Like many long-time users, I found myself needing to move on from Windows Home Server. Earlier this year, facing the end of life for my WHS setup, I embarked on a search for a worthy successor. After considerable research and testing, I decided to migrate to Amahi Home Server, a Linux-based platform. The appeal was strong: it’s free, compatible with my existing hardware, and crucially, allowed for a smooth transition from my dual Windows Home Server 2011 setup.
My migration strategy involved leveraging my two WHS 2011 servers. I synced files to one, upgraded the other to Amahi, and then repeated the process to migrate the remaining server. While it required some planning and dusting off my Fedora skills (I’m usually a Mint user), the process was ultimately successful. Despite my initial reluctance to abandon Windows Home Server – a platform I’d used since its first version – the transition to Amahi has been seamless for my family. From their Windows devices, the file shares are indistinguishable from our previous Windows Home Server setup, maintaining a familiar user experience.
Beyond simple file sharing, Amahi offers features that extend its functionality beyond basic NAS. I utilize VEEAM’s backup utility to automatically back up all family computers – a mix of desktops and laptops – to a designated share on the Amahi server. For secure remote access, I’ve implemented Amahi’s OpenVPN client. While some features, like the OpenVPN client and a Minecraft server app (which I haven’t personally tested), are available as paid extensions, the core functionality remains free and robust.
Initially, I considered FreeNAS to repurpose my existing hardware, seeking more than just basic NAS capabilities. However, Amahi emerged as the optimal solution for my needs, striking a balance between advanced features and user-friendliness for home server applications. Having successfully navigated the upgrade from Amahi 10 to 11, I’m confident in its long-term reliability and ongoing development. So far, Amahi has proven to be a worthy successor to Windows Home Server, offering a stable, feature-rich, and cost-effective home server solution.
