how to get or make home server

these quistions can sound pretty stupid to some of you ,just keep in mine i have never done this or tried to do this

ok i have been thinkin of having my own server at my house and i have been thing and i have come up with these quistions please help

1.Do they sell computers specificly for being a server,if so do they take up alot of power(electricity)

2. Do i have to have it on all the time (i kinda know the answer to this one but just making sure)

3. can i use a old computer for a server

4 If there are any things i need to know please let me know

Quote:

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Originally posted here by disturb
these quistions can sound pretty stupid to some of you ,just keep in mine i have never done this or tried to do this

ok i have been thinkin of having my own server at my house and i have been thing and i have come up with these quistions please help

1.Do they sell computers specificly for being a server,if so do they take up alot of power(electricity)

2. Do i have to have it on all the time (i kinda know the answer to this one but just making sure)

3. can i use a old computer for a server

4 If there are any things i need to know please let me know

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1. Yes. and Probably, I don't have one. Remember these aren't "Big PCs" These are machines meant to be left on all day and night for years. They cost more, and are worth it (Too me) as the hardware is generally high end.


2. Yes and No. Do you really want to lose uptime? Heh, you can turn them off, but remember, if you buy an actual server, don't treat it as though it were a desktop. They are meant to always be on.

3. Yes you can. A 386 or a 486 work fine for certain applications. What type of server do you want to set up? This matters a lot. If you're setting up an E-Mail or DNS server then a 486 is fine. A web or FTP box though would need a bit of HD space to hold everything.

I'm assuming here you're going to use Linux or BSD. If you wanted Windows, then you're going to need better hardware, more RAM, and Holy Water.

Reply with what you wanted to do.

I run my own personal server off of my regular use PC... specs are 1.8 ghz, AMD Athlon 2200+, 512 DDR RAM, 160 GB HD (2 combined), 128 MB AGP 9200 Radeon all on a 8 mbit connection running Apache... =)

1. Yes, these are regular computers with just better power and designed with more processing power as well as larger HD's for saving files. They don't take up any more than the power supply needs... which is standard for most computers... what you have to worry about is cooling.. computers running nonstop get quite hot.

2. Up to you, I have reboot every now and then for a Win XP update and/or software install but Ihad it up for over a month and a half at one point in time.

3. Sure..

4. What do you know already? What HTTP server do you plan on using? Apache or IIS or ? How mnay users do you plan on having at one point of time? What kind of connection do you have?

As the other two respondants have already indicated, it is possible to use just a regular PC as a server. A server really is nothing more than a computer you generally dedicate to the task you give it. It CAN be more, but isn't necessarily more than just a regular box you'd find at a store.

Now, with that proviso, I would like to suggest that you do quite a bit of reading up on things before you opt to run it online. Keep it sheltered until you have a really good grasp of how to maintain and administer it. This is mostly for your protection, but also for that of others. If you are green when it comes to administering a server, you may make mistakes -- a natural part of the learning process -- that end up leaving your server open for someone to break into and use. This puts you at legal risk if they do something like crack into a bank's site and steal account information using your server.
Get familiar with the software you will be using and learn how to secure it properly before putting it online. It will make a world of difference.
If you have further questions, feel free to ask them here, and don't be intimidated by what I just said. It is doable, thousands of people learn how quite regularly. Learning how to do it properly is important though, hence my stressing the point. :)

Yes, make sure you get pruned before popping it online for all to see. (BOFH joke, as in so green you need pruning) and if you want to use Linux or BSD, which are very good options as you won't have worms trying to crawl in every hole, something to remember is to run the smallest amount of software you can.

For a server, X is NOT needed or recommended. Trustix is a very good Linux for server use, and doesn't come with X, and is geared towards server and security use, and I have a tutorial I wrote on installing it to walk you through that, so then all you'll have to learn is how to secure whatever application you're going to use.

Apache can be good, and I'll see if I can find the paper I was reading on securing Apache. It was done by a SUSE Linux guy a few months ago, I'll try and find the link as it will be a good read in any case.

FTP servers should be locked down to as they are clear text, meaning passwords and usernames, and also you'll have every kiddie on the network trying to get in and store pirated software.

Apache and FTP servers come with SUSE Linux if you have that, and if that's what you want to use, let me know, I can help you out with that. I haven't set up Apache very many times, and I've never read a manual on how because it was easy for me, but learn from my mistake, I didn't get owned or screw it up but I could have, If you go with SUSE let me know and I'll help you out with FTP. Apache, well, anyone here can help. I just don't think I have enough experience in Apache to be trying to tell someone else how to do it.

FTP though, I can help you out with VSFTPd and PureFTPd. Pure is easy and both are made to be secure.

I'll wait for you to reply before I ramble on anymore.

I agree that before you do anything you should look into running a server, the more you know now the less headaches you'll have later. Remember that the services provided by a server are simply programs, so depending on what you wish to use your server for you could very well install a program on your current system and use it as a server.

If you want to do web hosting
A nice program for beginners is: www.sokkit.net

with web hosting you need a domain name: www.godaddy.com

dns: www.zoneedit.com

and a static ip address OR zone edit also offers a service that updates your dns as your ip address changes http://www.zoneedit.com/doc/dynamic.html?

ok lets talk about let talk money

1 what is the cheapest price i can get a server for
2 will i notice a great increase in my electrict bill (deos it take alot of eleectricity)
3 i looked on google but cant find a site that sells servers can any of you give me any sites and recomendations


thanxs for all of you for the help so far

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topi...=04&l=en&s=bsd
http://www.cdw.com/shop/hubs/default...e/servers.html
You need to define what kind of activites and how much of a load it will carry before you can determine a cost, if you don't know what you want how can you shop for price?

im running 2 servers off this comp im on now...works just fine
slackware 10
vsftpd
apache

512 ddr2700
amd xp 2000
gforce 4 mx 440se w/ 64 ddr
1meg connection to network

works jusst fine

Quote:

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Originally posted here by hexadecimal
im running 2 servers off this comp im on now...works just fine
slackware 10
vsftpd
apache

512 ddr2700
amd xp 2000
gforce 4 mx 440se w/ 64 ddr
1meg connection to network

---

I have a nice set up here. I'm happy with it:

the first computer I ever bought, I have running right now. I change OSs on it almost monthly though, mainly beween Slackware, SUSE and Windows 2000.

Right now that box has SUSE 8.1 Professional on it, because SUSE is awesome and still supports it. It's running Apache 2, which I personally like better than just Apache. It's a Pentium 3 733 MHz Processor, 384 RAM, Nvidia Riva TNT 2 16 MB Video card, 43 GB HD (No lie, every OS I use reports 43 GB, except Windows with Fat32, it says 42.9) Sound Blaster Live! card, and it's running as I said, Apache 2, SSH, and when I need some quick file transfers, I set up PureFTPd.

This box is a nice one that I'm typing from:

Intel Celeron 2.40 GHz Processor, 512 RAM, 80 GB HD, and an Nvidia GE Force FX 5200 128 MB card, and that has it's own fan, there is a fan on the Heat sink to obviously, and the Power is a 350 Watt Antec which runs at a cooler temp, and has two fans in it which speed themselves up if it gets too hot. One side sucks in air from the case, and the other blows it out. I also put in a Neon blue exhaust fan, which looks awesome. This box runs SUSE 9.1 Professional, 2.6 Kernel, doesn't have Apache though, just PureFTPd, and I use that for network back ups.

The box Next too me gets a new OS every 3 weeks or so, it's an AMD Athlon XP 2600 + with 512 RAM, 120 GB HD, which it too has an exhaust fan in addition to the others, and runs:

Windows XP Home, SUSE 9.1. Slackware 10, and sometimes SUSE 8.2 depending on my mood.

All 3 have 17 inch flat screens, all 3 have built in DVD Drives, all 3 have Cd-record drives for back ups, (The one with blue case fans burned Slackware 9.1 in 3 minutes) and I have an extenal neon Blue 100 BM Zip drive in case I need a fast back up of something smaller. All have floppy drives too.

My Laptop which I just got is a Dell Inspiron 5150, Pentium 4 3.06 GHz Mobile Processor, 512 MB RAM, DVD Drive, no floppy, 15 inches for viewing... Heh, dual booting XP Home and SUSE 8.2 Professional, with an Nvidia GE Force FX GO 5200 so I can play UT... I love it. I do have an FTP server set up on it, but it's only for when someone asks me to do a security test, because after owning a Web Server, the chance of them having the programs you want on it, is very slim, so I can just set up FTP on my Laptop, log into it from the Web Server, and that way I can get anything I might need from it.

Something very much to do with this post:

http://www.slackware.com

That page is running off a Pentium 3 600 MHz machine with 512 MBs RAM, and a T1, with Slackware 10.

This is the point I'm trying to make:

You don't need a server machine if a PC will do the job. The OS has a lot to do with it. And no I'm not trying to show off my hardware, because I have way more than I listed, heh ;)

list it gore! lets see what you have under the hood
im poor being i dont have a job yet but this is what i have

xbox running gentoo linux for xbox

512 ddr2700
amd xp 2000
gforce 4 mx 440se w/ 64 ddr
sound blaster audigy with digital output
zip 100
dvd-rw cdrw drives
32 gig raid

2.6 celeron with 256 SDRAM
6gig hdd
2 vodoo2 running together for graphics
cmedia 6 channel sound

dell optiplex Piii 450
4 gig hdd
32meg bultin video
built in sound

mac powerpc 5500/225
3gig hdd

socket 370 with a VIA C3 1ghz
5 gig hdd
512 SDRAM
built in video
built in sound

P4 2.2 ghz
dual channel pc3200 1gig ram (512x2)
sata raptor hdd
built in sound
built in video

P3 500 gateway solo 9300 laptop
15.1 inch screen
6gig hdd

ps2 with linux http://www.playstation2-linux.com

a 486 with 500meg hdd

an apple ][e

enough random parts to make another ghetto yet fully working computer

ok i have decided to get a normal computer and turn it to a server

i have some quistions=

1.will it take up alot of energy (need to know for energy bill)
2. Will it get very hot
3.How am i going to cool it down
4. Ok i am thinking of using a rounter with it if i do that i will be shareing internet with 3 computers including the server will it slow down performance in any way for the othere computers or the internet speed



ps i have bandwith

deos it matter how much ram i put in the computer?

Quote:

---

Originally posted here by disturb
ok i have decided to get a normal computer and turn it to a server

i have some quistions=

1.will it take up alot of energy (need to know for energy bill)
2. Will it get very hot
3.How am i going to cool it down
4. Ok i am thinking of using a rounter with it if i do that i will be shareing internet with 3 computers including the server will it slow down performance in any way for the othere computers or the internet speed



ps i have bandwith

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1. Uhhh, that depends what hardware you use. It's not like a PC is going to make your bills suddenly sky rocket.

2. Maybe. Will the room it's stored in be properly cooled?

3. A random guess would be with a heat sink, a good fan, and lots more fans, or water cooling. Or you could do like they do in Main Frames.

4. Can depend on the ISP or so I'm told. And you can't expect to hook 4 machines up to your connection without t slowing down. It will slow down to ... Well, whatever load you have running on the other machines. It's not like you get more bandwidth free just because you hook up more machines. The internet speed isn't going to change. You'r WAN stays the same, but depending what the other machines do, well, if you have all 3 machines downloading movies and you want to download updates or something on the server, well, yea of course it will slow down.


RAM Matters more than processor.