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WHS Integration with Existing Windows Domain RRS feed

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    I have an existing 6-machine Windows domain running both Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2007. Because I use this environment for development purposes, there are a number of services (Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, etc.) running in this domain.

    I know that AD is stripped out of WHS, but I'd like to use it as my home server so that I can come up to speed with it and use it in my consulting practice.

    Can someone suggest a topology that will allow WHS to live next to or as part of the existing domain?

    Thanks...
    Peter
    Peter
    Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:02 PM

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    As long as you keep the user accounts (names and passwords) identical (and this only, if you need the features of share access or remote access), WHS well cooperates with a domain. It also backs up client PCs of a domain without trouble, the only limitation is, that you cannot add the WHS as Domain member (if you do it anyway, the server will start to reboot all about two hours).

    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:14 PM
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    Dan, you will probably get better information about Windows 7 in the Windows 7 forums.

    That said, there shouldn't be any need to join your Windows 7 machine to a homegroup just to access the shares on your server.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Thursday, July 23, 2009 8:17 PM
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    As long as you keep the user accounts (names and passwords) identical (and this only, if you need the features of share access or remote access), WHS well cooperates with a domain. It also backs up client PCs of a domain without trouble, the only limitation is, that you cannot add the WHS as Domain member (if you do it anyway, the server will start to reboot all about two hours).

    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:14 PM
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    OK so far, but if all of my PCs are in a domain and WHS wants them in a workgroup, then what?

    Peter
    Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:37 PM
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    OK so far, but if all of my PCs are in a domain and WHS wants them in a workgroup, then what?

    Peter

    What do you mean "WHS wants them in a workgroup"?  Where specifically does it say that?  Did you get an error message?  If so, exactly what does it say?  Basically, as long as the user name and password from your domain match the user name and password of the logon account in WHS, the network shares should work.  (And the backups aren't run as a user so they should work no matter what.)
    Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:42 PM
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    I'm reading a book (Microsoft Windows Home Server Unleashed by Paul McFerries) which doesn't take integration into a Windows domain into consideration--at least as far as I've been able to determine.  But I wouldn't expect it to since WHS is engineered to make connections simple and, so, the AD is ripped out of it.

    In any event, what you seem to be implying, Kariya, is that WHS can work with domain workstations seamlessly.  That being so, for example:

    1. Will WHS automatically see all of the PCs in my LAN if they're all on and logged into the domain?
    2. When I attempt to do a Remote Desktop Connection who'll own it: WHS or the domain?

    In short, are there ANY conflicts that I should be aware of?

    Peter
    Thursday, June 18, 2009 12:38 AM
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    1.  Yes (provided that your Policy allows, or doesn't disallow, it.)  I have a small SBS2k3 domain here at home, and a WHS on the LAN.  The domain members (one XP Pro, one Vista Ultimate, and one Win7 Ultimate (build 7100) all happily co-exist with the WHS.
    2.  This depends on your domain policy.  A 'stock' policy is to only allow domain logon from a physical console session, not over Remote Desktop.  This is one thing that I haven't got around to changing on my network; therefore, I'm unable to RD into the domain members (can still get into those machines that aren't part of the domain, though.)

    -Chris
    [If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]
    Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:28 AM
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    Dan, you will probably get better information about Windows 7 in the Windows 7 forums.

    That said, there shouldn't be any need to join your Windows 7 machine to a homegroup just to access the shares on your server.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Thursday, July 23, 2009 8:17 PM
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    Dan, you will probably get better information about Windows 7 in the Windows 7 forums.

    That said, there shouldn't be any need to join your Windows 7 machine to a homegroup just to access the shares on your server.
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)

    Um, Ken?  Wrong thread, perhaps, sir?  No Dan in this one....  ;)

    -Chris
    [If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]
    Thursday, July 23, 2009 9:16 PM
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    Dan has since deleted his post...
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Thursday, July 23, 2009 9:42 PM
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    Ah.  That was so nice of Dan.  :|
    You know that I said what I did, though, because I've done it myself once or twice....  :)
    [If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]
    Friday, July 24, 2009 12:14 AM
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    You know that I said what I did, though, because I've done it myself once or twice....  :)
    As have I, too often. I have an advantage, though. As a moderator here, I can still see Dan's deleted message, so I knew I hadn't done it this time. :)
    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Friday, July 24, 2009 2:52 AM
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