Anyone here have a home server?

[arizonapcrepair]

Does anyone here have a server in their house? I am trying to run an old SFF PC on Windows Server 2k3, and wondering if anyone else does the same.

So far, my server is just wasting electricity.

 

[ireviews]

I have a home server, but it is Linux not Windows. I mostly use it for my Shout Cast radio station.

 

[ichwar]

I have a server, but again, it's Linux. I just use it for LAN file sharing.

 

[Anna]

No server, but I have my computer set to act as a web server strictly for personal testing, with php and mysql.

 

[Gouri]

I too have linux server. Works as FTP, Web and NFS servers. Previously i have it on windows but once it given some problem. I switched to Linux. So far no problem.

 

[ah-blabla]

I have a Siemens router which runs a (limited) ftp server. I have been thinking of setting up a home server, the only thing is I'm not sure what hardware to get. (What I want is one of those really low-energy consumption devices). This would likewise be under GNU/Linux though.

 

[Smith6612]

I run a home server here from a Linux box from time to time, and before I moved to x10Hosting I ran a home server for 2 years off of a Linux box. If you need help I can surely help you, as hosting in Windows is a bit easier than in Linux. Just tell me what you need help with specifically first so that I'm not writing up a wall of text.

@ah-blabla: If you're looking for a low power server, assemble a mini-PC with an Atom Processor (these typically run at 1.6-1.8Ghz, but can be overclocked). Those things under full load shouldn't require any more than 40-50 watts and it should suffice just fine. Modern day Linux distros given you have enough RAM can run just fine with a 500Mhz and slower processor, so that will be out of the question now.

 

[ah-blabla]

@ah-blabla: If you're looking for a low power server, assemble a mini-PC with an Atom Processor (these typically run at 1.6-1.8Ghz, but can be overclocked). Those things under full load shouldn't require any more than 40-50 watts and it should suffice just fine. Modern day Linux distros given you have enough RAM can run just fine with a 500Mhz and slower processor, so that will be out of the question now.

40-50 watts does seem quite high -- however I have been sifting the web a bit and found a 25 watt server configuration:
http://www.kanonbra.com/index.php/projects/low-power-web-server
I think I might try building something based on this. The only problem is getting a pci cable modem, which would allow me to get rid of the standalone cable modem, and an FXO card to serve our VOIP telephone line which the modem currently serves. However I'm not sure I want to combine our phone (important) with a server. This would also need a slightly different board.

Update:// Yes, I'd better leave the modem out of this server, since that needs at least 2x pci slots. I can then use the one slot the via boards provide for some lan ports, and have wireless on usb.

 

[crabbypup]

i have a server at home that runs linux mint gnome on an amd duron mobile 1.2ghz with 512mb of RAM. i run it as a headless (no monitor) desktop and operate it by vnc over wireless g. i have it set up with wake on lan and it mostly does file sharing. i also use it as a network sound device hooked up to my stereo in my room. it runs pretty well. what are you going to use your server for?

btw: the TDP on the duron is only 56W. it throttles pretty nicely too.

 

[hamtum]

sorry not me,, but why u r asking dear

 

[TechAsh]

I don't have a home server as such, but I have a Linksys NSLU2 (a.k.a SLUG) which acts as a NAS and FTP server (I want to customise the firmware on it to turn it into a proper server, but I'm too scared of breaking it).

 

[Smith6612]

40-50 watts does seem quite high -- however I have been sifting the web a bit and found a 25 watt server configuration:
http://www.kanonbra.com/index.php/projects/low-power-web-server
I think I might try building something based on this. The only problem is getting a pci cable modem, which would allow me to get rid of the standalone cable modem, and an FXO card to serve our VOIP telephone line which the modem currently serves. However I'm not sure I want to combine our phone (important) with a server. This would also need a slightly different board.

Update:// Yes, I'd better leave the modem out of this server, since that needs at least 2x pci slots. I can then use the one slot the via boards provide for some lan ports, and have wireless on usb.

Just get yourself a NAT router. It's better for your PC's security as well as for the server. Pretty much everyone I see running directly out of their cable modem I suggest they get a router, even if they don't need it as the NAT itself is what provides a lot of extra security. They run for $20 if that. I had a feeling my guess of 40-50 watts was pretty high, but hey it takes 100 watts (estimated. I'll run a Kill-a-Watt through it the next time I mess around with it) of electricity to run my network here for the most part (DSL modem + Wireless Access point and Gigabit switch + Linux PC). Once I decide to retire my Pentium III Linux router I'll probably set up an Atom based box with an SSD, leaving logging completely to RAM.

 

[ah-blabla]

Just get yourself a NAT router. It's better for your PC's security as well as for the server. Pretty much everyone I see running directly out of their cable modem I suggest they get a router, even if they don't need it as the NAT itself is what provides a lot of extra security. They run for $20 if that. I had a feeling my guess of 40-50 watts was pretty high, but hey it takes 100 watts (estimated. I'll run a Kill-a-Watt through it the next time I mess around with it) of electricity to run my network here for the most part (DSL modem + Wireless Access point and Gigabit switch + Linux PC). Once I decide to retire my Pentium III Linux router I'll probably set up an Atom based box with an SSD, leaving logging completely to RAM.

My current wireless router has NAT and all those features. I would prefer to replace the router with a server taking over the router functions as well though: security isn't too much of a concern, since nothing would be served to the outside world, so I only need to set iptables up to block everything to the outside. By combining the router into a server I save space and electricity though.

 

[Smith6612]

My current wireless router has NAT and all those features. I would prefer to replace the router with a server taking over the router functions as well though: security isn't too much of a concern, since nothing would be served to the outside world, so I only need to set iptables up to block everything to the outside. By combining the router into a server I save space and electricity though.

That's the nice thing as well. My Linux box itself is already running a fair amount of stuff on it for my network, not to mention a web server with MySQL and PHP from time to time or an SVN server. At the moment I'm stuck to using an Access Point + Linux Router + DSL modem for the time being, but if I had Metro Ethernet (as in I was handed an Ethernet jack from an ONT) or fiber optic internet coming in through Ethernet, I'd be able to cut off the DSL modem, save 20 or so watts and run it right into my router. Then the access point and Linux router would be all that is left. My DSL modem and Access point can both have their own NAT routers with firewalls, etc. I've disabled those so that the DSL modem is in bridge, and the access point is just acting as a Gigabit switch for the meantime as well as a Wireless N access point.

 

[arizonapcrepair]

I forgot to mention the specs of my server!

I was doing some work trading for a graphics design agency, and they gave me 5 computers in return, I gladly took up on the offer.

Out of the five computers, there was this Compaq Evo 300v desktop computer, I chose to run this as a server, I slapped Server 2003 Small Business Edition on it, and off I am rolling with my brand new server.

It has a P4 1.7
256MB of RAM
some 20GB Hard drive...

obviously not much, but it is so far a print, and small file server, and doing a great job at that. The other computers were Vista Capable HP slimline computers, do not know the model number right off hand however,

My main computers are Macs, so I am going to try to add these to an active directory, which will be fun

 

[cybrax]

Aquired a trio of unwanted iMac G3 classics from a local business, partly because nobody on the payroll wanted them and the firm would of had to pay to get rid of them (WEEE directive in the UK). So we got them for nothing.

Perormance and specs wise Hewey, Dewey, and Lewey are nothing special. The biggest hard drive of the bunch is only a mere 40 gig but they all pack a healthy amount of RAM and have thier own web server software built into the operating system.

Disconnected the monitors to save space and power and they do us proud, plus they are almost silent.

 

[xav0989]

I use my vista machine with apache as localhost. Since I upgraded the RAM, I saw no performance downgrade.

 

[cybrax]

I use my vista machine with apache as localhost. Since I upgraded the RAM, I saw no performance downgrade.

Hmm, so just how much RAM did you have to add to get things back to normal?

 

[csc2ya]

I run my old laptop as a server on Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise

Current services running on it are:

Two irc servers...one officeirc, and one unrealircd
Shoutcast and internet radio broadcasting software (for lan access only...all my music is on it)
IRC bots
It also used to have IIS running on it, but that's broken and I can't figure out how to fix it without doing an os reinstall.

The laptop: http://csc2ya.co.uk/server.jpg
It's desktop: http://csc2ya.co.uk/screenshots/server.jpg

Current spec of it is:

Pentium M 1.6Ghz
512MB Ram
40Gb HDD
Intel pro wireless 2200BG
No idea on graphics now, but as a server, that's unimportant

 

[Sarnuial]

I'm on dial-up (thankfully, I have a second phone line), and I have an old HP Vectra VL 420 (I think) sitting in a corner that connects to the Internet and then passes the connection off to my WRT54GL. I guess it could technically be called a server - it is, after all, running Ubuntu Server and it does have Apache/PHP/MySQL on it - but it really never sees use as anything much more than an Internet gateway.

Specs:
1.6GHz Pentium 4
1.5GB SD-RAM @ 133MHz*
GeForce 4 of some sort (it doesn't really matter, seeing as it's run headless since I gave up on Windows 2000's Internet Connection Sharing and moved to Linux - woo ssh!)
40GB hard drive
Ubuntu Server 9.04

* Yeah, 1.5GB SD-RAM. I got this machine and another one almost identical to it (Hansel and Gretel; this one's Gretel) for $60 about six months ago; one had 1GB RAM in it, the other had 1.25GB. Altogether, the RAM is worth more than the rest of the machines and at retail pricing, it would cost almost twice what I paid for both machines to replace. My mum's now using Hansel with 768MB RAM.

--- Sarnuial