New server build (Novice Alert!)

asakura797

asakura797

asakura797

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Joined
23 Mar 2009
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229
Location
London
Hi guys,

OK let me start by giving you the low down. I have very little experience with servers. I have only built them through given materials.

Basically what it is, we have recently brought several new computers for the home. I had the idea of installing a server so that all our data would be stored and backed up on the server. I also want it for a domain so that accounts can be made all round for the house so we don't have to keep creating accounts on the local computer.
I also want it to allocate set memory on the HDD to each user for the server to be used. (Also remote assistance so don't have to jump down 2 flights of stairs.)

I will be building the server myself. (Experience and preference.)

I pretty much have the hardware side nailed down. However I'm more looking to what is the best Windows server software to install onto the server. I don't want an all singing and dancing one, just one that is going to do what I listed above with the possible option of doing extras.

P.S If a motherboard has 2 Ethernet ports is this an advantage and how?

Thanks in advance guys!:D
 
PistolPete said:
For the most it sounds like you need Windows Home Server.
However I don't think domain accounts are available with that.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was looking into that. I believe your right about it not enabling domains. However all the other server OS that do have the domain feature are exceeding £300! A little bit excessive for what it's going to be doing.
 
I think there are linux alternatives like samba directory service but I wouldn't know what they are like.

Just did a quick google and "MyLogon" popped up as a free windows directory service aimed at small setups which might be worth a look in to.

I'm a windows server man and AD is where my knowledge lies, sorry.
 
I think I might just invest in Home server tbh as buying Windows server 2008/2003 will be wasted as I would only be using the domain feature and the other features would be wasted, therefore wasting money on features that won't be used.
 
Also you need to consider which OS versions you are running on the client PCs as well. The Home versions of the various Windows OSes don't have the functionality to join domains.
 
Centralised logon - but do you really need it?

I simply setup single accounts on each PC/laptop at home, and setup matching accounts (username / password) on the server.

I don't need people to be able to login to any other machine other than their own so works perfectly for me.
 
Pick up a copy of SBS 2k3 or even SBS 2k if you can find one, for not too bad a price it will come with 5 CALs.

Nothing wrong with going for a domain as long as you know you will hardly use any of the server functionality(not entirely tue you will use most of the core features, just not additional software)

As for linux there are quite a few options but you are right ubuntu(server edition) is a favoured one and actually easy to setup until you start adding mail servers, proxy servers, database servers etc.

2 nics on a server if when you conenct the router direct to the server and then connect the server to the switch, therefore having the server act as a firewall, quite a useful way to set things up.
 
Why don't you pick up a copy of sbs 2000/2003 for not much more than WHS. More fun setting it up. I will help you out.
 
asakura797 said:
If I was to build a WHS server, would 2gb and a celeron processor be enough fro streaming, remote access and data back up?
Click to expand...
It should be, I have an Atom 330 in my WHS and it copes with file shares, backs up and does remote access with no problems. I can watch 1080p movies that are stored on it with no problems at all for example.
 
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