Setting up a server?

[j4angel]

Hello fellow members,

 

I'm a newbie on this subject so I was hoping to mabye get some advise about making my own server for data storage and perhaps also work actively work on it.

 

My initial plan was to build an avarage PC, put a few 3-4 TB Harddrives in it and connect it through wifi and perhaps install some program on it which manage the HDD's. But I guess thats not how it works :lol:

What I want is a working server for storage and if possable also let 2 people max. work directly on the server without stressing it out.

 

We are a small 10 man company which works with alott of Adobe programms and editing programms and a good reliable server would help us out alott.

Just wondering if its possable to make a decent server of your own, even for a rookie like me?

Or do I need to buy one of those premade servers were you can just pop-in a HHD in the bay and all will be fine ?

 

Greetz from Holland.

[Blackterror25]

What bandwith would you need?

Will 1 gb ethernet connection be enough?

Perhaps look into getting a 2x1gb or 4x1gb intel NIC

[j4angel]

So the people working directly on the server will be using Adobe programms and editing programms?

Uhm yea.

For example they take some picture from the server, adjust it with some Adobe prorgramm and then save it again (overwrite) directly on the server.

Same goes for other stuff like movie clips.

 

It will primarily be used as data storage but it would be nice if we could let 1 or 2 people also directly work on it.

The PC(server) will be ofcourse running 24/7

[j4angel]

yea deffo want a wired connection, What's your budget and what os are you plannig on using?

We have the PC already, just need to replace the HHD and we using mac OS X, not the newest update though (not mavericks).

Good question about the budget, I dunno, how much would it cost for the decent server with the stuff we have already?

Don't think we have 1gb ethernet connection, gotta check on that.

[Blackterror25]

We have the PC already, just need to replace the HHD and we using mac OS X, not the newest update though (not mavericks).

Good question about the budget, I dunno, how much would it cost for the decent server with the stuff we have already?

Don't think we have 1gb ethernet connection, gotta check on that.

But what connection would you need?

 

did you used to run your hdd's in a raid configuration or individual drives and where the speeds from that one drive good enough or should it be a bit higher?

 

 

A very rough, quick and dirty estimation would put you around 750 - 1000 euro's for a decent server + the number of drive's you'd want.

[ygohome]

I would recommend the actual work be performed on each users individual workstation, and the source or binary files checked-in and stored in a repository on the server.  Using the server as storage for the revisions/change-control repository.

 

That way there is no overhead network traffic when they are actually working  until it is time for them to update the repository with their latest changes/revision.