Daft Q: Can you boot to console, but then selectively run and exit the GUI going back to console?

[Donnie Fisher]

I'm looking at building a server for the house based most likely based on linux. It'll be based in the garage and want it to be able to:

• Provide a NAS storage space for the house network which I can increase / upgrade over time by adding drives (thinking ZFS on ubuntu server at the moment)
  
• Run CCTV recording. Dont need motion detection, just straight record from a few camera. (Shinobi?)
  
• At times be able to use the GUI ( browse web, youtube etc )

As it'll likely sit running idle / cctv recording most of the time, I'm currently under the impression that running in console only is better on the power consumption.

So its it possible to have a machine which boots to console, starts up the NAS / cctv recording, and just sits at the console.

Then when I want, I can simply type a command which will boot the GUI, mess about as needed then exit the GUI and be back at the console again, and the GUI wont be running to save on the power consumption?

 

[Donnie Fisher]

Thanks, the current plan is to likely use a Dell server as the machine, so i should be able to SSH into it, but also use the iDrac setup to get at it remotely as well.

It will have a display attached to it though, because in the garage when in the garage I do need access to a GUI'ed machine at times ( such as looking at the workshop manuals of the cars when I fix them ). Its occasional, but the grief I get from going through the house when covered in oil is not worth it ! This is why i would like to be able to start up the GUI when needed, then close it down afterwards ... all without stopping the base running NAS / CCTV services at the time.

Plus, its something to learn.

 

[Donnie Fisher]

Was mainly meaning leccy power, not processing power. Reading around there was someone with an enterprise server who ran console only - 100W. When they ran desktop + Firefox, it jumped towards 200W. I don’t think my situation would be as marked as that though.

Yes, a server would run slightly higher wattage overall, but I’m already running separate nas and cctv boxes which I’ll chuck, so that will negate some but far from all the running costs.

Still swithering about the dell server aspect of it. Yes, I could go for something more modern and ryzen based, but it really want rack sized chassis for easy mounting, and preferably hotswap bays for swapping out a backup drive which I can store off site easily. When you factor that into the price of a newer self build, an existing second hand enterprise server fares pretty well as drives trays etc are easily had to expand the storage and begin rotating backup drives.