ASUS TS mini Home Server Review

Name: ASUS TS mini Home Server Review
Brand: ASUS

by Jennifer Johnson — Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 11:00 AM EDT

Introduction & Specifications

Let's face the facts; unless you have an automatic backup configured, you probably don't back up the information on your computer as often as you should. Even though we would hate to lose critical financial documents, personal photos, music, and movies, we don't often take the time to ensure that these files are safely and securely stored on a second device.

There are a number of ways to back up your data and to configure automatic backups including external hard drives and home servers. Home servers provide the added benefit of letting you share files from one computer to another. And as an added benefit, they can also provide remote access to your files while you're away from home.

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It's pretty common these days for families to have two or three computers in a single home. Hoping to capitalize on this, many manufacturers have entered the home server market. Today, we're going to take a look at the ASUS TS mini, a home server that's designed to offer easy and simple file storage, automated backups, and file sharing. The ASUS TS mini offers your choice of 500GB or 2TB of storage in an energy-efficient 2-bay design. Both models also come with 500GB of online storage free for the first year.

The TS mini is powered by an Intel Atom processor and runs Microsoft Windows Home Server. In addition to a spare internal hard drive bay, the TS mini supports plenty of external storage options with six USB and two eSATA ports.

Considering the TS mini is designed for home use and targets users that may or may not have extensive networking and server knowledge and experience, the TS mini should be easy to set up and maintain. Will it meet the demands of an average home user? Join us in the coming pages to find out.

Asus TS Mini

Specifications & Features

Our test unit was configured with a single 500GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM. The MSRP for the 500GB model is $349. If you'd rather have the 2TB hard drive and 2GB of RAM, it'll cost $529.

CPU	Intel Atom Processor N280 1.66GHz
Memory	1GB/2GB DDR2-800
Hard Drive	500GB/2TB, 7200 RPM
Networking	1x 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) RJ45 LAN
Interfaces	6x USB 2.0, 2x eSATA, 1x K-Lock
LED Indicators	System, HDD1, HDD2, Network status indicators
AC Power Adapter (Watt)	Output: 19V, 90W Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal
Dimensions	9.6" (H) x 3.8" (W) x 8" (D)
Weight	3.3/3.9 kg; 7.26/8.58 lbs.
Operating System	Powered by Microsoft Windows Home Server