Arch Linux

Ellipsys

Member

Registered: 2008-02-28

Posts: 14

Considering Arch x64 for Home Server/NAS?

Hello all!  I've built a reasonably powerful box (Core 2 Quad, 4gb RAM, 74gb 10k system drive) that I plan to use as a home server/NAS.   Here are some of the things I'd like it to be able to do...

1. Primary function as network attached storage. It needs to be able to serve files to both windows and linux PCs on a small home network, such as ISOs, video files etc... It would be nice to partition storage drives using ext4, be able to interact with NTFS volumes as well.  I assume I'll need to use Samba or some such.
2. Media streaming would be nice
3. The ability to run occasional server programs such as those for TeamSpeak/Ventrilo, dedicated servers for video games, BitTorrent etc..
4. The idea thing would spawn an easy to use web interfaces for the administration of various tasks from other PCs on the network, so I'm sure there will be additional programs needed to do this. (Think OpenFiler + torrent webUI etc..)

I'm somewhat of a newbie to linux, so I'm not sure that I have the fortitude/skills necessary to build a box into something like this without fracking up. Do you all think Arch would be useful for the tasks I've listed above? I don't mind making it into a terminal server as well to assist with administration (Using the famous KDE4 mod perhaps?).

Thanks!

Peasantoid

Member

Registered: 2009-04-26

Posts: 928

Website

Re: Considering Arch x64 for Home Server/NAS?

The only thing I recommend for a home server, as far as my knowledge goes, is to not install a graphical interface. It introduces unnecessary overhead and takes away CPU power from the processes that require it. Essentially all administration can be done over SSH.

Ellipsys

Member

Registered: 2008-02-28

Posts: 14

Re: Considering Arch x64 for Home Server/NAS?

I've heard of packages like webmin and whatnot - will those be satisfactory? Keeping in mind I'm somewhat of a noob, and will be administrating this both from windows and linux boxes?

marxav

Member

From: Gatineau, PQ, Canada

Registered: 2006-09-24

Posts: 386

Re: Considering Arch x64 for Home Server/NAS?

There are several discussions like this one http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=50021
Enjoy setting it up.

arkay

Member

Registered: 2008-05-23

Posts: 79

Re: Considering Arch x64 for Home Server/NAS?

I'm doing basically exactly what you're after.  Works like a charm.

My backend server consists of:

4 TB disk
4 x DVB-T Tuners
Mythtv backend.
Samba firesharing
Torrent client
Hellanzb client
VNC server
ssh server
Mail server
Web server (for mythweb primarily)
Proxy server.
etc etc.

No limit to what you can do.  Also, in terms of remote admin and graphic environments on a system with that much power you're not going to save much by going text interface only.  It can be advantageous to have text clients (hellanzb is great for remote ssh admin), and I use that from work as graphical is too slow from there.

My system does run headless, but it also runs a vnc server so I can get access to a full desktop from any PC on the local network at home.  All my systems are linux but there are plenty of vnc clients available for that other OS also.  It's plenty fast enough and works really well.  I use kdemod3 for the graphical side as it's faster than kde4 and still has all the apps I like to use.  That being said I hardly ever use the graphical environment any more.  Am in the midst of configuring rtorrent and after that the requirement for graphical interaction is gone.  Everything can be done through ssh.

I can tunnel from work through our firewall to the home box via ssh and then out to the open internet via a proxy server.  The only thing I have left to do is set up DansGuardian and some firewall rules to protect my kids from the open internet.

It's a hell of a lot of fun continually building on the functionality knowing that you're not going to have to re-install and re-do all that config in 6 months time when the system is as slow and unresponsive as a glacier.  I might also look into installing asterix as well at some point though I would then need to leave the server on 24x7.  At present it shuts down when not in use.  Wakes to record scheduled programs or can be woken via lan and over the internet when I need to use it.

My biggest recommendation would be to make 2 primary OS partitions so you can image one to the other and then apply updates on the second.  That gives you time to test the upgrades and iron the bugs before using it as the live system.  If you run into problems and run out of time to fix them you can just boot back into the original copy until the next time you have to work on issues.  I'd also get a copy of clonezilla and get used to imaging your OS drive before updates.  Just to be safe.  Last thing you want to do is have to re-install from scratch

Cheers,

Arkay.

Last edited by arkay (2009-04-30 01:22:40)

Ellipsys

Member

Registered: 2008-02-28

Posts: 14

Re: Considering Arch x64 for Home Server/NAS?

Wow, thanks. I just downloaded the FTP CD, so I guess I'll get started on a "normal" installation first. I think I like the VNC server idea.   Is there anything special I should note on install?