HP Media Vault Help
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Shared folders
Welcome to the HP Media Vault
The HP Media Vault is a powerful network server that allows you to share files, and stream music and video to a Digital Media Adapter. It also allows you to share a printer with more than one computer.
The media vault comes pre-configured with several resources available for use as soon as the device is turned on and connected to the network. In many cases, you may find these resources suitable to your needs, and if so, no additional configuration of the device will be needed.
If the default settings are not exactly what you want or need, use these media vault configuration screens to customize the HP Media Vault’s network resources, and to monitor and maintain the server’s hardware and software.
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Create a new Shared Folder
This screen creates a new Shared Folder on the HP Media Vault. Create new Shared Folders to help organize and secure your information. This screen will display options differently depending on the Network Security Mode Setting (found on the Network Settings screen).
Create new Shared Folder options
- New Shared Folder Name
- Enter the name of the new Shared Folder.
- Select a Host Volume
- You must specify a host volume for the new Shared Folder. The maximum capacity for a volume is also the maximum for all Shared Folders on that volume.
- Enable global protocols
- Select the check boxes of the global protocol types you wish to enable for this Shared Folder. The three types of global protocols are Network File Sharing, HTTP (Web browser) Sharing, and FTP (Client) Sharing.
- Note: By default, access from Network Computers is enabled with full privileges. HTTP and FTP access is disabled.
- Select a check box to enable the protocols and deselect it to disable.
- Cancel
- Discard all changes and return to the Shared Folders screen.
- Accept
- Create the new Shared Folder with the settings provided.
Workgroup mode
- Select access levels for each protocol
- In Workgroup mode, each global protocol is associated with an access-level setting. Select the setting by choosing either the Read-only or Full Access option beneath each protocol
check box. The access level you select applies equally to all incoming queries, regardless of usernames and passwords.
- The disabling of a protocol altogether means that the files are not accessible with that protocol by anyone. Read-only allows the files to be read, but files cannot be overwritten nor can new files be created. Full access allows for reading and writing files in the folder and the creation of new files and sub-folders.
- Password Protect this Folder
- Select this check box to enable password protection for the new Shared Folder. Password protection for new Shared Folders is turned off by default. If this
check box is selected, entry boxes for the password will appear.
- When attempting to access the data in a password-protected folder, a dialog box will appear, prompting you to enter the password. The dialog box may also display a username, but it will not be necessary to enter it. All sub-folders will inherit the password protection property from the upper-level folder.
- Password
- Create a password for this Shared Folder.
- Confirm Password
- Confirm the password by entering it again.
User-based mode
In this mode, no access-level settings are associated with Shared Folders. Instead, all access rights to Shared Folders are associated with individual usernames. You can specify those rights using these options, which do not appear on the screen in Workgroup Mode.
- Select Username
- Select an existing username using the drop-down list.
- Select Privilege Level
- Select a privilege level for this folder for the selected user using the drop-down list. When accessing the Shared Folders on the media vault, a dialog box will appear prompting for a username and password. After the name and password are validated, this privilege level will dictate this user’s access to the folder.
- Add
- Temporarily stores the User/Privilege Level Setting selections. Several different selections can be added during the session. However, Add will not permanently commit these selections. You must click Accept to permanently save the changes.
- Create New User
- Opens the Create a New User screen, which is normally linked from the User Settings screen.
Shared Folder access settings
The media vault supports two distinct protocols that allow file sharing by using standard operating system commands. These two protocols are Common Internet File System (CIFS), which is sometimes referred to as SMB (or “samba”); and Network File System (NFS). These protocols are both enabled by the Network File Sharing
check box. They allow file access from Windows, Mac, or Linux computers.
CIFS is normally used with Windows and Mac computers, and NFS is more commonly used with Linux computers. In addition, the files in an media vault Shared Folder can be accessed using HTTP (Web browser) or FTP (FTP client) protocols. The HTTP and FTP protocols may also be used by computers on and outside the LAN to access files stored on the media vault.
Note: HTTP and FTP protocols are disabled by default. You may enable them but should only make the media vault available external to your home LAN if you understand how computer and router firewalls operate and the intrinsic security risks of intentionally opening holes in a firewall.
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Modify an existing shared folder
This screen modifies an existing Shared Folder on the HP Media Vault. This screen will display options differently depending on the Network Security Mode Setting (found on the Network Settings screen).
Modify Shared Folder options
- Shared Folder Name
- Enter a new name for this Shared Folder.
- Enable global protocols
- Select the check boxes of the global protocol types that you wish to enable for this Shared Folder. The three types of global protocols are Network File Sharing, HTTP (Web browser) Sharing, and FTP (Client) Sharing.
- Note: By default, access from Network Computers is enabled, with full privileges; HTTP and FTP access protocols are disabled.
- Select the check box to enable a protocol and uncheck it to disable.
- Cancel
- Discard all changes and return to the Shared Folders screen.
- Accept
- Save the modifications to this Shared Folder as permanent changes.
Workgroup mode
- Select access levels for each protocol
- In Workgroup Mode, each global protocol is associated with an access- level setting. Select the setting by choosing either the Read-only or Full Access option beneath each protocol
check box. The access level you select applies equally to all incoming queries, regardless of usernames and passwords.
- The disabling of a protocol altogether means that the files are not accessible with that protocol, by anyone. Read-only allows the files to be read, but files cannot be overwritten nor can new files be created. Full access allows for reading and writing files, as well as the creation of new files and sub-folders.
- Password Protect this Folder
- Select this check box to enable password protection for the new Shared Folder. Password protection for new Shared Folders is turned off by default. If this
check box is selected, entry fields for the password will appear.
- When attempting to access the data in a password-protected folder, a dialog box appears, prompting the user to enter in the password. The dialog box may also display a username, but it will not be necessary to enter it. All sub-folders will inherit the password protection property from the upper-level folder.
- Password
- Create a password for this Shared Folder.
- Confirm Password
- Confirm the password by entering it again.
User-based mode
In this mode, no access-level settings are associated with Shared Folders. Instead, all access rights to Shared Folders are associated with individual usernames. You can specify those rights using these options, which do not appear on the screen in Workgroup mode.
- Select Username
- Select an existing username using the drop-down list.
- Select Privilege Level
- Select a privilege level for this folder for the selected user using the drop-down list. When accessing the Shared Folders on the media vault, a dialog box will appear prompting for a username and password. After the name and password are validated, this privilege level will dictate the user’s access to the folder.
- Add
- Temporarily stores the User/Privilege-level setting selections. Several different selections can be added during the session. However, Add will not permanently save these selections. You must click Accept to permanently save the changes.
- Create New User
- Opens the Create a New User screen, which is normally linked from the User Settings screen.
Shared folder access settings
The HP Media Vault supports two distinct protocols that allow file sharing using standard operating system commands. Those two protocols are Common Internet File System (CIFS), which is sometimes referred to as SMB (or “samba”) and Network File System (NFS). These protocols are both enabled by the Network File Sharing check box. These two protocols allow file access from Windows, Mac, or Linux computers.
CIFS is normally used with Windows and Mac computers, and NFS is more commonly used with Linux computers. In addition, the files in an media vault Shared Folder can be accessed using HTTP (Web browser) or FTP (FTP client) protocols. The HTTP and FTP protocols may also be used by computers on and outside the LAN to access files stored on the media vault.
Note: HTTP and FTP protocols are disabled by default. You may enable them but should only make the media vault available external to your home LAN if you understand how computer and router firewalls operate and the intrinsic security risks of intentionally opening holes in a firewall.
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Delete an existing shared folder
This screen deletes an existing Shared Folder on the HP Media Vault.
- Deleting a Shared Folder also permanently deletes all its files and sub-folders. Do not delete a Shared Folder if you are not sure what it contains.
Delete Shared Folder options
- Confirm Shared Folder Name
- Enter a name for the Shared Folder you wish to delete to ensure you have selected the correct one.
- Cancel
- Discard all changes and return to the Shared Folders screen.
- Accept
- Permanently delete this Shared Folder.
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Shared printers
The HP Media Vault automatically detects a printer when it is plugged into a USB port on the media vault. This allows several computers to print to one printer, called a network printer.
Important: You must install printer software (drivers) on each PC that will be using the network printer.
Shared Printer screen
- Printers are automatically detected when plugged into a USB port on the media vault.
- The Shared Printer screen displays the name(s) of the printer(s) installed on the media vault.
- While the name of the printer will be shown on the media vault, this does not mean that the printer is installed on your individual PCs.
Note: Not all USB printers can be shared over a network. If you find that after following these instructions that you cannot use the printer, consult the user manual for the printer to see if network sharing is a supported feature.
To install drivers on a PC (with a Windows operating system) for a network printer, follow these steps:
- Select Start from the windows toolbar, usually located on the lower-left side of the screen.
- Choose Printers and Faxes from the right side of the menu.
- Select Add a Printer on the left-hand side of the screen. This will start the Add Printer Wizard.
- Choose Add a Network Printer.
- The Specify a Printer screen will ask you which printer you would like to connect. Select a network printer, or a printer attached to another computer, and then click Next.
- Select Connect to a printer on the Internet or on a home or office network
- In the box, enter the name of your media vault, followed by the name of the printer, in the following format:
\\DeviceName\PrinterName
- Example:
\\HPMediaVault\Deskjet970c1
- The name of your media vault can be found under Network Settings, under Device Name.
- The name of your printer can be found on the Shared Printers screen, under Shared Printers Name.
- You can also Browse for the media vault and printer if you leave the dialog box blank.
- Note: By default, the DeviceName is " HPMediaVault" and the PrinterName is the name reported by the printer to the media vault. (If the DeviceName differs from the default, it has been renamed on the Networks Settings screen. If the PrinterName differs from the reported name, it has been renamed on the Shared Printers screen).
Selecting a network printer
After the printer is set up on your network, you can print to it by selecting the name of the printer in the application’s print dialog from which you are printing. You can also set it as your default printer on your PC in which case it will be selected automatically.
No printer attached
When no printers are installed, the Shared Printers screen displays this message: Printer Sharing is Currently Disabled because no printers are connected. To enable printer sharing, plug in a valid USB.
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Media streaming
Media streaming sends media (music, photos, and video files) from one stored location to other devices that can play the media. The HP Media Vault includes software that allows media to stream to a Digital Media Adaptor. A Digital Media Adaptor (DMA) is a network connected device that typically attaches to a television and/or stereo. DMA devices provide a convenient way to enjoy and share your media files.
Note: Supported DMA’s must use the UPnP A/V file streaming method, described below.)
To enable streaming from a Shared Folder to a DMA, follow these steps:
- Select a Shared Folder from the Select a Shared Folder drop-down list. A Shared Folder may contain media and non-media files, such as Microsoft Word documents. Only media files will be accessible on the DMA.
- Click Enable Media Streaming for Selected Folder. This will enable media to stream to the DMA.
- Yes will appear next to the selected Shared Folders table located in the upper-left corner.
To disable streaming from a Shared Folder, follow these steps:
- Select the Shared Folder from the Select a Shared Folder drop-down list.
- Click Disable Media Streaming for Selected Folder. This will disable streaming to a DMA.
- No will appear next to the selected folder in the Shared Folders table located in the upper-left corner.
Note: When a Shared Folder is made available or unavailable for streaming, all of its sub-folders are similarly enabled or disabled.
UPnP A/V streaming
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a networking protocol design that allows many different types of devices to interact with one another. The UPnP A/V streaming method currently supports only the streaming of unprotected media files. Some files may be protected by a Digital Rights Management system, which may prevent the streaming of those files. Media files purchased and downloaded from online Internet stores are most likely protected.
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Disk settings
This screen allows the HP Media Vault administrator to manually monitor and control attached physical disks (internal and external USB) and any logical volumes that exist on those disks.
Physical disks
The top of the screen contains status information and settings for disks connected to the media vault.
Each horizontal bar graph represents a hard disk, and the disk graphs illustrate the space used by logical volumes, as well as space not currently allocated to any logical volume. The volumes are color-coded to match entries in the volume table (found on the bottom of the screen). Within each color-coded volume, the used space is shown as a cross-hatched area, and free space is shown as an area of solid color.
Free space can be used to create new logical volumes, or to expand the total space (or maximum capacity) of existing volumes.
Adding disks
The media vault’s primary system disk uses the Serial ATA (SATA) interface.
Note: The internal expansion tray will accommodate a second SATA disk.
Note: The media vault does not support adding IDE disks using the expansion slot.
Note: An expansion SATA disk cannot be added to the system while the system is running (this is called “hot-plugging”). To add a SATA disk into the expansion slot, follow these steps:
- Power down the media vault by pressing the power button on the front of the unit and wait until it is completely shut down.
- Insert the expansion tray fully until the handle locks down.
- Turn the expansion bay security knob to secure the drive tray into place and prevent it from mistakenly being removed.
- Power up the system. You are can now use the additional drive.
External USB disks can also be added by attaching the disk to any of the media vault’s three USB ports (two on the back and one on the front). Small USB disks, such as key disks and jump disks, can be attached. Other portable devices such as cameras and phones can also be attached providing those devices can be seen as USB storage devices. If you have any questions, check with the manufacture of your device to verify if it is classified as a USB storage device.
Note: The addition of multiple USB disks through an external USB hub is neither recommended nor supported.
The total amount of storage space connected to the media vault, for all disks, cannot exceed 1.2 terabytes.
Removing disks
To remove an external USB disk, follow these steps:
- From the Select A Disk drop-down list, select the disk you wish to remove.
- Click Safely Disconnect Disk.
To remove an internal expansion drive please do the following:
- Power down the media vault by pressing the power button on the front of the unit and wait for the system to completely shut off.
- Open the drive bay door and turn the drive bay security knob to allow the drive to be removed.
- Pull on the drive tray handle and remove the drive tray completely from the system.
- Power the system back up to use the single internal drive.
- Removing attached disks may cause unexpected and undesirable behaviors. Remove disks only when you know it is safe to do so! If the media vault has volumes that span across multiple disks, removing any one of the disks will make the whole volume unusable (at least until the disk is reconnected).
The primary system disk is not designed to be removed and the media vault cannot operate without it. If the system disk ever needs replacing, a series of recovery steps will be required to restore the media vault to normal operation. For more information, see the HP Media Vault Users Guide.
Disk options
To configure or change the settings on a physical disk, first select the disk in the drop-down list, then click one of the following options.
Note: If an option is disabled, that particular operation is not available for the selected disk.
- Rename Disk
- Opens a dialog from which you can assign a new name to the selected disk. Unique disk names allow for easy distinctions between different disks, particularly USB disks, which might be attached to the media vault at different times (such as those used during a backup rotation).
- Note: You cannot rename the primary internal system drive.
- Format Disk
- Opens a dialog from which you can format (or reformat) the selected disk, then reallocate all of its storage capacity to a new volume.
- Note: You cannot format the primary internal system drive as this will render the system inoperable.
- Erase Disk
- Opens a dialog from which you can erase all content and logical structures from the selected disk.
- Note: You cannot erase the primary internal system drive as this will render the system inoperable.
- Safely Disconnect Disk
- Safely allows you to disconnect a USB disk to prevent internal consistency errors. If a USB disk is unplugged from the media vault without safely disconnecting it, a warning alert is issued.
Logical volumes
Storage space on the media vault’s hard disks cannot be accessed from the network until it has been assigned to a logical volume. The bottom half of the Disk Settings screen contains monitoring and control settings of logical volumes available to the administrator.
The table shows all volumes currently defined on the media vault, along with the color-coding legend that associates each volume with a physical disk in the disk graph section of the screen.
Volume options
To modify or delete existing volumes, or to create a mirror of an existing volume, select the volume you wish to modify (or delete) in the drop-down list, and then click one of the following options.
Note: If an option is disabled, that particular operation is not available for the selected volume.
- Create New Volume
- Opens a configuration screen from which you can create a new volume from non-allocated (free) space.
- Create a Mirror
- Opens a configuration screen from which you can create a RAID-1 mirror for the selected volume.
- Modify Volume
- Opens a configuration screen from which you can change the name or size of the selected volume.
- Delete Volume
- Allows you to delete the selected volume.
- When a volume is deleted, all Shared Folders and all files on the volume are permanently destroyed.
- Remove Mirror
- Opens a dialog from which you can disassociate a RAID-1 mirror from its twin volume, which frees the mirror’s storage capacity for other uses.
RAID on the HP Media Vault
The media vault makes it easy for home users to enjoy many of the benefits of RAID without requiring expert knowledge.
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) systems are advanced storage disk units previously only available in expensive servers. There are several types of RAID, but three types are used most frequently:
- Mirroring (RAID-1)
- Multi-disk striping with hardware redundancy (RAID-5)
- Disk concatenation (JBOD)
Note: The media vault supports both mirroring and disk concatenation. However, RAID-5 is not supported.
Mirroring (RAID-1)
In RAID-1, the device simultaneously copies all information being written to a volume to an identical copy of the volume on a separate physical disk. The storage capacity of a mirrored volume is half the combined capacity of the two host disks.
To create a mirror of an existing volume on the media vault:
- Connect a new disk (with adequate capacity) into the internal SATA expansion slot.
- Select the volume you wish to mirror and click Create Mirror, specifying the expansion disk as the host for the mirror.
- Note: If the expansion disk has already been formatted in any file structure other than
ReiserFS
, the Create Mirror button is dimmed. To enable this button, you need to erase and reformat the expansion disk.
- It is important to back up the contents of a mirrored volume as it is still possible to lose data on both the mirrored volume and the mirror host volume if the entire media vault is destroyed.
Disk concatenation (JBOD)
The device combines space from multiple disks into one large, logical volume.
To create a concatenated volume on the media vault, disk space must be allocated from more than one physical disk to a single volume.
- A concatenated volume fails if any of its component disks fail as there is no built-in hardware or disk redundancy. The content on concatenated volumes must be backed up to another medium to protect from data loss in the event of a disk failure.
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Erase disk
This feature allows you to erase a disk currently connected to the HP Media Vault.
- All contents of the disk will be erased, including boot records, partition tables, logical volumes, Shared Folders, and all files and folders. Erase disks only when you know that it is safe to proceed. The primary system disk cannot be erased for any reason as the media vault will not function.
Options
- Secure Erase check box
- Select to securely erase the disk completely. How long the Secure Erase feature takes depends on the size of the disk being erased.
- Confirmation String
- Enter the name of the disk you are erasing in the Edit field to confirm which disk you are intending to erase.
- Cancel
- Return to the Disk Settings screen without making any changes.
- Accept
- Start the disk erase.
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Format disk
This feature allows you to do all of the following in a single step:
- Erase existing content on a disk (if any).
- Format the disk for use on the HP Media Vault (permanently or with portability).
- Allocate the entire disk to a logical volume.
- All contents on the disk will be erased, including boot records, partition tables, logical volumes, Shared Folders, and all files and folders. Format disks only when you know that it is safe to proceed. The primary system disk cannot be formatted for any reason as the media vault will not function.
Do not format a new disk if you wish to concatenate the new disk’s capacity with an existing volume. Use the Erase Disk option to erase the contents from the new disk, and then use the Modify Volume option to resize an existing volume.
Options
- New Disk Name
- Enter in the name you wish to call the new disk.
- New Volume Name
- Enter the name you wish to call the new volume.
- Format Type
- Format for best performance and permanent connection to the HP Media Vault
- Formats the disk into a proprietary Linux file system (a modified form of ReiserFS). This format type will give the disk the largest feature set and the best read/write performance.
- Note: This format does not allow the disk to be disconnected from the media vault and then mounted on another computer, even a computer running Linux. Use this option only if you always intend to connect this disk to the media vault.
- Format for maximum portability
- Format the disk using the FAT32 file system. The FAT32 format will permit reading and writing with certain restrictions. Read/write performance will be slower.
- Note: FAT32 does not journal for data integrity, and files on FAT32 disks may not be larger than 4GB. Use this format option if you intend to disconnect this disk from the media vault and connect it to another computer system that supports FAT32, such as, Microsoft Windows.
- Cancel
- Return to the Disk Settings screen without making any changes.
- Accept
- Start the disk format.
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Rename disk
Overview
This feature allows you to rename a disk. Disk names are not critical to system use, but having unique names for attached disks can be helpful when troubleshooting, and especially when using several different external USB disks.
Options
- New Disk Name
- Enter the new disk name in the Edit field.
- Cancel
- Return to the Disk Settings screen without making any changes.
- Accept
- Start the disk format.
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Create new volume
This feature creates a new volume from the unused space on one or more disks. A volume is a portion of the drive(s) that can be configured to store data on the HP Media Vault. You set the size of a volume.
Creating a new volume
To create a new volume, follow these steps:
- In New Volume Name, enter a name for your new volume.
- If the disk has not been formatted, two options are available:
- Note: The format options will not be active if the disk(s) being selected for a new volume have already been formatted.
- Select Disk is dedicated for permanent use on this device. Format for best performance (Reiser) for an added second hard drive.
- Select Disk may be disconnected from NAS and connected to a computer. Format for maximum portability (FAT32) for external drives. FAT32 is recommended for USB drives if you want to be able to read/write files on a PC. The Reiser file system implementation is not read/writeable on a PC. FAT32 (File Allocation Table) and Reiser F/S are both file system types.
- Assign space for volume:
- To choose all available space to the new volume, click Assign all Available Space. If unused space is available on more than one disk, a concatenated volume (linked together volumes) will automatically be created.
- Linked together volumes are an elevated risk due to disk failure. If one disk fails that is part of a concatenated volume, all volumes on the disk become unusable. Back up all linked concatenated volumes.
- To provide space for the volume from the selected disks, click the
check boxes for the disks. A slider control and number box will appear for each disk selected.
- Assign Space using one of the following methods:
- Use the slider control to choose the amount of space.
- Enter a number in the size box.
- Click Accept.
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Modify an existing volume
This feature modifies the name and/or size of the existing volume. A volume is a portion of one or more drives that can be configured to store data on the HP Media Vault. You choose the size given to a volume.
- Resize a volume carefully. You will not be able to shrink the size of a volume below the size currently required to store all its files and folders.
To modify the volume name, follow these steps:
- In New Volume Name, enter the new volume name. Changing the volume name does not alter any of the Shared Folders in an existing volume.
- Click Accept.
Options for designating the amount of space on a volume:
- Select the Assign All Available Space check box to choose all available space to the new volume. If non-allocated space is available on more than one disk, a concatenated volume is automatically created.
- You can choose the amount of space to allocate to a volume. Two options are available to complete this task:
- Assign Available Space
- Enter the new maximum size of the volume in gigabytes.
- Assign Space using the Slider
- Slide the arrow for the appropriate volume amount along the control.
- Click Accept.
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Delete an existing volume
This feature deletes an entire volume. A volume is a portion of one or more drives that can be configured to store data on the HP Media Vault. Volumes can be a defined as part of a disk or an entire disk. Deleting a volume on a disk will not harm the format, even if it is the only volume present on the disk.
- Deleting a volume will permanently destroy all Shared Folders on the volume, including files, folders, and settings.
To delete a Volume, follow these steps:
- In Volume Name Confirmation, enter the name of the volume to be deleted.
- Click Accept. Deleting may take several minutes. Do not close the web browser until the operation completes.
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Create a mirror
This feature creates a mirror of an existing volume on the HP media vault. A volume is a portion of one or more drives that can be configured to store data on the media vault. A mirror is a duplicate copy of an entire volume. When a volume is mirrored, your files are copied to both hard drives. The end result is that half the total amount space is available to store your files. For example, two 200GB drives mirrored together result in a mirrored volume of 200GB, not 400GB.
Note: Data on a mirror volume is safe unless both disks fail at the same time. If one hard disk fails, the media vault will administer a warning. The failed hard disk should be replaced immediately.
To create a mirror, follow these steps:
- On the Disk Settings screen, located at the bottom of the screen underneath Logical Volumes, click Select a Volume.
- Select the volume you want to mirror.
- Click Create a Mirror.
- The Create Mirror screen display the
volume you have chosen. For example: You have chosen Volume 1 to mirror.
- Under Disk Assignment, select the disk that you would like that volume to make a mirror of.
- Click Accept. This process may take several hours before the volume is completely mirrored.
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Network settings
The Network Security Mode, located in the top half portion of the screen, allows a media vault administrator to change the HP Media Vault ’s name and security mode. The Network Protocol Settings, located in the bottom half portion of the screen, contains the network IP protocol settings.
Network Settings
- MAC Address
- This displays the MAC (Media Access Control Address) address, which is located on the back of your media vault.
Network Security Mode
The media vault allows you to have two types of security modes: Workgroup and User-based Mode.
Workgroup mode
Workgroup mode is the simplest way of managing security on the media vault. However, it is also the least secure. In Workgroup mode, all network users have the same level of access to shared resources, unless you protect specific folders with a password. By remembering which network users are given passwords, you can manage access to specific folders you want to protect.
- If you have computers using Windows XP Home, you should be able to see the media vault’s network resources in the My Network Places folder, located in the Start menu of Windows XP.
- If you have a LAN workgroup with a name other than the default name, change the media vault Workgroup name to match so that all the computers will see the media vault as a member of your workgroup.
To Change the name of a default Workgroup Name, follow these steps:
- In Workgroup Name, enter in the new name of your work group.
- Click Accept.
User-Based mode
User-based mode allows the administrator of the media vault to manage Shared Folder access, based on individual names and passwords. In this mode, the administrator must manually define a username and password for every person needing access.
Note: The task of maintaining user-based security is more difficult. Do not choose this mode if you are not prepared to properly manage usernames and passwords, as those without usernames and passwords will not have access.
Selecting the User-based mode changes the behaviors of the following:
- Modify Shared Folders
- Create a New Shared Folder User Settings
For assistance in these areas, see Modify Shared Folders, Create a New Shared Folder, and User Settings.
Network protocol settings
Use the settings on the bottom portion of the Network Settings screen to configure IP protocol settings for the media vault. In most cases, the default network settings will work without change.
Protocol Settings Options
- Auto-Configure IP Settings
- This is the default setting for the media vault. When this option is selected:
- The media vault automatically acquires its IP address and IP settings from the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server on your network.
- Renew DHCP will automatically renew itself.
- The Edit boxes of IP Address, Gateway Server, Subnet Mask, Domain Extension, DNS Servers and WINS Servers will be inactive. However, the values set by the DHCP server will display.
- Manual Configuration
- Manually configuring IP (Internet Protocol) settings allow you to set your own IP address. You may choose to manually configure the IP settings on the media vault if you want to use a static IP address. Obtain DNS server information from your internet service provider or use an existing IP address.
- Note: This should be done only by experienced network administrators.
- To manually configure the settings, follow these steps:
- In the IP Address box, enter the IP address given to you by your internet service provider.
- In the Gateway Server box, enter the IP address of your Gateway/Router.
- In the Subnet Mask box, enter the same subnet used in your other network devices.
- In the Domain Extension box, enter your domain extension.
- In the DNS Server boxes, enter the IP address manually.
- Click Accept.
Note: If you are entering in a static IP address, you will need to provide a DNS (Domain Name Suffix) server address in manually. Depending on the configuration, You may not need to add in a WINS server address. Having two DNS servers is recommended for stability.
Other network security considerations
Network security depends not only on the security setting of the Media Vault, but on the settings and capabilities of all hardware and software on your LAN (Local Area Network). A NAS device like the HP Media Vault can offer convenience and tremendous storage capabilities for your home LAN.
However, since it can also be used to combine content, much of your family’s sensitive data could eventually be stored in a single place, making any breach of your home network’s security potentially much more serious. If an outsider can get to your LAN, they might also be able to get to the data on your media vault.
Exercising all of the security steps listed below gives you the maximum protection against would-be hackers and other invaders of your home network.
- Wireless Routers
- Your home router is the most important barrier to network invasions. Router security can be easily compromised by careless configuration of wireless routers. When wireless networking is turned on, everyone in the immediate vicinity of your router’s antenna will receive the same wireless signals as you.
- Therefore, if you have a wireless router, ensure that it broadcasts only encrypted data to wireless clients. Turn on one of the strong encryption methods, and then configure all your wireless devices with the encryption key generated by the router.
- Wired-only Routers
- Even if you do not have wireless capability in your router, read and understand all security features of your device. Your router acts as a hardware firewall, which is far more secure than any software firewall. Learn how to properly use those features.
- Windows Update
- Use the Windows Update feature on your Windows computers to download and install critical patches to the Windows operating system.
- Software Firewall
- Install and use a software firewall. Windows XP (and later) already has a firewall option available.
- Anti-virus Software
- Install an anti-virus software package, and configure it to scan all computers on your network. Keep the virus definition files up-to-date. Configure the anti-virus software on your computer to scan the Shared Folders on your media vault. If you create Shared Folders that are restricted to certain users, make sure those users’ computers scan the restricted Shared Folders.
- Anti-spyware Software
- Install anti-spyware software and configure it to scan your computers periodically. Keep the definition files up-to-date.
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User settings
The top section of the User Settings screen controls Administrator preferences. These settings allow an HP Media Vault administrator to change the administrator username and password. The bottom section of the screen controls user accounts, with options for adding, modifying, and deleting individual accounts. These options are hidden when the device is not set to User-Based Security mode. (You select the security mode on the Network Settings screen).
Administrator settings options
- Administrator Username: Enter a username for the media vault administrator.
- By default, no name or password is assigned for system administration, which means that anyone can log in as the administrator without being required to enter a name and password. This makes system administration easy, but it leaves the system unsecured. To prevent uninvited access to the configuration screens, create an administrator username and password.
- Password
- Enter a new password for the administrator user account.
- Confirm Password
- Re-enter the password to confirm.
- Cancel
Discard all uncommitted changes made on this screen.
- Accept
- Accept all user setting changes made on this screen. Multiple settings can be changed and committed in a single operation.
Defined Users
This section lists all defined-user accounts in a table with the username and the user’s default privilege-level.
User account options
- Select an Existing User
- Select an existing user from the drop-down list to modify that user’s access rights or delete the user account entirely.
- Modify the Selected User
- Modifies the access-rights settings for the user selected by the drop-down list.
- Delete the Selected User
- Deletes the selected user from the system.
- Create a New User
- Creates a new user account.
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System settings
This screen allows the media vault administrator to configure various settings for the HP Media Vault, including power savings mode; internal clock, time zone, and other time and date preferences; firmware updates; event log, and more.
Enable Power Saving Mode
The Power Saving Mode saves energy while the unit is powered on. In this mode, the internal hard disk drives are spun down, or put to sleep. The feature is enabled by default. You can set the time the media vault remains inactive before the drives are spun down.
Note: Your media vault will still be on, only the drives will be asleep.
To enable the Power Saving Mode, follow these steps:
- Select the Enable Power Saving check box.
- Use the Hours and Minutes drop-down list to specify the amount of time for the internal drives to remain inactive before powering down.
Resetting the device
The following options are available to reset the media vault.
- Restart Device
- Reboots the media vault.
- Reset Device to Factory Defaults
- Only select this option if you have a media vault that is failing to respond to normal commands. Resetting will remove custom configuration elements, and restore many device parameters to their factory default settings.
- Note: No Shared Folder or file content will be altered by this reset.
Display System Events Log
Use this option to display a log of media vault events, including possible errors, as follows:
- Click Display System Events Log.
- Select one of the following two options:
- Display most recent events first
- Display oldest events first
- The log will appear on the bottom of the same screen.
Firmware
To update the Firmware, follow these steps:
- Perform one of the following:
- Click Browse (for Firmware Update Package) to find a valid firmware update file.
- In the Firmware Update Package box, enter the full path to a valid firmware update file (this path is local to the PC that is browsing).
- Click Apply Firmware Update.
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Clock settings
This screen allows the media vault administrator to configure various settings for the HP Media Vault, including power savings mode; internal clock, time zone, and other time and date preferences; firmware updates; event log, and more.
Clock settings options
The following three options are available to set the HP Media Vault Clock:
- Automatically Set Clock from Internet (NTP) Server
- Select this check box to enable the media vault to synchronize its internal clock with an Internet time (NTP) server. This feature is enabled by default. NTP (Network Time Protocol) servers can synchronize the media vault's date and time.
- NTP Server IP Address 1, 2, 3
Enter the IP addresses for up to three NTP servers.
- Note: The default settings for NTP servers 1, 2, and 3 should not be modified under normal circumstances.
- Set Clock Manually
- Set the correct time and date by entering the desired values for Year, Day, Hours, Minutes, Seconds, select the Month from the drop-down list, select either the AM or PM option, and then click Set Clock Manually.
- Automatically Adjust Clock for Daylight Savings Time
- Select this check box if you live in a time zone that honors Daylight Savings Time. During the Spring and Fall time changes, your media vault will automatically update its internal clock.
- Select Time Zone
- Select the correct time zone for your location from the drop-down list.
- Time Display Format
- Select 12 Hour Clock (AM, PM) if you want hours to reset to 1 after 12 noon, or choose
Select Use 24 Hour Clock format if you want the hours to go from 0 to 23.
- Date Display Format
- Select a date display format from one of the four options as shown below (all show the same date):
-
YYYY/MM/DD |
2006/03/31 |
MM/DD/YYYY |
03/31/2006 |
DD/MM/YYYY |
31/03/2006 |
DOW MMM DD, YYYY |
Fri Mar 31, 2006 |
- Set Clock from Browser Time
- Set the media vault’s internal clock to match the date and time on your PC.
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