[geeks] HP Home Server for $299 ($250 off list)

[nate at portents.com]

> Officemax.com is selling the HP EX470 Windows Home Server for $299
> (shipping is free), it takes 4x SATA HDs, comes with one 500 gig HD,
> and has a low 512 meg ram and sempeon CPU (both upgradeable).
>
> It also has a Marvell eSATA port that supports port multiplier (4x
> drives, one eSATA port.
>
> Small, quiet server for windows homes at $299.

That file corruption bug must have really tanked sales.

I still think most people would be better off with a 2-bay or 4-bay
Synology NAS.  Due to it's lower electrical draw, it will pay for itself
over the long run compared to any Windows Home Server, and I have been
very impressed with the multi-platform compatibility and feature
improvements they've made over the last year.  Literally every
ethernet-enabled platform spanning 20+ years of computing in my house can
connect to my DS-207+, and I can also stream media to my PS3 and I have a
centralized iTunes server.  There are things I can do with it that I never
even considered using a NAS for, like have it control USB webcams for home
security or act as a remote-controlled music playback station.

Meanwhile, I was really unimpressed with all the problems Microsoft has
had with Windows Home Server.  They didn't have 64-bit client support in
place until the release of Power Pack 1, and even now XP x64 isn't
officially supported.  Power Pack 1 also fixed a serious flaw involving
file corruption of files with NTFS Alternate Data Streams when the server
is under heavy load.  Of course it took Microsoft three months to admit
anything and it didn't get fixed until nine months after release.

Of course there's no reason I can think of why you couldn't blow away WHS
and roll your own NAS with a *BSD or Linux install on that hardware, but
it might still be worth calculating the long-term electrical cost vs. an
equivalent Synology.

- Nate