Can Windows Home Server really replace my NAS ?

["noughtomate" <balraj_jassal@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I appreciate there have been a few threads discussing WHS, but I'm
still not entierly clear if I can use it to replace or complment my
NAS drive.

My primary concern is that the WHS promos seems to plug it more as a
back up device than a playback device.  I'm been trying to find out
these specific things :

- Can it act as a Media Server, with support for FTP, Samaba, NFS and
uPnP ?
My current NAS (Synology DS-101g+) supports all except NFS. But
because I'm not overly famiilar with Linux, I don't have the
confidence to apply an NFS hack. So just wondering if WHS can run
these protocols ?

- Can I install USB devices and install the drivers / software to
harness them ? i.e. Can I treat this like regular Windows ? Would XP /
Vista software which is not Graphics hungry run fine ?
I have a USB Caller Id modem and would prefer to use this as a server
device with my HTPC as the caller id client. I also want to use it as
a Home Automation Server to handle events that my Comfort can't
perform.

- Can it support disk spin down nativly within the OS ? i.e. If a HD
is not being used for X mins, it will stop spinning

- Is RAID hardware support a pre-requsite for installing WHS ? Or has
it been implmented on an OS level ?

- I'm seeking an ultra low powered device which can support multiple
disks (ideally 3+ internal drive SATA, without using USB / Firewire).
The only one I know of is the Tranquil PC T7, however this is a single
disk device. Could anyone tell me the manufaturer's that have a WHS
solution ? I'd love to build my own, but time does not allow me to.

Thanks in advance.