Home Server

[drezha]

I'm considering updating my home server - my Time Machine back up drive seems to have just about given in (it's saying it's backing up but it really isn't) so I'm perhaps looking at creating a server that can act as a Mac Time Capsule (as I now also have a Macbook I want to backup).

Currently I use a Cubox with attached USB drives (32GB + 16GB) for syncing my documents with Bittorrent Sync (to the 32GB drive) and for random files (16GB) with media being stored on my external hard drive (3TB) connected to my iMac. I stream from the Mac to an Apple TV (either via iTunes or Airplay screen mirroring). Would be looking to stream from the server to the AppleTV (or replace the AppleTV with a media centre).

I'm looking at combining it all into one box to make it easier to look after, can repair if needed, provide more storage and perhaps change to an x86 based system (rather than ARM) as it makes life easier in terms of programs. Power wise, as low as possible - bills aren't cheap here in the UK.

Either way, this deal popped up on eBuyer. Was sorely tempting to be honest.
Any thoughts? Reviews indicate that it's faster than an Atom which is a good sign, though I won't be needing huge amounts of power for that as an Atom would make a decent file server. Hard drive isn't the biggest but can always replace eventually or add externals (which kinda defeats the point of the "all in one" aspect I was looking at) but it is cheap. And 4GB of RAM.

[Dirk Broer]

Acer Aspire XC-105 Desktop

- AMD A4-5000 Quad Core 15 Watt tdp
- 4GB RAM + 500GB HDD
- DVD ROM
- AMD Radeon HD8330
- Free DOS

Should be models with 8GB RAM and a 1TB HDD as well
Probably with an A4-5200 -at 25 Wattt tdp-, as it claims to have a HD 8470D as well

[drezha]

Exactly.

Seems to be a reasonable spec for a home server.

I priced up a machine at CCL yesterday as well but that came to about £450. For that price, I would be SORELY tempted to pay a bit more and go for a Mac Mini... That way, everything plays nice (I already have Apple Server), I get a media centre etc. However, that sort of price is a bit of a stretch at the minute as I'm in the process of buying my first house.

Downside, with the Time Machine backup down, I need to sort something out reasonably soon as I'm without a backup....

[drezha]

Can't edit my post - seems to delete all my text if I do!

Anyhow, eBuyer have the extra RAM version but for £100 more. Seems a bit excessive.

[NeoGen]

I built myself a home NAS out of ordinary components, with 6x 1Tb HDD, mini-ITX motherboard, 16Gb RAM, etc. I'm honestly just using it for simple network storage but that is barely scratching the surface of its features.

Installed FreeNAS on it and couldn't be happier. It has almost all the features of an enterprise solution, including the Apple Time Machine backup feature that you need, as well as Windows Backup and plenty of others.

If you like the challenge of building and configuring your own NAS server then that would be a good project.

[drezha]

I considered building myself but the issue there is cost - the cost of building one is fairly significant, a cost I can't really afford at the minute considering the deposit I'm about to put down

Had a play with FreeNAS and wasn't for me - I'm after a Linux (or gasp, Windows) solution. (Windows, solely for the fact I can install iTunes and have it stream my movies to the AppleTV).

Part of me is toying with it and then connecting it as a media centre - replacing both the AppleTV and the server, though not sure what the missus would say about that if it meant no Netflix!

[Dirk Broer]

Take a 2nd hand FM2 mobo, fit in a 2nd hand 65 Watt Trinity A8 or A10, look for spare 1333/1600 Mhz DDR3 and a SDD for the OS and fit in a much old Sata HDDs as you have lying around.
Make it dual boot Linux/Windows, fit in a 2nd hand HD 6570 and you have your Media Centre/NAS for next to nothing. Replace RAM with 1866/2133 Mhz RAM as time goes by and the HD 6570 with a HD 7750/R7 250.

[drezha]

Went for the Acer machine. I've got a 3TB drive I'll just plug into the server.

Only issue now is to decide on OS. I've got a legit copy of Win 8 that I could use (and I'm tempted by) as that would let me use Netflix with the girlfriends account if needed. However, I imagine Ubuntu would be more secure, though I'd have to faff with Samba settings - they always seem to be a PITA (especially when you throw in cross platform support (Mac+Windows) and permission on the device itself!

However, I'll crack that soon (by moving to my own place, I don't have to consider anyone accessing the files, unless they access my network...)

[Dirk Broer]

Ubuntu with Windows8 in a VM or the other way around gives you the pleasure and pain of both at the same time!

[drezha]

I've gone with Windows 8. Working fine as a media centre, now I've found the right drivers on the AMD site (website didn't auto detect my drivers and the ones on the Acer site were old and didn't include the drivers...) Currently watching Dredd in HD from iTunes perfectly (and it's next to silent).