Linux WHS Alternative HipServ
November 22, 2007 — Philip Churchill
In the past we have posted information about Linux alternatives to Windows home Server including the Ubuntu Home Server Edition Project.
Today I have details of another Linux based product that claims to offer all the features of Windows Home Server. Its HipServ from Axentra Corporation based out of Canada. It has recently been released by LaCie on one of their NAS drives and sells for $199 USD which includes both the software platform pre-installed and a 500GB NAS drive. It allows you to do automated backups from Windows or Mac computers in your home - it is fully Mac compatible with OS 10.3 and 10.4, and they’re working on testing with Leopard now. It allows you to access content remotely through a browser, or from a mobile device (WM5, WM6, Blackberry and iPhone). They even include a DLNA compliant and Windows Media Connect media server on board, so you can access content from your Sony Playstation 3, xBox 360, Roku, and others. Axentra are also working on a VM version of the product which will run on a Windows based PC as well.
More details are available from the Axentra web site and from LaCie.
Many thanks to Antonio for the information.
November 22, 2007 at 10:51 pm
outch…that price is awesome. I’m curious what Windows Home Server team has to say about competing products like this. Its key in my opinion that consumer NAS vendors such as Buffalo Tech, DLink, NetGear get onboard with Windows Home Server…for Windows Home Server to succeed. Has anyone seen WHS in a retail store? And if so, where was it located in the store (network equipment, hard disk accessories or amongst computer display)?
November 23, 2007 at 5:24 am
So is Axentra going to release the source code under the GPL? Certainly any OS mods must be released, and if their apps use any open source code, then it too must be released.