Best free server software

[capttripppp]

Just as the title says. I'm looking to setup a home file server, and am looking for a good free server OS. Any help is appreciated

 

[ChaosInMind]

CentOS or Ubuntu Server. Id set up the storage drives with the native linux format as well, then just map the server as a drive on your windows boxes. Via command like you can use telnet or ssh to manage it, or vnc if you decide to go with a gui....

 

[capttripppp]

I was debating on ubuntu but i have little to no experience with linux

 

[ChaosInMind]

I was debating on ubuntu but i have little to no experience with linux

hmmm... well... its relatively easy these days, you just need a good walkthrough/tutorial

installing without a gui the server will save tons of resources like cpu/mem and they are immune to windows viruses. They basically run forever without any issues.

<-- windows server

<-- linux server

 

[ChaosInMind]

Otherwise server 2008 r2 is real easy to setup but itll cost you $$$

 

[capttripppp]

I'll have to check out Ubuntu, I'm sure there is a decent tutorial to be found on the inter-webs

 

[ChaosInMind]

you could always load it up in a VM first to give it a shot. VMWare Workstation has a free trial.

 

[petteyg359]

Why bother with trials (and giving them your email address so they can spam you)? VirtualBox is free, or you can use VMware Player and EasyVMX...

EDIT: Heck, here's one for you (for VMware Player) if you can't figure it out Just copy and paste into notepad, edit the location of the ubuntu ISO file (look for ide1:1.fileName = "C:\Users\PUTYOURNAMEHERE\ubuntu.iso"), save with a .vmx extension, and load it up.

#!/usr/bin/vmplayer

# Filename: ubuntu_test.vmx
# Generated 2011-08-28;06:15:46 by EasyVMX! 2.0 (beta)
# http://www.easyvmx.com

# This is a Workstation 6 config file
# It can be used with Player
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "6"

# Selected operating system for your virtual machine
guestOS = "ubuntu-64"

# displayName is your own name for the virtual machine
displayName = "ubuntu_test"

# These fields are free text description fields
annotation = "ubuntu file server"
guestinfo.vmware.product.url = "http://www.easyvmx.com/"
guestinfo.vmware.product.class = "virtual machine"

# Number of virtual CPUs. Your virtual machine will not
# work if this number is higher than the number of your physical CPUs
numvcpus = "2"

# Memory size and other memory settings
memsize = "320"
MemAllowAutoScaleDown = "FALSE"
MemTrimRate = "-1"

# PowerOn/Off options
gui.powerOnAtStartup = "FALSE"
gui.fullScreenAtPowerOn = "FALSE"
gui.exitAtPowerOff = "FALSE"

# Unique ID for the virtual machine will be created
uuid.action = "create"

# Settings for VMware Tools
tools.remindInstall = "TRUE"
tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"

# Startup hints interfers with automatic startup of a virtual machine
# This setting has no effect in VMware Player
hints.hideAll = "TRUE"

# Enable time synchronization between computer
# and virtual machine
tools.syncTime = "TRUE"

# USB settings
# This config activates USB
usb.present = "TRUE"
usb.generic.autoconnect = "FALSE"

# First serial port, physical COM1 is not available
serial0.present = "FALSE"

# Optional second serial port, physical COM2 is not available
serial1.present = "FALSE"

# First parallell port, physical LPT1 is not available
parallel0.present = "FALSE"

# Logging
# This config activates logging, and keeps last log
logging = "TRUE"
log.fileName = "ubuntu_test.log"
log.append = "TRUE"
log.keepOld = "3"

# These settings decides interaction between your
# computer and the virtual machine
isolation.tools.hgfs.disable = "FALSE"
isolation.tools.dnd.disable = "FALSE"
isolation.tools.copy.enable = "TRUE"
isolation.tools.paste.enabled = "TRUE"

# Other default settings
svga.autodetect = "TRUE"
mks.keyboardFilter = "allow"
snapshot.action = "autoCommit"

# First network interface card
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vlance"
ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

# Settings for physical floppy drive
floppy0.present = "FALSE"

# Settings for physical CDROM drive
ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-raw"
ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
ide1:0.fileName = "auto detect"
ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

# Settings for the optional virtual CDROM, ISO-image
ide1:1.present = "TRUE"
ide1:1.fileName = "C:\Users\PUTYOURNAMEHERE\ubuntu.iso"
ide1:1.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
ide1:1.mode = "persistent"
ide1:1.startConnected = "FALSE"

# First IDE disk, size 8Gb
ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.fileName = "ubuntu_test.vmdk"
ide0:0.mode = "persistent"
ide0:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
ide0:0.writeThrough = "TRUE"

# END OF EasyVMX! CONFIG

 

[Automata]

A linux flavor with Samba sharing is going to be your best bet. What flavor you use depends on what you want. As petteyg said, a VM can help you learn.

Do you know how I learned Linux? My father bought me a cheap computer and gave me a copy of RHEL along with a large instruction manual. I installed, configured and played with this setup on my own. To further my knowledge even more, I've compiled my own operating system from scratch multiple times (Gentoo) and force myself to use Linux on a day to day basis. My desktop, my laptop and all my servers are running Linux as the base OS.

Play around with the operating system and don't be afraid to break it. You can always wipe it and reinstall or reboot if on a live disk.

 

[ChaosInMind]

Workstation gives me far fewer problems than virtualbox. Player works too but cant install stuff to it you have to use preinstalled distros. Either way I'm sure he can figure it out =p

Ubuntu server and CentOS have full features but desktop versions would work too, only consume more resources. I recommend ubuntu or centos based on the community support they have.

 

[mbentley]

Luckily these days, if you are half way decent at using Google, you can find out nearly anything when it comes to Linux. You might want to check out HowToForge for a quality tutorial. They tend to be step-by-step and explain things very well as if you have never used Linux before.

 

[capttripppp]

Sweet, thanks for all of the guidance. I tried freeNAS, and wasn't very impressed with it, hence the reason for looking for something else. Thanks all

 

[onefstsnake]

I love Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
Runs great on my old Toshiba Laptop (1.4ghz Celeron M, 512mb Ram)
Easy on resources, easy to use, and looks quite nice.

I tried 11.04 and didnt like it much. Seemed like more eye candy than anything.
Unity hates slow rigs as well lol.

 

[petteyg359]

Samba is deprecated (though the userspace tools are still called smbwhatever). Use CIFS.

 

[mbentley]

Using samba to serve shares isn't deprecated AFAIK. Connecting to smb/cifs shares using samba is though.

 

[petteyg359]

You might be right (that it isn't deprecated) As of kernel 2.6.38 (at least in Gentoo's -r6), it has finished its time in deprecation land and has gone bye-bye

I'm talking about the actual file system driver, not the userspace tools.