The EX475 MediaSmart Server from Hewlett-Packard is a personal storage server, powered by the Windows Home Server platform. The server boasts 1 TB of hard drive capacity. Only two of the four drive bays are occupied, allowing for future storage expansion. It can connect to any standard Ethernet network via a 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit RJ-45 connection.
The MediaSmart will allow you to access data from any computer in your home network. You’ll even be able to access files remotely and run applications on your home PC via the Internet. The server allows you to stream photos, music, and videos to PCs on your network, or to your home entertainment system. It will even copy iTunes music libraries from your PC to the server, allowing you to stream media from iTunes at will.

Features

• Windows Home Server

The MediaSmart Server is powered by a 64-bit AMD Live! Sempron processor for the ultimate in performance. It runs the Windows Home Server operating platform, which features various media sharing and file backup features. Up to 10 user accounts, each with unique access levels, can access the server. A guest can also be enabled for read-only access.

• Scalable Storage

The server features four internal drive bays, two of which are occupied. It also features four external USB 2.0 ports. You’ll be able to add internal SATA, eSATA, or external USB 2.0 drives to the server as your storage needs increase.

• Media Sharing

The server allows you to share music, photos, video, and other files between computers in a home network. It features support for iTunes, and you’ll be able to access your information remotely via the Internet. You can even use the server to host a personal web site, allowing friends and family to view your digital photo albums.

• File Backup

The MediaSmart Server features support for network file backup and restoration. You’ll be able to archive data from Windows XP and Vista PCs directly onto the server. This allows you to easily backup critical files to another disk, preventing data loss in the event of a hard disk failure.

Review By pcpro

The key differences start with HP’s Photo Webshare application, which takes advantage of the platform’s hosting capabilities to provide an online photo-sharing website. There’s a simple wizard for putting sets of photos into galleries, with individuals given “visitor” privileges to access your site via a personalised web address. Depending on the rights you grant each one, they can then view, download or comment on pictures, or upload their own to add to the gallery. The lack of a full-screen slideshow is disappointing, but otherwise it works impressively well.

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Review By reviews.cnet

With the physical setup out of the way, you then go to any other computer on your network and install the Windows Home Server Console software. The time from the start of the software install to the end of the initial configuration took us roughly 15 minutes. Installation is really no more complicated than a typical software install, with a license agreement and a few “Next” buttons to click. The only additional step is creating a password for the Home Server Console. Once you’re in the console software, a setup help utility walks you through a six-step process of configuring your various settings.

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Review By amazon

This sleek, streamlined micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, and its perforated steel exterior panels provide cool, quiet operation. The EX475 MediaSmart Server features 1 TB of capacity (2×500 GB drives, SATA, 7200 RPM), 512 MB of installed DDR2 RAM, four hard drive bays for additional expansion using off-the-shelf SATA I or II hard drives, a Gigabit Ethernet port for ultra-fast networking (and connection to a wireless router), four USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front, 3 on the back) for connecting to additional hard drives, and an and an eSATA port for high-speed data transfer to external storage devices–up to 6 times faster than existing solutions.

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Review By pcmag

To make full use of the MediaSmart, you need to install the HP software, though it’s worth noting that computers on the network don’t require it to access the device. As a basic NAS, the MediaSmart works fine over standard IP with no client software. My Mac, for example, saw the MediaSmart just fine and even allowed its user to access a protected folder. That’s fine for OS X and Linux clients, but for Windows PCs, there’s really no reason not to install the software: You’ll just be missing out on cool features.

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Review By wegotserved

The front panel of the server contains 4 LED lights positioned in front of each drive bay which are used to denote drive access. A display panel at the base of the unit contains additional indicators for power, network, and server health plus a front USB 2.0 socket. You’ll also find a small paper clip sized hole on the front panel which is used to place the server in the recovery state should you require a re-installation of the server itself.

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Review By presentationtek

The HP Media Server has automatic backup routines which will protect backup digital media files to networked PCs running Windows XP and later operating systems. The number and frequency of backups can be customized. After the initial backup only the changes (delta) are backed up. Only a single copy of each file is backed up regardless of how many identical copies there are on the networked PCs serviced.

For and additional layer of redundancy it’s possible to designate folders to be copied automatically onto multiple hard drives. The backup routines work with both internal and external hard drives.

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Review By hp.com

The HP MediaSmart Server also lets you set up your own securepersonal web address* to allow file access by remote users. Every PC on your network will have the Control Center software giving users the ability to browse shared folders on the HP MediaSmart Server, add photos to the HP Photo Webshare and perform an immediate backup of their computer. Set the access privileges for each user at the shared-folder level to allow Read/Write, Read Only or No Access. You also control the remote access privilege for each user. Approved users will then be able to remotely access shared files and even applications on their home PC through a secure connection from any Internet-connected PC.

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Starting price $629.99

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