2003 server (I have one on my left hand, and my main computer on my right :-) ), it's not to hard to figure out EXCEPT if you install ISA server on it (it's an extreme firewall, highly configurable but it's not something for starters I believe (I'm a starter, but I have a habit of gulping down too much at the same time...)). My main project/problem atm is the ISA server. The firewall rules is way too strict.....

Good luck with your server project!

-Nerevar

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Ive read WHS is based around Server 2003... is it just a more user friendly experience to setup configure, or are there fundamental differences...??

The ability to have remote access, and more importantly Outlook Web Access is very appealing to me.. I just want a unified solution, and wondered whether this is just as easily achieved with 2k3 or is WHS the better option..??

WHS *is* based on Server 2003, but it's really only a file server with some app functionality added on (thus *home* server). It cannot run Exchange (thus no OWA) amongst other things, so it would be a waste of your money.

If you want a standalone server that can be a firewall, do RRAS for VPN, and OWA, consider Small Business Server 2003 R2 Premium (standard does not have SQL or firewall).

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