Physical Features:
When most people think of a server, they picture a big, hulking computer designed with function, rather than form in mind. Looking at the TS mini, you can see that really isn't the case with ASUS's home server. The TS mini measures a mere 245 x 96 x 204 mm so it won't take up a lot of room under a desk. Its glossy, black plastic also looks great. However, finger prints and smudges do have a tendency to stand out.
In case you missed the fact that the TS mini is a home server, there's a large sticker on the front advertising this fact. Along the bottom you can also see a series of LED's. These indicator lights are used to show the current state of the system, network and hard drives.
The power switch is located on top of the TS mini. The top also has a series of air vents that allow cool air to enter and warm air to exit the server. While these vents alone are probably enough to keep the TS mini cool, ASUS has also placed a pair of fans under the vent. These fans were so quiet I didn't even realize they were there until I took the server apart.
The rear of the TS mini is pretty straight forward. Looking at the picture below, you can see that the server has six USB 2.0 ports as well as 2 eSATA ports. Below that, you can see the server's ethernet port, DC power connection and a Kensington lock port. There is also a small button which is used when doing a system recovery.
To get at the internal drive bays, you'll first need to remove the two thumb screws on the back of the TS mini and remove the left side of the case. After that, use a coin to loosen the three screws holding the hard drive cage in place and use the handle to lift it out of the case.
The hard drive cage is able to hold two 3.5" SATA hard drives. To install a new hard drive, fasten the included mounting screws and slide it into an empty bay.
With the hard drive removed, you can see the TS mini's motherboard. Most notable are the heatsinks covering the CPU and chipset. The memory is located on the bottom of the motherboard, which makes it difficult to access if you ever want to upgrade or replace it.
