PC Backups on WHS 2011
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You can only back up Client PCs to Server storage. See below for best practices:
How do I increase storage on the server?
Published: April 26, 2010
Updated: March 30, 2011
Applies To: Windows Home Server 2011
To increase the storage on the server, you can add an additional internal hard disk to the server. To add the additional internal hard disk, you must first shut down the server, next add the internal hard disk, and then power it back on to restart the server. Next, depending on whether the hard disk to be added is formatted, or unformatted, do one of the following:
- If you had an internal hard disk that is unformatted, it generates the alert- “One or more unformatted hard disks are connected to the server”. Launch the Alert Viewer from the Dashboard, select the alert, and follow the instructions to format the hard disk and use it to store server folders.
- If the internal hard disk is formatted with NTFS, the server assigns it a drive letter, and the hard disk appears in the Hard Drives tab. You can now either create, or move server folders to the new hard drive. If the formatted hard disk also includes preexisting files, then you can remove any unwanted files using the Drive Clean up utility.
Backup best practices
Updated: March 30, 2011
Applies To: Windows Home Server 2011
Follow these best practices to help manage your server backups.
- Monitor the network report for backup-related information.
You should routinely review network reports to ensure that backups complete successfully and that no backup-related warnings or errors occur. By monitoring network reports, you can catch and correct backup issues before they result in loss of data. - Use external storage drives that are compatible with your server.
Compatible drives support USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, or eSATA. You should visit the website for your storage drive manufacturer to ensure that the drive is supported on computers running Windows Server 2008 R2. - Use an external hard disk with at least 1.5 times the storage capacity of the items that you want to back up.
Using an external hard disk with extended capacity helps ensure that you do not have to replace the hard disk too soon while the amount of stored data grows. Because server backups are incremental, an external hard disk of 300 GB or more can hold months of backup data. - Use multiple external hard disks and rotate them.
You should backup server data to multiple external hard disks and rotate the hard disks between onsite and offsite storage locations. Doing so can improve your disaster preparedness planning by helping you recover your data if physical damage occurs to the hardware onsite.
Note
Windows Home Server 2011 can recognize multiple external hard disks that are connected to the server at the same time. If a configured backup hard disk is not connected to the server, it is identified as Offline.
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