@People who have a server

[AustinTheIntern]

What software do you use? And why?

[ProGearUk]

Windows 7 Pro 64 Bit. Only because I run f@h and cgminer on it. If I was to use it to run a network I would get windows server

[Ed Draper]

Windows Server 2012 Standard with Hyper V.  Why have just one server when you can have 5?

[Guest]

What software do you use? And why?

Moved to networking

[AustinTheIntern]

Windows 7 Pro 64 Bit. Only because I run f@h and cgminer on it. If I was to use it to run a network I would get windows server

How do you make Windows 7 a server..o_O

[xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt]

Debian because utorrent crashes when I add more than around 4500 - 5000 torrents. rtorrent is perfectly stable with that many torrents.

[AustinTheIntern]

Why what's wrong with it? 

I'm literally asking how.

 

I don't know how. 

 

Is there something wrong with asking how to use Windows 7 for a server...?

[xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt]

I'm literally asking how.

 

I don't know how. 

 

Is there something wrong with asking how to use Windows 7 for a server...?

If youre a student you can get Windows Server 2008 for free from Dreamspark. It is much more suited for use on a server than the normal Windows 7 desktop OS.

[91Chris]

I use FreeNas because it does everything i want. It has cross platform shares, remote GUI, DLNA server, Time Machine backups etc.

[AustinTheIntern]

I use FreeNas because it does everything i want. It has cross platform shares, remote GUI, DLNA server, Time Machine backups etc.

Can it be used as a file server though? And multi-user access? 

 

Thanks.

 

If youre a student you can get Windows Server 2008 for free from Dreamspark. It is much more suited for use on a server than the normal Windows 7 desktop OS.

Noted, thanks. 

[tommy-b-10]

WHS2011 as I'm running a web server, minecraft server, utorrent server and other occasional stuff :D

[AustinTheIntern]

WHS2011 as I'm running a web server, minecraft server, utorrent server and other occasional stuff :D

All off that? :O

 

Damn I really wished I knew how to..

[tommy-b-10]

All off that? :o

 

Damn I really wished I knew how to..

 

Yeah its pretty simple really... dosnt even have to be a server edition.

 

Wampserver is really handy for the webserver parts, mcmyadmin for minecraft and just the usual utorrent program for that

[rufee]

2x WinXP machines and a Debian one

Nothing on there for home though

[stevv]

For my home:  Win 7 pro 64bit.  I was going to run sbs 2012, but can't find a economical online backup that will run on windows server editions.

For clients: SBS 2011.  Looking into SBS 2012 but not seeing any real benefit yet.

 

 

 

What software do you use? And why?

 

 

This is how I set up my home server and win7:

• File Indexing:
  • Turn on file indexing on win 7.  
  • For searching files (name and content) on network server fast from any machine.
• File Versioning:
  • Turn on system restore for files in the drive you keep the data.  Win 7, unlike Win 8 still has shadow copy for files.  I put a script to run at least twice a day).
  • Piece of mind if I get missing files or want to see older versions of documents, pictures, and when other users "lose" files. 
• File sharing with user permissions.
  • basic file sharing can be done with "homegroup" and advanced sharing (not ideal, but I'm trying to think of better way.  Domain login for windows server series make is easier, but I'll sacrifice it for the cheap online backup I have set up).  The better way would be to make accounts on machine for each person/guest.
• Virtual Machines
  • I use virtualbox to run a few web servers on ubuntu server.  I also use virtual machines when I run torrent and media servers. The media and torrent files are accessed by mounting network drive in the virtual machine.
  • The ease of setup, low commitment (don't have to dedicate a machine just to try out stuff), sandboxing unknown stuff and activity from the "net", and snapshoting installs just to mention a few reasons.
• Online backup service.
  •  I like to have it backed up "offsite" for my non-replaceable files.  For my "home server" I have good amount of stuff,  so I use backblaze because it's cheap. 
  • again, Piece of mind.  256bit encrytion available, so make sure you set a nice long passkey and write it down.  The online backup also has dated versions.
• Other thoughts
  • I try to keep minimal applications installed on main  win7 "server" installation.
  • I also run my virtual machines off ssd's for a more smoother performance, they take up much less space than a typical install and the snapshot feature
  • I used to run web servers on vmware esxi servers but because of minimal usage now, I've moved them to the new server and retired the old ones for folding@home =).

[91Chris]

Can it be used as a file server though? And multi-user access? 

 

Thanks.

 

Noted, thanks. 

 

Yes. Take a look http://www.freenas.org

[dylandylandylan]

I used freeNAS on my old budget gaming PC that I just retired because I personally hate the ZFS file structure, running windows server 2003 on my older blade server, and 2008 on my newer, but still old dell 2850

[legopc]

win server 2008r2 as domain controller 

[Ssoele]

Windows server 2012 Standard as domain controller and DNS server.

[91Chris]

I used freeNAS on my old budget gaming PC that I just retired because I personally hate the ZFS file structure, running windows server 2003 on my older blade server, and 2008 on my newer, but still old dell 2850

 

You hate reliability and speed? :S

[dylandylandylan]

You hate reliability and speed? :S

 

lol that could be taken with a grain of salt my friend. ZFS is so fragmented across all the distributions I just don't even care anymore. Especially for home use, I feel no need to use it.

My freeNAS died because of a read/write error that was in that version of the OS, lost everything that was in the ZFS data set, luckily it was only like 3 CDs worth of music. 

But that started my irritating couple month long battle with ZFS. Once I actually get some time and a lot more patience, I'll go back to it, and cover the things I missed, which I probably did.

[91Chris]

lol that could be taken with a grain of salt my friend. ZFS is so fragmented across all the distributions I just don't even care anymore. Especially for home use, I feel no need to use it.

My freeNAS died because of a read/write error that was in that version of the OS, lost everything that was in the ZFS data set, luckily it was only like 3 CDs worth of music. 

But that started my irritating couple month long battle with ZFS. Once I actually get some time and a lot more patience, I'll go back to it, and cover the things I missed, which I probably did.

 

The best thing you can do is read the manual from cover to cover, you'l learn a lot.

I went through and just highlighted stuff that i know i wanted, then went through again doing it.

 

I did some research before i chose a server and everything i read said FreeNas was better than WHS, at least for my needs.

[ProGearUk]

How do you make Windows 7 a server..o_O

A server can run Windows 7 and still be a server. If you read why I use Windows 7 then you would understand (I hope) read next time.

[NetworkCowboy]

I run Windows Server 2008 R2. I a AirPlay It server, Minecraft server, and a private File hosting server. It's very simple to do.

[ProGearUk]

I'm literally asking how.

 

I don't know how. 

 

Is there something wrong with asking how to use Windows 7 for a server...?

I use it for the reasons I Posted. I don't need the features of Windows Server. I will make a full on Server when I need it with Windows Server 2012 from Work.