What was needed, I concluded, was a product the would take the potential of Windows Home Server and mix in some good design.
HP was first out of the block with the HP MediaSmart Server ex490-series. By all indications, the ex490 was a great device, both in form factor and in versatility. However, I didn’t get to review a unit for a while.
I, however, got the business-class version of the ex495, the HP StorageWorks x510 Data Vault. Virtually the same unit as the ex495, the x510 was a winner from a design and functionality standpoint.
I took the Data Vault through three usage scenarios, and posted my reviews here, here, and here. The x510 garnered an Absolute Best Award from us.
While the x510 was with us, I received a MediaSmart Server ex495 in December for review. It came with 1 TB of drive space which wasn’t anything worthwhile so I added two 1.5 TB Seagate hard drives and a 750 GB Seagate in as well.
Would the original, consumer version be as good as the business version?
In most hardware specifications, the HP MediaSmart Server ex495 was equal to the x510 but for the CPU and base storage configuration. The software included with the ex495 is optimized for media storage and distribution.
The HP MediaSmart Server ex495 in use
A quick read of the reviews above would show you the versatility of the ex495, based on the apt performance of its sister device.
What again was Oliver Twist’s famous phrase? To paraphrase, “Sir, I want more.”
At Chez Obeto, popularly known as The Orbiting O’Odua, we believe in digital media. Resultantly we have most of our media in electronic form: 100% of about 53,000 MP3s, 80% of 300 Nollywood movies, 30% of 800 or so movies. Having access to all our media assets would be a big boon to our consumption and enjoyment of those same media assets.
I set up the MediaSmart Server ex495 in the server room here, connected it, and off we went. I went out to
Once copying was finally over, I proceeded to connect the MediaSmart Connect and Xbox 360s to it.
Over the past several months, I have used the ex495 as the primary backup NAS at the Orbiting O’Odua. Like the x510, it is a powerful, silent, and virtually invisible device, thanks to its headless DNA.It has done the job, and made me forget to perform any backups to tape (HP DAT160 USB).
For the first time, I configured the MediaSmart Server ex495 for remote operations with some trepidation: I am loath to expose my backups to the internet. However, it worked flawlessly, especially as a media server.
As a media server, this device is without peer. It served up everything required without a hiccup.
Taking the functionalities described here and in the previous reviews of the MediaSmart Server’s sister device, you can understand why we like this product.
Subsequently, it is still a SmallBizWindows Superstar product.
