The HP EX48X MediaSmart Home Server series is a worthwhile version 2 release that retains it’s familiar mini-tower design.
NOTE: The ONLY difference between an EX485 and an EX487 is whether you want 1×750GB (EX485) or 2×750GB (EX487). The additional bump of $150.00 for another 750GB does not make sense when you can spend the same amount immediately for a 1.5TB capacity as of this writing. So order an EX485 and buy your own chosen hard drive brand to install.
THE GOOD:
- 4 internal drive bays that allow installation of SATA I/II hard drive with potentially unlimited size even up to 2TB per disk or more per forum chatter.
- Additional 1 eSATA port and 4 USB ports to attach external hard drives to expand storage space when all four internal bays have been filled and/or for removable off-site storage and backup.
- 1 Gigabit ethernet port that MUST be connected to a router. You cannot connect this directly to an Ethernet port of your PC.
- Relatively easy to remove and install hard drives. No tools required.
- Supplied Ethernet cable to get you up and running without additional materials.
- Remote connection and streaming via setting up your own personal website.
THE BAD:
- You MUST have a Windows PC to set up and control the server from assigning a server password and user accounts, adding and removing hard drives, managing backups, and checking health of the unit and network.
- Initial 750GB space is not sufficient especially for it’s current price offering.
- HP MediaSmart and Windows Home Server software is clunky even with update 2.5. There is a bit of a lag when clicking within the software menu.
- Some adjustments require restarts for changes to take effect which means the need for server downtime.
- LIMITED MAC OS X capability.
- Time Machine integration requires software installation versus simply having the ability for one hard drive bay to be allocated for it and prevent problems especially when restoring.
EXPERIENCE:
Despite the cons, I’m still rating this with high marks. The design and concept of having a very compact Home Server that is expandable makes it a winner. There is sufficient processing power to handle the home server needs.
CONNECTING TO A ROUTER:
Works best if you have a respectable Wireless-N router with Gigabit Ethernet connection and Universal Plug and Play support. Out of curiousity I’ve tried a basic Linksys WRT320N and installation and settings were automatically tweaked between the MediaSmart server and router to allow REMOTE connections.
As a primary Mac user, I actually use an Apple AirPort Extreme Dual Band router and I had to manually tweak the settings myself to open up a few Private and Public TCP ports as well as assign a static DHCP address for the MediaSmart server to acquire each and every time it powers up and connects to the router.
OVERALL:
The only solid miss is their lack of full integration with a Mac OS. I’m hoping their next software release will focus on a snappier performance with minimal lag.
But once settings has been adjusted via a Windows PC, you can practically forget about it and let it do it’s task as a server running 24×7 or have the ability to sleep and save power at specific hours of the day when no one is home.
Unlike other servers, this allows any brand of hard drive without having to lock you out and patronize their own. If you are in the market for a home server, you’ve come to the right brand.