Hello,
I plan on building a server to use at home. I have some questions and I'm looking for advice. First I want to tell you what the server is going to be used for.
The main types of servers I want it to be are a file server, a media server, and a bit torrent server. I will most likey want a build server mainly to build linux kernels, compile code and test code. Last thing I know I want to use it for is running virtual machines for testing different Operating Systems.
I'm not entirely sure what else I want it to do. Possible mail server. A print server. Possible irc and chat server.
My plan from a software point of view is to run each server type in a separte virtual machine. This is what we do for the servers in the school district where I work as an IT. They used to use a 1u or 2u server for every server they needed. Now we use 2 physical servers to run the 8 virtual servers and 1 other physcial server with copies of the virtual servers for a backup incase of a issue with the other 2. All data is store in 2 storage arrays, again one backs up the other plus we use an off site back solution. Any advice or options on this?
Also the host OS will be Linux and so will the virtual servers. Not sure what distro yet.
As for hardware I'm not really sure. I've done desktops before but never a server. Everything on my network is 1Gib/s so it needs that. I have some questions/concerns.
Some questions are:
1. Should I use server hardware or desktop hardware? I would like it to be as cheap as possible but I don't have a budget right now.
2. Should I use a tower case or should I buy a rack and a rack server case? I have the space for a rack but is it worthit?
3. Is raid worth it or should I use a off site backup solution? I want my data safe but 99% I can get back if I lost it.
4. Should I run all of the servers on the same physical machine? Like maybe having the build server on seprate hardware for performance reasons?
5. Anyone have any builds?
I plan on building a server to use at home. I have some questions and I'm looking for advice. First I want to tell you what the server is going to be used for.
The main types of servers I want it to be are a file server, a media server, and a bit torrent server. I will most likey want a build server mainly to build linux kernels, compile code and test code. Last thing I know I want to use it for is running virtual machines for testing different Operating Systems.
I'm not entirely sure what else I want it to do. Possible mail server. A print server. Possible irc and chat server.
My plan from a software point of view is to run each server type in a separte virtual machine. This is what we do for the servers in the school district where I work as an IT. They used to use a 1u or 2u server for every server they needed. Now we use 2 physical servers to run the 8 virtual servers and 1 other physcial server with copies of the virtual servers for a backup incase of a issue with the other 2. All data is store in 2 storage arrays, again one backs up the other plus we use an off site back solution. Any advice or options on this?
Also the host OS will be Linux and so will the virtual servers. Not sure what distro yet.
As for hardware I'm not really sure. I've done desktops before but never a server. Everything on my network is 1Gib/s so it needs that. I have some questions/concerns.
Some questions are:
1. Should I use server hardware or desktop hardware? I would like it to be as cheap as possible but I don't have a budget right now.
2. Should I use a tower case or should I buy a rack and a rack server case? I have the space for a rack but is it worthit?
3. Is raid worth it or should I use a off site backup solution? I want my data safe but 99% I can get back if I lost it.
4. Should I run all of the servers on the same physical machine? Like maybe having the build server on seprate hardware for performance reasons?
5. Anyone have any builds?