Home file server, internet server, backup manager

[alotomeat]

I looked at a few forums (and searched everywhere of course) but I really can't find answers to some basic questions, or any online guides that go into detail but are still for noobs. (I think there are probably others out there with these same questions.) I'm not new to computers, but I am new to networking. I am not familiar with Linux or any other of the operating systems that many in our community use, so I prefer to stick with Windows.

I want to build (with spare parts) a windows 2000, preferably 2003-based computer for my home. This computer would:
* Be always on and always connected to the internet
* Act as file server
* Gateway to internet for all wired and wireless computers/notebooks/game consoles/PDAs in the home
* I want to be able have access from any computer in the home to any other computer in the home, for instance from my notebook to my workstation.
* I also want automated triple redundancy for my data: 1. files would be on the home server's hard drives, 2. This home server would automatically backup files to an external USB drive on a daily basis, and 3. Files would be backed up to my website which is hosted my mediatemple.net - I have plenty of room on my server there.
* I want automated protection and a hardware firewall.
* Most importantly, I want the whole thing to be as automated as possible (set it and forget it, as they say). I want to put this thing in the closet and know that it will be rock solid. I will always be connected, my data secure and regularly backed up, and as safe from hacking, viruses, etc. as possible.

The first thing I need to do is build the server computer, but these questions need to be answered first because they will dictate how I build my server and how I might rebuild my workstation.

Questions:
1. What do I do, what hardware do I need, and what software do I need to purchase?
2. I'm not sure of the order of the networking hardware. I assume dsl modem to hardware firewall to network card on server, then out from another network card in the server to a wireless router.
3. Does the server need its own AV, Firewall, spyware, trojan, etc. protection. Won't the hardware firewall be enough?
4. Will this be a p2p or Client/server setup? (See, I told you I'm new to networking).
5. Right now, my workstation is P4 3.2, 2 GB Ram, and two WD Raptor drives in Raid 0. I do a lot of editing, and I am used to fast access to my files. The server machine right now is planned to be an AMD XP 2Ghz, 512, and I have one spare 40 GB Maxtor hard drive that I am planning to use for the OS on the server machine.Am I going to experience any latency if I am accessing my files through the network? Will it be noticable? Is it worth it to buy a newer CPU/MB combo for the server? Should I move the raptor drives to the server? (If I did, I would obviously need to replace the drives in my workstation, in which case I ask should I replace those with Raptors as well.) I don't want my work slowed down in any way; in fact, I'm hoping all this will make my work both faster and safer.
6. I'm also thinking about the future; I want this machine to be around for a number of years. Hardware failure is not my main concern - SPEED is. In four years from now when we are all running Longhorns with 6GHZ, and 8GBs of ram will this machine be obsolete. (By the way, I would love to add another couple of raptors to the server machine, all in RAID 0.) So, a summary of questions 5 and 6 would be: Is server speed dependant on the CPU, amount and speed of Ram, or the speed of hard drives? If you had to put money into these components what would you start with?
7. Lastly, is 10/100 fast enough or is 10/100/1000 hardware a necessity for my uses?

That's all I can think of at the moment. Any help you guys could provide would be most welcome. :thumbup

Robert Henry
http://www.roberthenry.org

 

[Tazanator]

for long term uptimes go to rack mount industrial computers, always have AV on EVERY computer and even keep server in a DMZ for file backup use SCSI (faster) and for servers use as low a power CPU as you can (less heat longer life)

 

[cleverhandle]

OK, I'll try a few of these at least. Other people will chime in for the others, I'm sure...

Originally posted by: alotomeat
This computer would:
* Be always on and always connected to the internet
* Act as file server

OK.

* Gateway to internet for all wired and wireless computers/notebooks/game consoles/PDAs in the home

Since you talk later on about having a firewall machine, that should be the gateway, not the 2k3 server. It's just another machine on your network.

* I want to be able have access from any computer in the home to any other computer in the home, for instance from my notebook to my workstation.

Define "access". Access to all files on the hard drive?

* I also want automated triple redundancy for my data: 1. files would be on the home server's hard drives, 2. This home server would automatically backup files to an external USB drive on a daily basis, and 3. Files would be backed up to my website which is hosted my mediatemple.net - I have plenty of room on my server there.

I'd guess that the Windows Task Scheduler can handle this, though I don't have a lot of practice with it.

* I want automated protection

I have no idea what that is.

and a hardware firewall.

Hum... like a PIX or something? That seems like a big waste of money for what sounds like an uncomplicated network. I know you're not into Linux, but there are distros like Smoothwall out there that make firewalling very easy on a machine that costs much less than half of what a "real" hardware firewall does.

* Most importantly, I want the whole thing to be as automated as possible (set it and forget it, as they say). I want to put this thing in the closet and know that it will be rock solid. I will always be connected, my data secure and regularly backed up, and as safe from hacking, viruses, etc. as possible.

Security is inversely related to convenience.

1. What do I do, what hardware do I need, and what software do I need to purchase?

I think you're going to need to narrow that down a bit.

2. I'm not sure of the order of the networking hardware. I assume dsl modem to hardware firewall to network card on server, then out from another network card in the server to a wireless router.

Modem->Firewall->Switch->Everything Else. Your server does not need to be "inline".

3. Does the server need its own AV, Firewall, spyware, trojan, etc. protection. Won't the hardware firewall be enough?

I'll let other people take this one.

4. Will this be a p2p or Client/server setup? (See, I told you I'm new to networking).

Call it what you like. It's p2p in the sense that the server is basically just a workstation with some important functions. It's client/server in the sense that your clients will depend on the server for some important files.

I have one spare 40 GB Maxtor hard drive that I am planning to use for the OS on the server machine.

You should consider RAID 1 at the least for the server, if it's going to be holding important data. This is no substitute for backups, but you don't want a disk crash forcing you to do an emergency rebuild at an inopportune time.

Am I going to experience any latency if I am accessing my files through the network? Will it be noticable?

Yes and yes. The server can't serve files any faster than it can 1) read them from the hard drive, and 2) push them down the pipe (~12.5 MB/sec for 10/100). If you truly need the speed of RAID 0 Raptors, then one good solution would be to keep them on the workstation and schedule a nightly backup of your files to the server. That puts you at most a day behind in case of a crash on the workstation. Better yet, write up a little script attached to an icon on your desktop that you can click as soon as you're done for the day, step out for lunch, etc. that will perform the backup so that you're not waiting for the night.

Is server speed dependant on the CPU, amount and speed of Ram, or the speed of hard drives? If you had to put money into these components what would you start with?

For a file server, the hard drives are clearly the priority. But it would also be helpful if you state what your budget is for this project.

7. Lastly, is 10/100 fast enough or is 10/100/1000 hardware a necessity for my uses?

If you're hellbent on keeping the working files on the server, then you'll probably want gigabit - but be prepared to spend a chunk of money on a quality switch that supports jumbo frames. Again, I think scheduled backups from workstation to server would be a lot more economical.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: alotomeat
I prefer to stick with Windows.

[i[Originally posted by : alotomeat[/i]
I want the whole thing to be as automated as possible (set it and forget it, as they say). I want to put this thing in the closet and know that it will be rock solid. I will always be connected, my data secure and regularly backed up, and as safe from hacking, viruses, etc. as possible.

I don't think you can get this with windows. My uptime (for usefull stuff, i.e. filesharing, connecting to services, etc) is about 60-100 days, then it's usually a reboot. I did get 200+ days uptime on an exchange 2k3 server, but it was useless, couldn't terminal server, no connection to outlook, etc. Console was ok, and you could ping it, so it was still up