Opinions needed: Network Storage

[dkellogg3]

Posted this at another site, but so far have received limited (one) response:

Hey all,

I'm trying to figure out the best solution to having network storage available to all computers on my network, and providing a print server. I'm looking for a fairly simple solution, as I don't have a ton of time to mess around with things. Here are the options that I've determined:
1. Buffalo Technologies Linkstation - 120GB
2. A solution from Linksys/D-link for storage with an external drive (I have the enclosure, but would buy the drive) and a separate print server.
3. get a Dell server when they're on special, and run linux with Samba

Keep in mind: I have about $225 to spend; and, I have no experience with Linux nor Samba.

Opninions??? I've heard bad things about the Linksys/D-link solutions - anyone with personal experiences? How difficult is Linux/Somba to learn - at least enough to get a server going? Any experiences with the Linkstation?

Thanks, and be well.

Then I followed up with this, this morning:

I was just thinking -

I've got a PII 450 Compac tower sitting around. Would this be adequate to use for file and print serving (with Linux and Samba)? What if I want to stream multimedia wirelessly to my A/V setup? Is there enough oomph in that bad boy? That would save me the $$ and I could get a case/mobo combo to set up as a TV/email client in my kitchen.

Thanks!

Input would be appreciated! Thanks

 

[skyking]

First you say this...

Keep in mind: I have about $225 to spend; and, I have no experience with Linux nor Samba

And then this.

I've got a PII 450 Compac tower sitting around. Would this be adequate to use for file and print serving (with Linux and Samba)? What if I want to stream multimedia wirelessly to my A/V setup? Is there enough oomph in that bad boy? That would save me the $$ and I could get a case/mobo combo to set up as a TV/email client in my kitchen

If you are hard pressed for personal time and want instant gratification, then buy something off the shelf.
On the other hand, if you are willing to learn, build a fileserver using that old tower. It has plenty of "oomph", so long as you do not saddle it with a GUI. Running x on that would defeat the purpose.
If you already have the large storage drive, build it with that. If you do not have a spare 100+ gig drive, build the box first with the small drive it has, and see if you like it/are successful. If you are happy and want to move forward with mass storage, you now have 225$ to spend on hardware It is relatively easy to mount a second drive.

What if I want to stream multimedia wirelessly to my A/V setup?

That is more a function of network protocol rather than the server itself. Do not try to stream DVD clips or anything like that wirelessly. Music is fine.
I'd definitely place the server on a wired connection to the router.

What distro should you use?

I would suggest debian for one reason only: There are tons of helpful and smart debian users here, and if you post a well thought out question that you could not easily find the answer to in the man pages, you will get help here. Other than that, there is no one distro that is magically better for the noob. I personally use freebsd for fileservers, out of familiarity.

EDIT:
Any further discussion after you get started would get quicker response over in the "operating systems" forum.

 

[dkellogg3]

I was planning on putting the server directly on the router with my wife's and my computers, and then going wireless to the family room stereo for music via one of the multimedia appliances, and out to our tiki bar with a laptop through the stereo out there. And with the one empty port on the firewall/router run a wired subnet to the basement (5 port switch) for my workshop. If I were to ever build a HTPC, I'd go wired to the family room for reliability.

I'm not much for command-line stuff (too much to memorize, and not enough free time on my hands!) - is there a distro that has a light GUI that would be suitable for a PII450?

 

[JackMDS]

Oppsss!

 

[JackMDS]

May be this can Help.Network Attached Storage (NAS) for Home/SOHO Networks.

Within the limitations mentioned on the page above I use the D-Link and it is working very well.

As for Printer server.

My main printer is All in One. Most of the All in ones do not work so well with a general Printer Server, unless they were designed to be Network printers.

I solved the issue by buying a Brother All in One. The Brother line includes printers that are already Ethernet ready. The Entry Level is around $100. Works very well on the Network you can even use the scanner through the Network.

:sun:

 

[dkellogg3]

Thanks Jack.

Does the D-link reformat the drive (proprietary) when you connect it? I read somewhere that it will use drives formatted as Fat32, but not NTFS. This would indicate that it does NOT reformat - any info?

I have a Canon S9000 printer. Netgear indicated that although not tested, it SHOULD work with their PS101, or PS121.

 

[JackMDS]

Any Drive that is already formatted to FAT32 would work.

The D-Link unit doe not touch the formatting and does not change any thing on the Drive.

:sun:

 

[dkellogg3]

So, have you tried plugging the drive directly into a usb port on a computer? I reason that you should be able to access all files this way, but want to make sure before I make a decision.

Thanks!

 

[Kelemvor]

File servers don't have to be anything more than Desktops with big hard drives and a "server" OS (but that's not even really needed). Any workstation that you share a folder on can be used as a file server. You can also hook up a printer to it and share the printer and use it as a print server as well.

I'd just use that computer you have laying around, wipe it and put a base OS on there and share a big empty folder that everyoen can use. Then plug the printer into it, install it, and share the printer and viola... a print server.