[Solved] headless server suggestions

jduped · 2009-06-26 22:12:03

Hi everybody...

more of a archlinux user poll.

I'm running a server previously centos / debian...

now arch64 which it purrrrsssss happily with.

I got all my samba torrent stuff figured out.

Now I want to make this thing headless.

I've heard that freeNX is a good option though I haven't been able to get it to work.

I've only dealt with headless servers in the windows world and am a little confused about the linux side of it. I have a user profile set to auto login, I want to come in with a remote client to that exact same session.

any one have suggestions? wiki's? personal stories? strategies?

Thanks for any input

Last edited by jduped (2009-06-29 09:35:56)

lifeafter2am · 2009-06-26 23:26:35

My headless server has SSH running. Thats it. Anything I need to do I can do from the command line; so no need for anything else.

My server is only a server though, nothing else ... no X or anything.

Peasantoid · 2009-06-26 23:34:48

SSH here too, although the server is only *mostly* headless — it's still got a keyboard and monitor connected, but the monitor is usually switched off.

Mainly use it for testing purposes.

sand_man · 2009-06-27 03:24:22

Yeah my headless server doesn't have X installed either.
ssh is all I need.

mikesd · 2009-06-27 05:21:39

Me too. Just SSH. Makes it easy to administer from anywhere, even low bandwidth links. Install screen as well and you can reconnect to the same session each time.

jowilkin · 2009-06-27 06:59:15

FreeNX is probably the best option if you want a gui. Remote desktop is another option(rdesktop is a good client), but most people have a better experience with NX including me. You'll find that most things can be done from the command line, but sometimes it is nice to have a gui. What kind of issues do you have with NX?

tomk · 2009-06-27 07:06:12

Another ssh recommendation here, not that it's needed. If you're running stuff on a server that requires X, it's the wrong stuff IMO.

sand_man · 2009-06-27 11:01:02

jowilkin, rdesktop is only for connecting to Windows machines.

I agree with tomk, everything that a server should be able to do, can be done from a command line.

Hrod beraht · 2009-06-27 18:42:19

SSH for basic maintenance stuff.
If you are going to be moving a lot of files back and forth, mount your server to your desktop using SSHFS and use your preferred file manager on your desktop machine.

Bob

Last edited by Hrod beraht (2009-06-27 18:44:26)

.:B:. · 2009-06-27 21:58:59

You use Arch, yet you don't know how to manage a box on the command line?

There's not much difference between remote and local management in a console - except for file transfers, maybe; but the OpenSSH suite has everything you need for that. It allows remote login, handles file transfers, etc. All encrypted. You can use a GUI client on your client too, if you wish. E.g. FileZilla supports SFTP (Secure FTP, provided by the OpenSSH server).

jduped · 2009-06-28 00:58:49

tones of reply.

jowilkin
The issues I had with nx was in the connection side of things but not in arch. It was in centos got it installed had the client on the test box and couldn't get it though I could ping in and ssh in.

B
I was actually thinking about it the other day...I know how to do everything in command prompt in linux and windows I kind of just learned from experience...But I find mass file/picture/music/media organizing easier in a gui. small tasks are easier to do via terminal.

I think I'll try freeNX again. A buddy of mine had the hamachi + freeNX thing going on he did it ubuntu and I have issues with ubuntu though it seems to be where most newbies start...I started there like 3 years ago.

Any other suggestions keep um coming

tomk · 2009-06-28 07:44:37

"mass file/picture/music/media organizing"... that's just file management, isn't it? As already mentioned, you can mount the server's drives on your client with a network file system (sshfs, nfs, etc) and then use your client's gui capabilities. You dont need to install the gui on the server.

Hrod beraht · 2009-06-28 17:05:54

jduped wrote:

But I find mass file/picture/music/media organizing easier in a gui.

Mount your server to your desktop using SSHFS:

sshfs me@server: /home/me/server

Your server is now available as a local directory on your desktop (/home/me/server) and you can use your desktop's GUI file manager all you want.

Bob

jduped · 2009-06-29 09:35:35

I've had permissions issues doing that in previous cases...but then again it was through samba and before I made some adjustments to my samba.conf file...I think the sshfs idea would pretty much cover what I'm
looking for.

Thanks for all the input fellow arch-ers.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-06-26 22:12:03

[Solved] headless server suggestions

#2 2009-06-26 23:26:35

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#3 2009-06-26 23:34:48

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#4 2009-06-27 03:24:22

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#5 2009-06-27 05:21:39

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#6 2009-06-27 06:59:15

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#7 2009-06-27 07:06:12

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#8 2009-06-27 11:01:02

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#9 2009-06-27 18:42:19

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#10 2009-06-27 21:58:59

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#11 2009-06-28 00:58:49

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#12 2009-06-28 07:44:37

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#13 2009-06-28 17:05:54

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

#14 2009-06-29 09:35:35

Re: [Solved] headless server suggestions

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