Windows Home Server is a solid piece of software and it’s great seeing more companies embrace the operating system. CyberPower is the latest to get into the market with the Windows Home Server 100. An Intel Atom 330 1.6Ghz is at the core running on a MB with video out (something the HP MediaSmart does not have and is handy to have), 2GB of RAM, and Gigabit Ethernet. Sadly, there is only a 500GB hard drive for storage but the $399 price should leave you enough cake left over to add a TB. WHS easily allows you to add the drive to the RAID cluster too.
Personally, I loved the HP MediaSmart box and run the OS on my old AMD Athlon XP 1900+ 24/7. An Atom CPU should run the server fine while keeping the power consumption low. The only time I wish my box had a bit more power is during large RAR file extractions. I’m a patient person though.
BALDWIN PARK, CA (February 16, 2009) – CyberPower Inc., a manufacturer of custom gaming machines, notebook systems, and high performance workstations, today announced its Windows Home Server 100 – a small form factor home-based server that allows users to easily access their files, photos, videos and music in their home or remotely. With CyberPower’s Windows Home Server 100 users can protect, connect to, and organize their digital data, and also expand their storage needs with very little effort.
Windows Home Server 100 was designed for households and home-based businesses that have more than one personal computer. This energy-saving server can automatically complete the daily backup of your computers on a home network, which allows users to restore a single file or an entire PC. Users can now access files at home, in the office, or even on the road. The CyberPower Windows Home Server 100 also features a secure and personalized website address, which allows users to organize their digital media in a central location to make it easier to share photos, music, and home videos.
CyberPower Windows Home Server 100 features include Intel’s energy-saving ATOM 330 Dual Core CPU (45nm, FSB 533MHz, 1.6GHz, 1 MB L2) on the Intel’s Mini-ITX mainboard with Intel GMA 950 & S-video output support, 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet, ALC662 High Definition Audio, a 500GB SATA-II hard drive, 2GBs of PC2-4200 DDR2-533 memory and Microsoft Windows 2003 Server OEM version. List price of this configuration is $399.
The CyberPower Windows Home Server 100 is available direct from CyberPower and can be customized from the company web site with numerous component options. All CyberPower computer systems come with a 3-year limited warranty and free lifetime labor and phone support.
Storage is actually not a problem with the CyberPower Windows Home Server 100. As with all CyberPower products, users can easily customize their solutions. A 1-TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM hard drive is offered as an upgrade for only an additional $49.
I know it’s always a little off to compare a roll-your-own with a pre-built system, but the MSI Wind dual-core nettop, 2GB of RAM, a 1TB HDD and Windows Home Server hit about the same form factor and energy use for about $350-$375.
Save $25 on top of that by going for the single-core Wind nettop and another $50 going for the equivalent 500GB HDD, and you get a very equivalent home server box for around$100 less.
You still get VGA out, audio and gig-E. Both single and dual-core models have an integrated card reader and motherboard CF card slot. The dual-core Wind adds built-in 802.11n.
Considering that the Wind barebone comes with the CPU on board, the installation difference is slotting the RAM and installing WHS – like you said, you’ll probably be cracking this thing open to add another HDD anyway.