What do you use your home server for?

nails666

nails666

nails666

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Hi, having convinced myself that I really need to get a little home server (probably an HP microserver running WHS2011) I now need to decide what I'm actually going to do with it.

I currently have a D-Link DNS320 NAS that isn't great so the server will start by taking over basic fileserving duties plus backups and media streaming to my other pc's and PS3. After that I might look at an ftp server and possibly some video downloading stuff like Sickbeard and Couchpotato. Beyond those obvious basics I'm not really sure what else to try so I'm looking for inspiration.

So what serious/useful/fun/pointless but cool things have you all got your servers doing?

Thanks,

Ross
 
I have a HP Microserver with 1 x 250GB HDD, 2 x 1TB HDD's, 8GB of RAM, soon to be testing 16GB and need to upgrade the drives at some point.

USB drive loaded on the motherboard and I run VMWare ESXi 5.0 for home use and for labbing stuff/testing stuff from that USB stick

Currently have 6 VM's set-up (so far), not all switched on at the moment though but have switched most of them on all at once, the host is only set to load VM1 and VM3 on start-up, the other ones are only needed to be started when I want to use them.


---------

VM1: Windows Server 2008 R2 - This is my main server which I use for downloading, FTP, controls some user accounts, backup server using Symantec Backup Exec, SAB NZBd+ server and remoting on to when I am out and about an, also use it for doing the admin from VSphere client when I am working remotely and to administer VM backups using Veeame

VM2: Ubuntu Server - Dedicated Newsnab server although I havnt used it and updated it in a while (just for backup just incase usenet sites are closed) - Private use only

VM3: FreeNAS - My NAS storage for file storage and sharing

VM4: XP LAB Workstation - Simple XP workstation to use alongside the below lab servers

VM5: Windows Server 2008 R2 - LAB Server for testing when I carry stuff out and test systems for clients from my side business

VM6: Windows Server 2003 - Another LAB server for the same purpose


Soon going to be creating more server VM's to build a virtual lab environment for Active Directory and Exchange
 
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I Run Windows Server 2012 on my HP MicroServer. I have it fitted with 60GB boot SSD and 4*3tb drives.

On the host I Run AD/LAN File sharing/Printer Sharing/Media Streaming/Backups/FTP

I also host a hyper-v machine running Ubuntu Server which I host my own website on and also Owncloud (own personal cloud).
 
Hmm, some fairly serious usage there then. I've only dabbed extremely briefly with VMs at work so don't really know where to start with them. From looking around I do see a lot of usage of them on the microservers. Might be something to look into to get somewhere to practice using linux, something I've never quite got around to doing.

Thanks for the thoughts.
 
I had a microserver running WHS2011. It was taking backups, provide centralized storage, media streaming and remote access. I've since moved up to a custom build server as I wanted more hard drive space and more PCIe slots. Windows home server is a great OS and would recommend using it.
 
Appleby said:
I had a microserver running WHS2011. It was taking backups, provide centralized storage, media streaming and remote access. I've since moved up to a custom build server as I wanted more hard drive space and more PCIe slots. Windows home server is a great OS and would recommend using it.
Click to expand...

what is the spec of you custom server and what case did you use ....thanks

I use my microserver ...8gb 60gb ssd 1x 1tb 2x 1.5tb 1x2tb...used for downloads...media server and storage...
 
Torrent box, file server & vboxheadless.

HP Microserver running Debian 6 x64 with 1x SSD & 6x 3TB HDD (RAID5).
 
roachyuk said:
what is the spec of you custom server and what case did you use ....thanks

I use my microserver ...8gb 60gb ssd 1x 1tb 2x 1.5tb 1x2tb...used for downloads...media server and storage...
Click to expand...

Current server is:

Xeon L5630
Intel x58 motherboard
12GB corsair XMS3
ATi x300 GPU
LSI 9260-8i RAID Card
6x Seagate 2TB HDD's (RAID5)
Crucial C300 64GB Boot Drive
4x WD Caviar Black 1TB
Dual port Gigabit Intel NIC
PCI TV Tuner

All built into a 3u rack mount. The only problem is there is not much air flow and the power supply is pretty noisy. I want to rebuild it in a new 4u rack mount with a silent Seasonic power supply, Noctua fans & CPU cooler. I also really want to add a 10GB NIC in both the server and my main machine so I can have a quick direct link between the two but I will have to wait till prices drop a bit for that!
 
I love my Microserver, cracking bit of kit for the price (paid ~£130 after £100 cashback from HP back in Feb 2011 for my N36L). A lot less than I paid for the 2-bay Qnap NAS it replaced.

Running Debian & I don't do anything interesting with it just the usual backup/download/media sharing/file sharing/web etc. Microserver just hums away 24/7 and gets on with it, can't recommend them highly enough.
 
Appleby said:
Current server is:

Xeon L5630
Intel x58 motherboard
12GB corsair XMS3
ATi x300 GPU
LSI 9260-8i RAID Card
6x Seagate 2TB HDD's (RAID5)
Crucial C300 64GB Boot Drive
4x WD Caviar Black 1TB
Dual port Gigabit Intel NIC
PCI TV Tuner

All built into a 3u rack mount. The only problem is there is not much air flow and the power supply is pretty noisy. I want to rebuild it in a new 4u rack mount with a silent Seasonic power supply, Noctua fans & CPU cooler. I also really want to add a 10GB NIC in both the server and my main machine so I can have a quick direct link between the two but I will have to wait till prices drop a bit for that!
Click to expand...

what wattage power supply would you use for that....
 
well currently I have a 600w server PSU which is massively overkill. I think a good 400w should suffice. Maybe a 450W for a little headroom. The CPU is only 40W though and is never really pushed hard. Although as it is left on all the time I will be looking at 80+ platinum supplies.
 
I have a ML110 G7 10GB RAM - ESXi is installed on a USB stick and then several VMs run for business purposes:

1- Win 7 Pro - SVN server (to manage client web site source code), SQL Server 2008 R2 (testing and client usage), Postgres SQL server (client stuff)

2- Win 7 Pro - Oracle 11g (client stuff)

3- Ubunto 12.04LTS - LAMP stack for website testing

Needs some more RAM as maxing it out at the moment...
 
Server 2008 R2 System, which is used for the following -

+ AD Domain for linking media clients around the house, plus some remote work when im away for long periods.
+ Exchange 2010
+ IIS so that i can listen/watch my growing media collection from anywhere, but mostly at work streaming MP3 Albums from home, but occasionally used in Hotels etc for streaming movies when im sent away to work.
+ File/Print
+ SABnzdb (self explanatory)
+ Backups
+ The odd VM will be fired up to do additional tasks if/when needed

It is just hidden away in a cupboard, linked to my VirginMedia broadband and does not miss a heartbeat :)
 
Appleby said:
well currently I have a 600w server PSU which is massively overkill. I think a good 400w should suffice. Maybe a 450W for a little headroom. The CPU is only 40W though and is never really pushed hard. Although as it is left on all the time I will be looking at 80+ platinum supplies.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info....was interested as looking to build me own in the near future....
 
HP Microserver with 8gb and a 2tb drive (more to be added shortly) running Ubuntu Server and acting as a NAS and FTP site.
 
HP Microserver + Server 2008 R2:
- Some ad-hoc scripting (primarily munging some RSS feeds)
- DHCP+DNS
- Mezzmo DLNA server
- Storage, duh.
- VM host for semi-persistent Hyper-V VMs - currently has no VMs though
- Mail server

It was primarily just a way of separating my desktop PC from the storage, to make backups easier. I have a second identical Microserver (2TB Ultrastars + Adaptec 3405 each, but +ILO card) in a different building - the intention is to have Site A & B with regular backups. File versioning isn't important, so it will be just a scheduled mirror - if I accidentally delete massive amounts of data, then I'll just pause the sync job and restore from the Alpha Site*. If all the kit in one building is stolen, then I can just buy new stuff and restore from the mirror.


[*SG1 homage]
 
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roachyuk said:
Thanks for the info....was interested as looking to build me own in the near future....
Click to expand...

No worries, there is a good power supply calculator around if you look for it. Get some pictures up if you do build it. Seeing gaming rig after gaming rig it's nice to see some servers on here!

I will be updating mine in the near future which will probably end up lumped in with my main build log.
 
Nice, thanks everyone for all the info, plenty of good stuff there.

I have to admit I'm tempted by the ESXi approach but I think for my current experience level and the fact that I need to get the basic functions working solidly I'll go for a WHS2011 install. From there I can add some VM stuff later as I get more adventurous.

That Pfsense! looks very interesting, I could definitely see advantages to having the server act as my main router for the network. Would it be possible to run that from a VM running within WHS or is there some equivalent type software that could be run natively in windows?

As a general question on the microservers, is there much advantage going for an SSD as the main OS drive (assuming WHS) over the basic 250gb drive supplied with the server for the type of operations I've mentioned?

TIA,

Ross
 
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