Sam
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My file server is currently running Windows XP but is due a replacement HDD soon (see here for details).
In an effort to make my server operation more slimline I am considering building a new, smaller-size, low-power file server which I could boot off a Linux CD (effectively removing the need to have a C: drive).
I need to be able to share the files on the RAID drives in this box with Windows x32/x64 based clients and have the ability to connect to it using VPN to access files, as well as remotely logging in to the server either from within the LAN or through a VPN tunnel off-site.
I assume that all of the above is possible with Linux? If so, then I won't need to buy a replacement HDD! 
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willay
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Problem with your idea is it won't be fast, it will still need to call up binaries from the CD which will take time.
Also, depending on how you want to access your files (protocol) you may need to install third party software which obviously you can't put on the CD if it wasnt with the original distro.
Share files with Windows boxes - you can do this with a product called Samba which is free, it will do file and print servers (mappign drives etc) for Windows so its rather seamless. Or you could use the ftp daemon but thats abit more fussy.
Connect to it via VPN - possible but your Internet router might be able to do this for you? If not OpenVPN runs on Linux and will do all that for you.
Remotely log into the server - this could mean anythign, do you mean log into the desktop so you have GUI? (you could use VNC for that) or log it the command line? (in which case you can use the standard ssh daemon)
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Sam
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I just remembered that the RAID drives run off a SATA RAID card (motherboard doesn't have SATA or RAID built in) so I'd have to find out if there is a Linux driver for the card - d'oh!
Do you reckon it would be easier to just stick with the solution I got now?
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willay
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depends, can linux do something that your windows install cant?
is the windows install unstable? (hw issues aside)
can you actually use linux or will you be endlessly googling shit?
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Sam
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I just assumed Linux was less bloat than Windows and more efficient/secure to run as a file server?
The Windows install is stable, doesn't randomly crash or anything.
Linux I've used before but I'm not a hardcore shell user or anything (although I'm sure I could pick up using shell commands easily since I've used DOS commands back in the days of Windows 3.1, just obviously a different way of doing things on *nix).
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Laney
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As far as logging in is concerned, SSH? Maybe boot from a USB stick instead of a CD as well? 
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Sam
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Sadly my current motherboard doesn't support booting from anything other than HDD/CD/LAN. 
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Laney
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Oh I'm presuming there's only space in the box for 1 HDD too? Gay
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Dom
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you looked into FreeNas (and likes)?
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ed
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Sadly my current motherboard doesn't support booting from anything other than HDD/CD/LAN.
You could get an old second hand ASUS MoBo for very little money that would boot from USB.
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willay
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
I just assumed Linux was less bloat than Windows and more efficient/secure to run as a file server?
The Windows install is stable, doesn't randomly crash or anything.
Linux I've used before but I'm not a hardcore shell user or anything (although I'm sure I could pick up using shell commands easily since I've used DOS commands back in the days of Windows 3.1, just obviously a different way of doing things on *nix).
it is more efficient and secure and stable compared to windows, but if your windows box doesnt crash and you're network isnt open to the world.... then whats the problem?  I'm all for going to linux dont get me wrong, but what I'm not for is making more work for yourself 
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willay
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Sadly my current motherboard doesn't support booting from anything other than HDD/CD/LAN.
You could get an old second hand ASUS MoBo for very little money that would boot from USB.
Or possibly a BIOS update for his current motherboard might help him boot from usb!
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ed
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Even easier!
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DaveyLC
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Why do you have a server? If its just for file sharing why not get a SAN device?
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Sam
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@ Laney - it's a normal midi tower ATX case, there's space for 3x HDDs.
@ willay/ed - yeah I haven't checked into BIOS updates, will do so and see if it's running the latest one.
It's all secure here network wise, I guess I'll probably just stick with the setup I've got for now (but with a new HDD for the C: drive!).
@ DaveyLC - I've got a couple of printers connected off it as well so you could say it's a file and printer server.
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Dom
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quote:
Originally posted by Dom
you looked into FreeNas (and likes)?
 File, printer, http server, run it off compact flash (use a compact flash IDE converter) for quick booting, piss easy to set up...list goes on...
Not sure about raid though, but hardware raid is what i would look into for that as Freenas would just see it as a normal drive, unlike software/chipset raid that requires drivers etc.
[Edited on 19-11-2009 by Dom]
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Sam
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Sorry Dom I didn't notice your reply there mate
So FreeNas is that basically like an OS then? Have you used it before? Just a bit worried about moving everything over from a stable platform to something that might just randomly crash or whatever
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Dom
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Sorry Dom I didn't notice your reply there mate
So FreeNas is that basically like an OS then? Have you used it before? Just a bit worried about moving everything over from a stable platform to something that might just randomly crash or whatever
It's built on linux, you can get a CD version as well, and tt basically turns your hardware into a Nas box with a HTTP interface. Have used it a number of times, even in a school enviroment where it got thrashed daily and it was spot on. And there are plenty of mods about.
Like i say, only issue might be raid, especially if you're planning to use software (although i think freenas does support software to some extent)/chipset raid. So you might have to go down the dedicated hardware card route for raid.
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Sam
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Ahh OK. I'll have a ganders on their site later. 
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DaveyLC
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
@ DaveyLC - I've got a couple of printers connected off it as well so you could say it's a file and printer server.
Buy a nas device and a print sever then. You can hide them away...
Something like this:
http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/product.aspx?code=FME-BR6215SRG&af=50
Just plug external USB drives into it.
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PaulW
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Sam your motherboard won't be true rade, but infact "Fake Raid"... if you do migrate, its better to disable this in the bios, treat each drive as an individual, then you can use LVM for an expandable filesystem (add another drive, and extend the single partition onto it)
Although... with any RAID setup, unless your mirroring and not just spanning, you will lose everything if one drive fails...
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James_DT
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He said that the RAID drives run off a SATA RAID card, why wouldn't it just support that?
It'll be proper hardware RAID, surely?
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PaulW
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Ahh yes... mis-read that post!
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Sam
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Yeah the motherboard has no built in RAID controller, my two RAID HDDs run off a PCI SATA RAID controller card.
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