Re: Essential Add-ins

Looking for user input on the top add-ins to install on a new homebuilt box.

My machine will be used to store all my digital media as well as stream that media to DLNA/UPnP devices throughout the house, backup home computer, be the point of access for family members outside of the house to view and upload family photos or other media. Also considering to it also host utorrent to handle all my download.

There are a couple of threads on the topics of best add-ins to use. Usually depending on your needs but no doubt! some add-ins are of higher quality than other add-ins, so here is my top-list (in no particular order).

LightsOut

This add-in looks great and is used to schedule your WHS to sleep at set intervals. This is primarily useful in areas where electricity is expensive and this addin has a lot of features and works well.

AutoExit

This add-in is used to remotely shutdown or wake client computers on your network though the Windows Home Server console. This add-in has been around for a couple of years and constantly improved from version to version. You do need to make sure that your client computers have Wake on LAN technologies and that Wake on LAN is enabled. 

Remote Alert

This add-in is great if you enable remote access to your WHS. It gives you an real time alert anytime someone authenticates remotely and it even offers some brute-force, IP blocking and other security features as well as a IIS web log parser.

Remote Notifcation

This addin emails your WHS health status messages. Its a simple fire and forget add-in which works really well. I used it because i am often on the road and this way my WHS emails me alerts or problems which i can receive directly on my phone via email.

Grid Junction

This add-in is super IF you have a supported UPS device to use it with. I think mainly APC USB models and a handful of Belkin and CyperPower units are supported. This was one of the first add-ins installed over a year ago and I think it makes me sleep better a night. I have 4 hard disk drives full of data and it would be horrible if were to loose data due to a power failure. My tea kettle often blows a fuse and my town has frequent power cuts too.

Home Server SMART

This is a new add-in. I've only had it installed for about two weeks now but it has been working great and it's way on its way of becoming a must have add-in. It basically monitors your Hard Disk drives SMART information. giving you easy to read health info such as temperature, disk failure prediction and more. Before Home Server SMART I was using WHS Disk Management which worked similar but gives the user more eye candy,allowing users to draw how their storage disks look like. I am more interested in the health and knowing my data is safe though.

Advanced Admin Console

This add-in allows you to fully administrate the underlying Windows Server OS directly through the WHS console. It is more of an advanced addin but it works great and is easy to use too. Saves you having to remote desktop into your WHS.

I don't know about uTorrent, I would run that instead inside of a Virtual Machine on a desktop client and then simply copy the files which you downloaded onto your WHS. I think that would be safer.

Great input. Ive used several of those on a test box and was rather pleased with them. I'll me sure to install these. Was also considering P80 for remote monitoring. Any thoughts?

P80 is a nice looking addin but I usually just fire up the WHS console over activex.

The first add-in you should install onto your new WHS is Addin Central that is free to download from HSL and more information can be found at www.homeserverland.com/.../128.aspx, and once installed you can browse the Addin collection that we have stored/linked on the HSL network/services and download and install any addin you wish, this cuts out the transfer of the addin from a client computer to the WHS.

Hi Kurt,

Thanks for your vote for Add-in Central. Even though I'm biased (seeing as myself and Alexander Kent wrote it), I'd have to agree with you in that Add-in Central would indeed have to be considered as an "essential add-in" for any Windows Home Server.

Unfortunately, Add-in Central isn't available to the genreal public at this time (it's still in a private/closed beta stage). We're hoping to open the beta up to a limited number of Home Server Land followers real soon though. Therefore, please stay-tuned to the Home Server Land front page for more details if you're interested in trying out Add-in Central.

-- MIKE

Hi mouse82,

Essential Add-ins: is a good question. This dependend on your needs. But take alook here in this thread. www.homeserverland.com/.../1670.aspx. I have made a screenshot from all add-ins that i use. This machine is running only for my home needs. The other two for my job.