Hi Scormodo,

1. Correct. The extra drive is the only difference. 

2. HP includes a custom iTunes add-in. You can learn more about iTunes and the MSS from some of the articles we have here: http://www.mediasmarthome.com/search?search=itunes&select=any&type=article&filter=all

3. See 2.

4. In what way? The MSS is, for storage purposes, a bunch of shared network folders.

5. Sure.

6. The MSS runs folder duplication on top of it's drive extender technology. It's not RAID, but you can think of it like folder level RAID. Still, any "critical-can't-lose" data should be backed up to mulitple mediums, and one copy stored off site.

7. Maximum capacity is only limited by hard disk drive capacities and number of bays (4), USB ports (4) and eSATA ports (1) on the HP MediaSmart Server. With 2 Terabyte drives, the user could conceivably have 18 Terabytes of capacity in the HP MediaSmart Server. If there is a top limit, I don't think you'll see that reached in some time based on the current max size of hard drives.

8. Any SATA hard drive can be used. Some people like Western Digital, others Seagate. My personal favorite is what's on sale.

9. From a hardware perspective, the Acer competes more with the LX-195 MediaSmart Server, only it has drive bays. The EX line from HP has more horsepower, and all the custom stuff they throw in (iTunes sharing, Video Converter, Twonky, Photo Publisher, video streaming, etc.)

10. Yep, with the recent 2.5 update, the EX can stream video, music, and photos to a browser or the iStream App for iPhone.

Can you do hardware level raid on this server?

Can you set up the "Folder Duplication" to duplicate onto added drives in the Media Server? How reliable is that?

How well does the workstation backup feature work?

What format are the backups in and do they use up a lot of space?

What type of security and montoring is built in or addable to making the server available on the internet?

Is the server easily accessible from Windows Mobile Devices through say the Sprint Network for Video, Picture, Audio and what have you?

Thanks,

Dave

ITDave said: Can you do hardware level raid on this server? Can you set up the "Folder Duplication" to duplicate onto added drives in the Media Server? How reliable is that? How well does the workstation backup feature work? What format are the backups in and do they use up a lot of space? What type of security and montoring is built in or addable to making the server available on the internet? Is the server easily accessible from Windows Mobile Devices through say the Sprint Network for Video, Picture, Audio and what have you? Thanks, Dave

DUPLICATION/RAID

I would avoid referring to it as "folder level RAID" as the connotations confuse. I prefer to describe it as "similar to RAID-1 (mirror) but controlled on a folder basis". The WHS DE logic will duplicate selected folders to a different physical drive within the storage pool. It is highly reliable and works very well.

Links to MS WHS Technical Briefs (whitepapers) can be found at ttp://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/support.mspx , including a technical brief on the DE logic that should cover anything you might think to ask! For a discussion of E vs RAID you might check out  http://www.fearthecowboy.com/2008/08/windows-home-server-drive-extender-vs.html and/or http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=490 />
See this blog post for the reasons behind the MS decisions to invest in a new, consumer-grade solution - Windows Home Server Drive Extender - instead of using RAID: http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2008/08/11/why-raid-is-not-a-cons... .

And if you still have any questions there is always SEARCH! Seriously, if you read all that you will be answering the questions, not asking! 

BACKUPS

The client backups are in a specialized database -- it requires a WHS unit to recover the backups but files or folders can be recovered individually or an entire disk can be restored at once. 

INTERNET SECURITY

This is pretty much limited to authorizing users and requireing strong passwords (or disabling remote access completely) and the standard Windows Firewall. (Be very careful installing another firewall since you do not have keyboard/monitor/mouse to set up those ports on a headless unit.) I have seen recent mention of some dual mode authentication support (third party) but have not looked into it. There are Add-Ins to make it easy to see what IP addresses have accessed -- or attempted to access -- your MSS. Generally I believe folks have been "OK" with the MS functionality in this area, especially with the need to get past a router toi get into it in the first place.

MOBILE DEVICE SUPPORT

I believe that folks have been reasonably successful using mobile device but this area, especially the video, is really the current "bleeding edge" of the picture at the moment. The iPhone seems to be OK for all this. Other units present a more mixed set of results. Pick your mobile device and then serch, here, at http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/ for more specific MSS feedback on this subject.

...JohnBick