Operating System for a home server

[alistairw]

I'm not really sure of which operating system I should use on my home server which is a Dell PowerEdge 2950. I'm either going to install Windows Server 2016 which I can get for FREE with Microsoft Imagine or otherwise Ubuntu which I've had around two years of experience with. 

 

I'm going to use the server for the following and maybe a bit more in the future:

• Storage Server
• Plex Media Server

and maybe the occasional game server when needed.

 

What do you think I should use?

[mariushm]

I would try to find some old copy of Windows 2003 R2 , should be perfectly adequate and fine for what you need.

No hassles with activations and windows updates and all kinds of weird services, just plain windows server.

 

What would be the point of Windows Server 2016 since the hardware is so old there won't be any new features of W2016 that you'd use?

[Linux Dragon]

I would say Ubuntu Server. Especially when you have 2 years experiences using it. A lot less hassle when it comes to upgrading in the future. IMHO.

[Linux Dragon]

1 minute ago, mariushm said:

I would try to find some old copy of Windows 2003 R2 , should be perfectly adequate and fine for what you need.

No hassles with activations and windows updates and all kinds of weird services, just plain windows server.

 

What would be the point of Windows Server 2016 since the hardware is so old there won't be any new features of W2016 that you'd use?

Agreed with you on that point. Even Windows Server 2000 would be a better choice.

[Terryv]

I've been using Ubuntu for my Plex/storage server for almost 2 years now. It's free, fast and forgiving on shitty hardware. Support will last for a long time as long as you upgrade to newer versions every 5-6 years as support drops in favor of newer stuff.

 

I can't say anything about windows server, I've never used it before.

[alistairw]

1 hour ago, mariushm said:

I would try to find some old copy of Windows 2003 R2 , should be perfectly adequate and fine for what you need.

No hassles with activations and windows updates and all kinds of weird services, just plain windows server.

 

What would be the point of Windows Server 2016 since the hardware is so old there won't be any new features of W2016 that you'd use?

I'm just thinking because as it's price so high and as I've got it for free - I was going to take advantage of the offer. If Ubuntu is better though, might as well use that

[mariushm]

Since the 2003 R2 would be so old and not sold anymore and since you're not using to make money out of it, i doubt anyone would mind if you "find" a copy of 2003 R2 somewhere.

 

Yeah, Ubuntu would work just as well.

 

[kango_v]

Stick Ubuntu Server on it and then install Docker. Go to Docker Hub and start experimenting. Cool stuff. It's what I'm doing at home. Actually I have a Google Kubernetes Container Cloud at home. Can spin up VMs at will and can run practically anything!!!!