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| 1. Dell PowerEdge SC1420 Dual Xeon 3.2GHz 2GB 2x250GB CD FDD Tower Server w/Video & Gigabit LAN - No Operating System | |
 | Asin: B0049CW2UG Manufacturer: Dell Computers Sales Rank: 26085 Average Customer Review: 
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Editorial Review | |
| 2. HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server | |
 | Personal Computers
list price: $885.00 -- our price: $429.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B001NPEB5Q Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Average Customer Review:
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Editorial Review Reviews
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) **UPDATE 4-24-09: I gave in before, now I capitulate. With the latest software update, via remote access it is now possible to stream videos in H.264 (MP4) format. This unit just gets better and better.**
If I was just entering the market for an aggregate storage device for my home network, the EX487 would be my top choice. However, as a current user of the Netgear RND2150 ReadyNAS Duo 500 GB Desktop Network Attached Storage, a couple of features (integration with Logitech Squeezebox and Bittorrent management) I now find essential are not as readily available with the HP unit. Where features overlap and there are many, in each instance the EX487 seems easier to set up and use. While there are alternative paths that allow this device to support each of the applications noted above, the comparative conveniences of this server do not, in my opinion, cost justify replacement of an existing NAS with corresponding capabilities. Set up After powering up and Ethernet connection to a router (UPnP recommended), the included software CD is mounted on a Client PC and the easy to follow installation process guides you through each required step. I would suggest disabling any firewalls beforehand as in my case Norton security may have slowed the process considerably. After disabling the firewall for a short period, the procedure flowed smoothly, although my experiences with the HP updates portion seemed to take substantially longer than other users have indicated. At this point you are prompted to create user accounts (up to 10 user accounts, passwords should match existing accounts on client PCs), create a website, set up remote access and install add-ons like TwonkyMedia and McAfee server security. I'm not real confident of the compatibility of McAfee with my present security software so this step was by-passed as although it is not as secure, the server is still behind the router's firewall. In addition, McAfee is provided free for seven months and then becomes a fee based service. As of this date, I do not see a way to use another security suite, but I will keep looking. One ongoing annoyance is with each reboot of a client PC, I receive notification that the PC's security software is out of date or non-existent so it may be necessary to define application startup order to that the activation of each PC's security suite precedes activation of Window Home Server. After I was confident the installation was successfully completed I decided to move the unit to another location and instead of direct connection to a router, I hooked it up by Ethernet to the NETGEAR HD/Gaming 5 GHz Wireless-N Networking Kit (WNHDEB111) in another location in my house because I found the dual fans which seem incumbent for such a compact enclosure with potentially four drives, are noticeably louder than my NAS and a little distracting to me. Scalability The server comes with two 750GB HDDs and has two bays for expansion. Installation of addition drives simply requires mounting on a tray and insertion in the CPU. Unlike most competitively priced NAS units where RAID redundancy is the only option, the user can opt to use full storage capacity or specify file duplication over multiple drives. This functionality is RAID0 comparable. The server also has four USB ports and an eSata port for attachment of additional external drives, or (and this is not highlighted in the documentation) attachment of printers for accessibility from any networked PC. Backup/Restore Up to 10 PCs can be defined for individual backup, either automatic or manually. If you have an application to enable shadow copying, continuous back-up of modified files will work as well. Only one instance of common files is stored (or two if duplication has been activated). The server itself can be backed up to an external hard drive or to Amazon's S3 fee based service, which I investigated and at the cost of $.15 per GB for the first 50 TB is much too expensive for my tastes. HP has also provided operating system restoration/recovery disks for both PCs and the server. Curiously, however, there doesn't seem to be a facility for creation of a recycle bin on the server. Remote Access After creation of your personal website through one of several alternative sources, and establishment of user accounts at the server, you have a link to the following functions: HPPhoto Publisher where photos can be published to: Snapfish , Flicker, FaceBook, Picasa or to albums in the HPPhoto viewer; Media streaming of music or photos to PCs or mobile devices; access to server shared files or remote desktop to client PCs, or; Browse files/folders on server. Files can be uploaded to or, downloaded from the server. There are some security risks associated with remote access feature, but they can be limited, to an extent, by adjustment of settings on one's router. Another plus for the HP MediaSmart over many NAS units is although similar services are available via the NAS, this server handles dynamic IP addresses very efficiently so the potential expenses associated with obtaining a static address from some ISPs is avoided. And, if there isn't any activity on the remote link after about 15 minutes, you are automatically logged off. Presently (March, 09) remote access to enabled PCs will only work from iexplorer browser. Other remote access features can be reached from any browser. Media Streaming Music/Video files can be streamed to a variety of devices, including gaming units and other media receivers. Most devices are recognized through UPnP or in many instances, can be manually defined. The server has Windows Media Player connect, TwonkyMedia and employs Firefly for collection and streaming of iTunes files. As I mentioned at the outset, two features I find deficient are the absence of vendor partnerships with Logitech for the squeezebox or a bittorrent client manager from any provider. In the case of Logitech's squeezecenter, the application can be installed on client PCs and access music files on the server but that requires both devices remain active whereas a server resident version like Netgear's NAS would cut down on electrical usage. Similarly, for bittorrent clients which typically run 24 hours for seeding, two devices are now required to remain active. Conclusion For anyone looking for a first time network storage solution or replacement of an NAS with minimal flexibility, regardless of the user's level of technical experience, this device appears to be a great choice. It has the sophistication to meet advance user requirements yet remains easily understandable by those with modest demands or needs. Equally as important, capacity can be expanded to meet future growth in one's home network.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) As an owner of HP's first generation MediaSmart Home Server, I was very interested to see if the EX487/EX485 models were a good upgrade in terms of quality and performance. If you are new to the MediaSmart HS product line, or to Home Server for that matter, you will enjoy what the EX487 (and EX485) offer. If you are a current owner of the first generation product line, the upgrade could be a tossup for you.
I will not spend much time on every capability of the EX485/487, as it is well documented. It provides simple and easy to use centralized storage for your home, as well as the option to backup PCs and Macs. You will also be able to stream media (photos, music, video, etc) to other devices and share photos with family and friends, as well as have access to your files remotely through a web browser. One of the great features of Home Server is the ability to install Add-Ins, most of which are freely available on the internet. You can add the ability to download RSS content, expand photo sharing options, and countless other enhancements. Instead of going through more of Home Server's capabilities, I'd like to focus on the things that may not be noticeable through a photo or product specs. First, I am impressed by the quality HP has put into their Home Server product line. The product is sturdy and they do a great job of mixing firm metal structure with lightweight plastics. This product feels good in your hands and the design is clean and concise. They fit a lot into a small package. While the server itself is a bit heavier than you'd expect, it is compact and fits just about anywhere. Second, the EX485/487 got a boost in hardware over its predecessors. The processor was bumped up to an Intel 2.0 GHz (instead of an AMD 1.8GHz) and the memory has been increased to 2GB (instead of 512MB). Do not underestimated these upgrades, as they added a good bit of peppiness to the server. Browsing the server, transferring files, and going through the interface and menus have all been sped up with these upgrades. Storage was bumped up to 750GB (in the EX485) and 1.5TB (in the EX487). You can easily add more storage capacity by dropping them in, adding via USB or eSATA and then tell Home Server to add the drives to the storage pool. Thirdly, some software features have been added. Online backup capabilities and Mac Time Machine support are at the top of the list. There was also some improvements with the connector software. As an owner of the previous model, I will say that HP has been great at offering updates and I expect that to continue with all of their models. They appear to be dedicated to their Home Server product line. Lastly, I will say that Home Server has been a great addition to my home network. I work in the computing industry and when I get home I don't really want to tinker all day with my home equipment. I just want my stuff to work and the HP MediaSmart Home Server fits that criteria. Simply put: it just works. I have not had any issues with the hardware or software and I can rely on the product to keep my files safe (that doesn't mean you shouldn't have other methods of backup). If you already own a previous model, the upgrade might be questionable in terms of price and added features. There was definitely a boost in hardware, but it's not necessarily an upgrade everyone needs. Otherwise, I highly recommend this product for beginner or expert. UPDATE 1/2/2010: HP has released other versions of their MediaSmart Home Servers and I provide this update not only to the EX487, but the HP MediaSmart Home Server line in general. The home server has been fitting more and more into my home network performing additional duties all the time. Microsoft has provided several updates to the OS since. I have restored several files and several systems from the ground up using the server's backup and restore feature. It worked flawlessly. I've used several backup and restore programs and the home server has most of them beat. Restores were quick, efficient, and painless. I've also been using the home server for more access away from the home. The ability to access files and stream music, photos, video (to any PC) has been awesome. I've also been streaming content to my HDTV via an Xbox 360. Again, it has worked without a hitch. The HP EX487, or any HP MediaSmart Home Server, remains to be an excellent buy.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This is really a fantastic product. I already owned the original version and upgraded to this new version.
In case you are unclear what the main uses for a Home Server are, I would summarize them as this: 1) File Aggregation - Centralize the storage of files in your household. Instead of having files spread out across many computers, you can have any content that is needed by multiple people in your household, all stored on the central server, accessed over the network. This works great for photos, music, videos especially, since these take up a lot of wasted space if you store a copy separately on each computer in the house. But this also works great just for regular documents, like Word, Excel, etc, so that everyone has access to the same file, latest version, etc. 2) Computer Backup/Restore - The Home Server backup and restore software and functionality is VERY powerful and effective, but not at all complicated to setup or manage. The backup software will backup ALL the computers on your home network, so you don't have to worry about establishing a separate process for each computer. It also only stores ONE copy of any common files, so even if you do end up having multiple copies of big files like music, video, pictures, the backup space won't get clogged up with storing unnecessary copies of the same thing. Most people don't think much about the RESTORE part of "backup/restore" until after they already have an issue -- but I did have a complete hard drive failure on my computer about 3 months ago, and the Home Server Restore worked flawlessly! In fact, I even had a full image backup of my Vista PC on a separate drive (using the standard backup/restore that is part of Vista Ultimate), and this failed to restore the computer at all! But the Home Server backup and restore went through with no hiccups. 3) Media Streaming - Basically "publishing" your music, videos, or pictures throughout your home network, and now, even over the internet! If you have a place in your home (the living room, for example), where you want to view pictures, music, movies from your server, but you don't want to buy and hook up an entire extra computer just to do this, you can use any of a large variety of "media receivers" that will access the "stream" from your server and then play whatever photos, music, videos you want. Most game consoles (e.g. Xbox, Playstation) now support this functionality, and many other similar devices are available. 4) Internet Access to Home Content - All (or some) of your home computer content can be made available via the internet. (You setup you own private login page.) This allows you to access files remotely very easily - great for when you are traveling, business trip, or even just while at the office but you need a file from home. This new version of the MediaSmart server also supports streaming your music, videos, photos content over the internet. All in all, a great product, even if you don't need all of the functionality above. The centralized files and backup/restore makes it fully worth it for me, and the media streaming and internet is a bonus! Similar network drive (NAS) solutions cost almost the same price, and here you are getting a full computer with significantly more functionality. There are some parts of the HP software that are a bit clunky and not super easy to setup -- particularly the media streaming and the internet access. So, if those two areas of functionality are critical for you, and you are not that comfortable with configuring software, you might want to be sure you have someone you can ask to help you.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The primary motivation in getting the MediaSmart Home server was to backup all the software, movies, pictures, camcorder videos distributed across multiple media in my home - some are in my laptop, desktop, CD/DVDs .... Now, I have one location in my home where i can find all my data - which I can access from any where in the world.
The server's capabilities met more than what I asked for in doing a lot of things which I thought was not possible - like streaming media, sharing photos and video across the web so that any authorized user can access it from anywhere on the internet + your own subdomain ! Installation It practically takes less than 15 mins. (1) Unbox and take the server out (2) Plug in the power cord from the wall outlet to the server (3) Plug in the LAN/ethernet cable from the router to the server (4) Switch on the server (5) Install software on another laptop/desktop IN THE SAME NETWORK as where your server is installed - remember that you need to install this software on each and every laptop/desktop from which you want to backup data - which means your guests/authorized users who do not have this software installed cannot backup their PCs on to the server, but they will still be able to upload & view files that you grant them access to (6) After the software is installed, it automatically detects the server on the network and connects to it. from which point onwards you can control the server access, provileges, backup etc from any of the laptop/desktop where you have installed the software Ease of configuration I am a pretty gadget guy and I found it a bit hard to configure it for the first time, that might be because I was thinking of this as purely as a network drive, whereas it is not. If you have a similar impression about this server, you need to get over that learning curve and consider this as a server that comes with Windows Home server software and there are a few things you can and cannot do with it. (1) PC Backup configuration : Very Easy : You configure such that there are backups taken on your laptop/desktop on a periodic basis - the software is smart enough to skip some temporary files and you will have an option of skipping backup of unwanted data from your laptop/desktop. (2) Media Backup configuration : Easy, but a bit confusing : In addition to backing up your PC, you can configure the server to backup your photos, videos and music and make them available on folders which similar names on the server, while this is very easy to configure there are a few limitations, example you have a choice to select the folders for music from the 'My Music' folder or 'All folders' there is no way you can configure it to pick up music from a custom folder such as c:\english\bryan adams - it has to be all the folders or the 'My Music' folder which is under your profile settings. The other thing which I find confusing is that even after configuring the media backup, it does not display any status that it has been configured, which makes you wonder if this thing has been configured or if there is still something remaining. (3) Amazon S3 backup: Service offers Amazon S3 backup - I do not have an account, so I cannot comment on it. (4) Streaming media: Very easy to configure, you can share/stream music & photos. Sorry, you cannot stream videos, which means you cannot place a video file on the server you cannot be on a remote PC and watch the video streaming, you will still be able to access the video file and run it locally FAQ: (1) Can I use this as a desktop - connect a monitor and work on this ? A> Not possible, the server does not have a video port or anything like that to plug in your monitor (2) Can I remotely upload files ? Yes you can grant access to users with a fine level of granularity on the specific folders to which they upload/readonly/cannot access (3) Can I add additional hard disks/external media/flash drives ? Yes, you can add SATA drives into 2 extra drive basys into the server. You can also add flash drives/pen drives or any other drive that goes into the USB drive. Once you physically connect the drive to the server, you will have to access the admin console of the server and configure the hard disk either as a backup or a primary drive. Warning:- the server will format any external drive you add, so be aware of that ! (4) Does it need to be always ON ? How much power does it consume ? It needs to be always ON, but there are several power management options available to make it sleep and reduce the power consumption. (5) What is the purpose of having 2 hard disks ? The reason why this unit has 2 hard disks is to have duplication/redundancy in itself. For example if you copy a movie file into this server, it keeps 2 copies - one on each hard disk so that if one disk fails, it is available on the other. When you configure the backup of your PC/media - there are options available where you configure not to maintain the duplicate copy - you would do this for not so important stuff or if you are temporarily storing huge amounts of data ~ Update #1 ~ The more I discover the fun it is to work with this: (1) You can remote desktop into this server ! Yes ! Go to Start->Programs->Accessories->Remote Desktop Connection and type in the IP address/name of the server(HPSERVER) and click on connect - you will have a new desktop and a more powerful way of controlling your server from yout laptop/desktop
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The HP MediaSmart server (EX487) is a pretty complex device but, once you get through the installation and learning process, you're rewarded with many benefits -- one of those "didn't think I needed it, but now can't live without it" type of products.
The unit itself is quite compact. I was surprised when I unpacked it - was expecting something a lot larger. Not that I'm complaining -- it fits in very well in the LR with the other electronics. Very attractive design if you're partial to electronics, and certainly unobtrusive/benign if you're the type that likes to keep the "hardware look" muted. Installation is not what I'd call simple, but it's something anyone who is comfortable setting up a home network can tackle. The server needs to be hardwired into your router, so you'll have to locate it close to where you keep your router. It comes with a cable for hookup but you may want to have a longer one handy if you don't want the server immediately adjacent to the router. After hooking it to the router and powering up, you need to install software on each PC on your network. The PC installs went fairly smoothly -- just follow the prompts. I'm using Dell PCs (various models) plus a Toshiba laptop. All are running XP Professional (SP2 or SP3). The router is a Linksys. The only glitch I ran into was with (I think) Avast, which is what I use on some of the PCs for virus/spam protection. One PC hung up during the install. After powering down and starting up again with Avast turned off, everything ran smoothly. The user interface is very nicely done. I was concerned about the interface being too complex, but had no difficulties navigating through tabs and icons to set up folders for backup and sharing. The summary page gives you all the operational stats, again in a "don't need to be an engineer" format. Lots of info, but presented in a way that is useful. I do have some IT background, but certainly don't consider myself to be an expert when it comes to technology. While the setup and operation of the MediaSmart is not something a casual user would want to tackle by him/herself, you also don't need to be an IT professional. Just take it step-by-step and be willing to put in some time reading manuals and coming to grips with some key concepts regarding networks. It took me a bit over four hours to get everything up and running on a five PC network. I expect to put in many more hours tweaking and playing with features (but that's also due to the fact that I find the tweaking/experimenting fun - you don't have to put in too much time if you just want to have a functioning system). My initial and main use for the server is for backup. I have external USB drives for some of the PCs. They make for decent backup devices, but I wanted something central and automatic -- if you have to remember to run a backup, chances are it will not be done as regularly as it should. The MediaSmart excels at that -- just tell it what folders to monitor, and forget about it. You can backup just files/folders, or do a full image. This model comes with 1.5TB of storage that, at the moment, will take care of my storage needs very well. But, hard drive space always seems to get chewed up at a prodigious rate, and I'm happy that the server is expandable. I've not installed an additional drive yet, but looked through the procedure to do so and it seems very easy - just plug and play. You can also backup the server itself either online (not explored that, but I expect there's a cost involved) or by an attached drive (which is the route I plan to take). Power usage is a concern of mine, and I'm pleased to see that HP has power management tools built in. According to the specs, the server uses only 1 watt when in sleep mode. I haven't seen, however, what the power consumption is when powered up. Hooking it up to a Kill-a-watt meter is on the to-do list to see what run-time use is, plus verify the 1 watt sleep mode. The media collection feature is wonderful -- basically, it will collect specific file types, such as MP3, photos, etc. -- automatically from connected PCs and store them on the server. So far it has worked very well, and has already proven to be great way to avoid the "which PC has that playlist?" search. Everything is in a central location, and is maintained there automatically. There are several other features of the server that I'm only starting to dabble with, such as photo sharing and streaming. Don't have enough hands-on experience with those to report on yet, but haven't run into any roadblocks either. I'll update the review as needed. Bottom line - if you're an avid user with basic IT knowledge who is looking for more convenience and utility out of your home network, this is a great purchase. Provided you put some time into learning how to use it, you'll reap several key benefits (plus have a cool new toy!).
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I do like this and so far it has been easy to use, there are still a few configurations I want to do and I may need assistance for some of them, but for basic setup it is easy and intuitive.
I will update this again later but I have it installed and backed my computer up with this, I don't have a need right now to use the restore feature but from what the other poster said it should work well. The files are shareable across all the PC's that are installed for the router which makes it nice to organize music and photos. I do need a faster router (the backup took a very long time) but that isn't anything to take away from this unit. The install is pretty basic and works well but I did have a problem with the HP setup screen, I couldn't view the entire window, I had to make my task bar as small as possible and move the setup screen as far as I could to the top of the monitor to finally be able to see the buttons at the bottom to click. (Hey HP ever hear of making resizable screens???) After I got through that it was simple to get it setup for my PC and backups. I am not sure if I will make it available to the internet so I won't review that yet (it does state something about a personal web address so that would make it more secure I would think), but I do have multiple computers to backup and this seems to work fine for that. The enclosed directions are a little bare and I think should contain a little more information. I haven't found any reference to the USB ports listed but that may be in the electronic instructions. I did find a contradicting instruction, the one book stated to install the software first and the basic instruction brochure stated to install the unit to your router first so I checked online and you do connect the unit to the power and router before inserting the install disk. This unit stays very cool and is very quiet when running, you can set the unit to sleep on your PC and it will wake up when it is scheduled to do backups, that makes a nice savings on power usage, it also has an alert that will let you know if the unit is overheating or if one of the fans aren't working properly. Inserting additional harddrives is a very simple task that even a non techy like me can do it. It does include MacAfee anti virus trial which I don't want, and it is not clear to me if this would conflict with what I have on my PC so I didn't install it. It has 2 - 750 GB hard drives which makes for ample storage space with 2 bays open to add more storage, and it is on the small side so it doesn't take up too much space and was very easy for me to find a place for it to sit. ... Read more | |
| 3. Micro N36L Nhp Us Svr | |
 | Electronics
list price: $519.39 -- our price: $313.73 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0042AD8SU Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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| 4. EPC-6566 1U Dual GbE Mini ITX Network Appliance/NVR/Server Barebone with Intel Atom D525 processor | |
 | Personal Computers
list price: $299.99 -- our price: $259.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B004EXLGKC Manufacturer: Habey USA Sales Rank: 1618 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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| 5. Mac Pro Two 2.66GHz Six-Core Intel Xeon Westmere (12 cores), 6GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, ATI Radeon HD 5770, 18x SuperDrive | |
 | Personal Computers
-- our price: $4,769.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0040YMY24 Manufacturer: Apple Computer Sales Rank: 680 Average Customer Review: 
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| 6. HP 418367-B21 146GB 10K SAS 2.5-Inch Dual Port Hard Drive | |
 | Personal Computers
list price: $349.00 -- our price: Too low to display (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B000VS6TB0 Manufacturer: hp Average Customer Review:
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| 7. 27" iMac Intel Core i7 2.93GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, ATI Radeon HD 5750, SuperDrive, Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and Magic Mouse | |
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-- our price: $2,310.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B00406XJ2G Manufacturer: Apple Computer Sales Rank: 1443 Average Customer Review:
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| 8. Genuine Dell Power Supply 305W for Dimension 4700 and 8400 OptiPlex GX280 Compatible part numbers: Y2103, G3148, Y2682, C3760 Compatible Models: PS-6311-1DFS, NPS-305AB C, PS-6311-1DS, NPS-305BB C | |
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| 9. HP LX195 MediaSmart Home Server | |
 | Personal Computers
list price: $472.00 -- our price: $499.98 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0021L9HKK Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Average Customer Review: 
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Microsoft Home Server-based HP LX195 MediaSmart was designed to offer the home user 'out of the box' centralized backups of many connected devices as well as central storage facilities for the home's data: music, photos, movies and so on. Its media collector can be set to periodically check the connected computers and copy newly found media files to the server. The built in media servers would allow devices not specifically connected to the MediaSmart such as a PS3 or Xbox 360 to access and play the server's Music, Photo and Movie stores. The iTunes server will stream music and playlists to computers that are running iTunes or to compatible devices. In addition, there is an interface to allow for publishing one's photos to sites such as Google's Picassa or one's flickr page or Facebook account. The Windows Media Center connector allows clients with Windows Media Center installed to play music, videos and recorded TV stored on the home server. When properly setup, backups are possible externally on Amazon's S3 cloud (a paid service) and, with proper setup, the server could be managed and server's media files could be set to be accessible from the Net.
After the initial setup, the backup and media streaming services can be made available to Mac clients. The MediaSmart's initial one-disk, 640GB storage capacity can be expanded by attaching up to 4 additional disk drives via USB ports. Once more than one disk is available, the media folders can be 'duplicated' to allow for data redundancy in the event of an accident. BRIEF EVALUATION: In my view, this specific model, while attempting to strike a balance between features and ease of operation/simplicity, it comes short of expectations, to various degrees, on both ends - the end product may not appear to be easy to setup to 'the average user' and it's not always easy to use while most of the services offered don't have sufficient flexibility in fine-tuning via the simple interfaces provided. But, here are the goods and the bads: (good) + Backups, once the setup is complete do work + Easy maintenance + Server appears to recover nicely from minor incidents and outages + Disk expansion via USB ports is as easy as plugging the disk in + Once one or more disks are added, folder duplication does protect the data + No bloatware. The only 'free trial' third party is the McAffee Total Protection service but it's an optional install and it does not pop up every time the home server is accessed + Automatic Windows update for the Home Server operating system is easy to set up + Expandable functionality through Additional add-ons installations + Both the Windows Home Server online Help facility/manual and the MediaSmart manual are very well written (bad) - somewhat underpowered with an Atom one-core CPU and 1GB RAM. - 640GB is insufficient storage for a machine that's supposed to back up 'everything' - the out-of-the-box one-disk architecture puts data at risk - the only officially documented server expansion is additional disks but memory expansion, while not documented, should be possible - some difficulties can be encountered during the initial installation and setup - installation and setup does not allow for a lot of flexibility - a little awkward access to media files from registered clients - require a separate account setup even when 'read only' data is accessed - direct access to the Microsoft Home Server OS is labeled as risky - warning states that the OS COULD break if the native interface is used To be fair, once the initial setup completes, the server will operate more or less trouble-free for as long as the home network does not change in any dramatic fashion. The lack of flexibility can be addressed to some extent if one is willing to access and 'play' with each of the client machines configurations and access and tweak the Windows Home Server operating system directly but then the 'ease of setup' claim would have to be abandoned. MY EXPERIENCE: My own server installation, setup, operation and use can be summarized as follows: - Initial setup required significant changes at the server's own TCP/IP configuration and each of the client PC's. All was well documented in the 250-page manual but I did have to set up a static IP for the server, modify the HOSTS file on each PC, register several installed apps with the Windows Firewall. - Centralized backups were easy to configure but the options are few. The software decides by itself which folders should be excluded and there is no way to take them off the list. The only option is to add some more folders. The schedule can be configured for the server to retain the desired number of monthly, weekly and daily backups. The daily backups are incremental and they complete within minutes. The initial backup, depending on what network you are, can take many hours. It took hours for my computers in a 56Mps (about 6MB per second) wireless setting. Interestingly, the backup utility has the ability to 'wake up' a computer that's put to 'sleep' or 'hibernate' and, more often than not, it was able to put the machine back to sleep once the backup was finished. - The lack of flexibility makes the media collector, even when it works, not worth using. As far as data collection it has only 2 options: either a specific and preset collection of folders for the various type of media where the files are more likely to be found - like 'My Music' for music - or 'all folders'. After testing the collection on 3 machines I found that on one it found a lot of 'stuff' that I didn't want found - little picture files associated with some software installations - while on another it found nothing even when I selected 'all folders'. I suspect something having to do with my setup but I decided to give up and I manually copied the media that I wanted on the server. - Surprisingly, one device that benefits the most seems to be our PS3 which picked up and was able to take advantage of the Media Server even before I was finished with the server setup. Even more surprisingly, no authentication was requested from the PS3 even though it was playing the same files that required an account and a password if I wanted to access them from my own computer. - Central stores for media files is a useful feature, especially when the folder duplication is activated. - The ability to publish photos to sites such as Picasa, flickr or Facebook works but, in the case of Picasa, which I tested, the task can be accomplished better with Picasa's own interface which provides a lot more flexibility. - Storage expansion is easy but, again, not sufficient flexibility. The first disk I plugged in had a FAT32 partition and a larger NTFS partition. My expectation was for the server to ignore the FAT32 and use the NTFS but, to my surprise, not only it reformatted the disk but it actually re-partitioned it and produced an NTFS-only, one-partition drive. Just to make it clear, it did tell me that it was going to reformat and repartition my disk before it proceeded to do so. - Self diagnostic and recovery seem to be satisfactory for minor glitches but, not sufficient information is available for more difficult troubleshooting unless one goes to the operating system. Unplugging the server did not damage it. Unplugging the attached disk created a number of errors and suggestions on how to fix them but, once the disk was plugged back in, the server became healthy again within minutes and, to my surprise, all the notifications simply disappeared as if there was never a problem. - With a Wireless-G router, providing 56Mbs, music streaming went well on the PS3. The PS3 immediately recognized the media server and it played the music. - Photo viewing was so-so on the internal network. Could see individual pictures but playing slide-shows with 3-5MB individual picture files was a little slow and choppy. - Video streaming was not acceptable at all but I suspect it would have been okay if I had a 'wired' home network. - I decided not to try remote access at this time because I had no compelling reasons to do so. RATING: - 3.5 Stars for INSTALLATION AND SETUP. The server does not normally install itself but a lot of the complication is attributable to the complexities of a home's network environment. I expect for real users to report anything from "it installed within minutes and I didn't have to do a thing" to "I spent many hours with the HP Help Support and now I'm returning it because they couldn't help me." It would have be nice if the printed version of the 200+ page manual was included in the box. - 2.0 Stars for DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE. I understand cost constraints issues but to sell a home SERVER with only one disk and a rather small one at that was not a wise decision. This is supposed to be sold to the 'average' home users and this makes it worse because it's the average users who do not understand that their data is NOT fully protected this way. - 3.0 Stars for PERFORMANCE. One Atom processor, one small disk (for a server) and only 1GB of memory do not assure me that the server will continue to perform adequately if and when more add-ons are installed. It gets 3 stars because it performs well at this time. - 4.0 Stars for EASE OF USE, once configured. The server administration is easy for as long as one doesn't forget the server's password. Most quirks are minor and, once configured, the server pretty much runs itself. - 3.0 Stars for CONFIGURABILITY. This has to do with the frustrating scarcity of options on services such as backups or media collection. I agree that most of the bases are covered on day one but a user's demands and sophistication tends to grow with use. - 4.0 Stars for FUNCTIONALITY. Backups and folder duplication are good for as long as a second disk is added. Media streaming works as well as the network bandwidth would allow it. Some of the services such as photo publishing or photo viewing are not likely to be used much. The same for over-the-Internet access which implies a level of user skills and sophistication at which one would probably not purchase this entry-level box. Same is true for the Amazon S3 backup service. - 3.0 Stars for EXPANDABILITY. USB disks are easy to add and users with some level of sophistication should be able to install add-ons without much difficulty - the process is well documented in the manual. However, there are no internal drive bays and I suspect that memory expansion or CPU upgrades are a pain, if possible at all without voiding the warranty. OVERALL RATING - 3 STARS While I can live with this server and I WILL be using it for worry-free backups and some media streaming and central storage, I would hesitate recommending it to a first-time user while knowing that superior products are currently available for not significantly more. __________________________________________ Update: While I'm not compelled to change the 'star rating', I must note of another feature that I don't believe is documented but it's a really nice one: the Home Server seems to be monitoring and issuing certain security alerts concerning connected clients. It told me, for example, that there was an issue with my son's laptop spyware protection and, because of that, it marked the 'network state' as 'critical'. It turns out, that was indeed the case. His 'pay' virus/software protection had expired and it was a good opportunity to remove it and replace it with a free alternative.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Most people will take a look at the HP LX195 MediaSmart Home Server and be a little confused as to what exactly you're getting for your money. PC's are becoming popular as media centers and this MediaSmart Server takes it one step further. For families who share one main computer where all of their music, movies and pictures are held, this is not going to be much help; you'd be better off with an external hard drive. However, for families living in the 21st century with multiple computers and a need to get data both back and forth and backed up, this could be the perfect addition to your home network.
Of course, the LX195 offers a lot more than just a hub and safe for your data. It has a thoughtfully designed operating system that will keep track of your antivirus protection and windows updates in case you forget. It provides automatic backups. And best of all, it plays well with ps3 and xbox 360 so you can stream video to your tv, which is where you probably want it. Now for the shortcomings - there are a few big ones for this bottom-of-the-line system. Due to it's price point, you'll be getting an adequate, but modest processor. Also, despite how cheap RAM is, you'll only get 1GB. Furthermore, the 640GB HDD may be more than enough space for most families, but is definitely a major thing to consider before you buy. Despite having 4 USB 2.0 ports, the expandability is meager. Unlike the more costly EX line of MediaSmart Servers, the LX195 has no extra internal bays. USB connections are slower than internal and an external drive will cost more than an internal one. Also, many USB drives require their own power outlet. At this price, it's hard to expect too much more, but a 1TB HDD and 2GB RAM would have bumped this Server up a notch (and a star). Overall, I recommend this Server to homes with multiple computers and definitely to those with a video game system or computer capable of streaming network content to their tv. If you are in the bad habit of not backing up your data, then this was definitely designed for you. Those looking for the ultimate tech toy for streaming HD movies and backing up multiple 1TB discs should look on to the EX line or elsewhere.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) First, let me start off with a message for Mac users: This product is USELESS for you. If you don't have at least one PC, you can't even setup the server! Otherwise, most of the features of the server, from automatic backups to media file management, cannot be utilized by Macs. To simplify, this server is nothing more than a really expensive external hard drive for a Mac. You can use time machine with the server...supposedly, as I couldn't get it to work. Other than that, you can just access and save files manually using the Finder. So if you're only using Macs, then this is a pointless product for you.
And now, for the PC users: I have three computers in my home: two PCs and one Mac. Obviously it would be wonderful to access all my files (like music, photos, and documents) from any of the three computers. The HP LX195 MediaSmart Home Server is intended to make such a thing possible. The server is easy to setup out of the box. Just plug in a network cable to your router and the AC adapter. Then insert the CD into one of your PCs. An installer will run which automatically finds the server on your network and takes care of most of the configuration. All you have to do is set a password for the server. That's it! Oh, and don't bother installing the McAfee protection software that is on the server. HP says that you get a 7-month free subscription to the software, but it wouldn't activate for me and just prompted me for more $$$. The Windows Home Server operating system on the HP server is designed to automatically backup ALL PCs on your network during a time frame that you can designate. Initially, I couldn't get the backup to work successfully as the server would be downloading and installing updates at the same time. Once all the updates were completed, then I was able to get the full backup to work. The best feature that I love about this server is that it will automatically find ALL pictures, videos, and music on all my PCs and store them in designated folders. So if I download new music to one PC, then an hour later I can access that music from the server using my other PC. Be advised that this feature is not enabled initially; you will have to manually turn it on. Physically, the server is pretty small, about the size of a couple hardback books. It is very quiet and little heat is emitted from it. You can easily set the brightness of the LEDs to your preference. The best feature is that you can set times for the server to sleep so you can save some power consumption. Overall, for PC users this is a great home server. The only feature that would make this even better is a built-in print server. Maybe it might be possible with some hacking, I'm not sure. And, of course, Mac support needs to be significantly improved! But since it is very easy to use with few glitches (just the updates out of the box), this product merits 4 stars.
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Depends on one's needs - it's not all it's cracked up to be, March 31, 2009