Who has a server at home?

[SLPFirehawk]

Do you use a server at home? What are the advantages of using a server at home?

Just wondering....

 

[Workin']

I have one running Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

Advantages:
- Ability to host multiple (internal) web sites, so I can test my work off-line.
- Can keep all data files accessible from any other machine
- Easy backup of all my good stuff
- Windows 2000 server versions support AppleTalk networks, which lets the Macs on my network access all the server resources

Disadvantages:
- Server has to be on all the time
- Windows 2000 server versions are expensive
- Minor learning curve getting everything configured

 

[huanaku]

I have win2k server at home. What workin' said for advantages. As well as being able to host your own web sites.

 

[shathal]

What you can use a server for:

* File-storage / backup (collect those HD's).
* Proxy-server for your LAN.
* Firewall for your LAN.

* Overpowered solitaire machine.

The possibilities are - as they say - nearly endless.

Question is - Why do you think you need it & what do you want to do with it

 

[jsbush]

I got win2k AD sever at home, hosting many web sites

 

[Woodie]

running W2K Server at home...what they said, plus:

I run DHCP and DNS server daemons. Also good for crackin' (dnet for the moment, soon to be switched to another project.)

Con:
Puts out a lot of heat & noise.

--Woodie

 

[Need4Speed]

Running win2k server on a dual P3-933
FTP
HTTP
Exchange

 

[ttn1]

Using RedHat 7.1 with apache,php and mysql.
I have 2 servers and one machine running linux router project as a gateway/firewall.

Advantages:
Free.
Firewall. To help to protect you from people with a lot of time on their hands.
Serving webpages.
Serving mp3s (to myself) through a web based program called RIMPS.
Security, don't get viruses meant for windows....
Quick backup of important files..
Run a cacheing name server, so when your ISP's nameserver goes down, you can still surf.
Geek FACTOR!!!

Disadvantages:
Long and sometimes painful learning curve.

ttn1

 

[Windogg]

The real question is how many.

 

[ttn1]

Oh and if your running windows 2000 server. Patch it for CODE RED. PLEASE!!!

I'm tired of all the hits.

ttn1

 

[Quad]

i have win98 server, running a NAT router. today it'll be win2k, becuz i just upgraded the comp.

serves as my router/firewall/fileserver

 

[oldfart]

Running a Linux server here. FTP, Web, Samba file sharing. Will run forever without a reboot. Also needs very minimal hardware.

 

[Paulson]

I got win2k server...

I host paulsonator.com, but I'm going to host more sites later on...

I have to also get a t-1

The advantages are that you have the server at your fingertips and get to figure out just how to run a server and keep in running...

Since I have my comps running 24/7, it's just a plus to be able to run a server...

 

[Palmashooter]

I'm running a Win2k AS server at home with a couple of other computers. The reason for this is to practice for certs. I also have some legacy OS (9x, NT) running just to simulate some "real world" stuff.

 

[splice]

<< win98 server >>

eeewww... Sorry, but that's kinda sad. You have to reboot ever night? Anyways, I'm running a LAN file server (Samba, FTP, Telnet) on Mandrake Linux 7.2. It's a K6-III 350 in a small bookPC case which is standalone (no monitor, Keyboard, Mouse). It has all of my MP3's, movies, and installable applications and patches. Very nice to have and it uses very little power.

 

[ttn1]

That's another advantage:

Headless. None of my servers have monitor, keyboard or mouse. Just a box. VNC and ssh are godsends. My linux router project machine has no moving parts. i.e. no hardrives or fans, everything runs off an m-systems Disk on Chip.

If you can't do it from a command prompt, Don't Do It!!!

ttn1

 

[MichaelD]

This is a neat thread. I'm setting up my first server at home. For most of the same reasons mentioned above.

I like the &quot;cacheing nameserver&quot; idea and a few others. I'm planning on installing W2K Pro on the server. I honestly don't have the time (really) to learn another OS...at least W2K is stable. I'm going to try to run the box headless as well, but don't think I can b/c of the crappy Dell bios that doesn't give you any &quot;halt on XXXX&quot; options to disable. We'll see.

Where can I read up on &quot;Setting up a server at home&quot; kind of thing? Nice thread...keep it going, I'm learning.

 

[flippinfleck]

Right now I have a Linux server runnin at home (slackware v8.0) and I love it. I've been through a few dif Linux flavors, prolly gonna set up another server or two soon.

What's it used for? Storage, MP3's, http (offline right now), ftp (for a few select people), and as a learning box. All for ~$100.

 

[randomlinh]

gunna have a server soon.. redhat 7.1... ftp, http, ssh, mail, file.... i was going to have a separate box and slap freesco on it for a router/firewall.. but i'm gunna end up doing that along w/ the ftp, http, ssh.. etc.. yes, i know its a bad idea, but i ain't go no crappy little system to use no more

Linh

 

[tasslex]

I'm running a Redhat 6.2 Server right now, Samba Shares, Apache, Caching NameServer, All sorts of goodies.

 

[Vraxx]

Well before moving, I had a Redhat 6.2 box running SSH, MySQL, Samba and serving as a firewall for my lan (mostly consisting of laptops)

The benefits for me were mostly having a spare machine to test things on before doing so at work. That and it was a lot easier to track attempts at hacking my machine using the ipchains logging system.

 

[bex0rs]

I've got a few...

FreeBSD 4.3 running ipnat / ipf. It's the gateway and firewall for my private network.

Currently a Cel-700 / 256 ram machine I had lying around.

FreeBSD 4.1 running apache, mysql, bind, qmail, rocket arena 3 server. Handles all public services.

Dual P2-350, 128 ram (!!), 10K rpm U2W hard drive. I plan on merging this machine along with the firewall / gateway into a new P3-550ish BookPC setup. The amount of use each machine gets hardly justifies what I'm using for hardware.

Win2k A.S. which handles file serving and terminal services for my private network.

P2-450, 768 ram, 7200 rpm U160 hard drive, 2* 80 gig IDE drives. Also underused, but it looks damn cool in its Enlight 8950.

I've also got few slower dev boxes running a variety of OS's.

(EDIT: added system specs)

~bex0rs

 

[Strych9]

Can we add to this by posting what type of hardware you are using. I'm going to upgrade my home server and would like some suggestions on hardware.

 

[Woodie]

Hmmmm. See my sig for detailed specs, but basically:

Gateway/FW (I don't consider this a server, just a network device): IBM 486DX4, RAM, HD, modem, nic, OS/2 Warp 4.0
Server (DNS, DHCP, backup): Compaq Proliant 5000 (2xPPro200, 512MBram, SCSI RAID 5), W2K Server.

--Woodie

 

[Spearfodder]

I've got a duron 650 cheapo integrated box running win2k advanced server. One of those 120 day eval copies, going on 5 months now...hmm...I love regedit...

I use it as a file server, a print server, a NAT box, a firewall, a dhcp/wins server, and a dns cacheing server. Oh...and it runs seti too. It gets rebooted for hardware changes etc every month or so, seems happy at that. No monitor on it, I use terminal services to administer it.