Building a server

[wilebill]

Sometimes this year I probably need to build a file server for the office. I've got a couple of older (3 years or so) computers that would probably do the trick. The oldest one is a 2.67ghz P4 with an ASUS mobo (forget which chipset) with lots of drive bays.

We already have a gigabit network set up and all the computers are networked.

I can set up the drives in the computer as Raid arrays but don't know anything about how to set up the software to do what I need. Do I have to get MS server software or can I just do this with XPPro? Or would it be better to install Linux (which I know nothing about)?

What all I would I need to do this? Glad we got some new tekkies on here.

[aaron]

I'd do it with Linux, but I just bought MS Server 2003 and it was only $125.

[Bahlk]

Wilebill, i think XP limits the number of connections at the same time, not sure what it is but if you have alot of people connecting at the same time...Server might be the way to go

[aaron]

MS Server is going to limit it at 5 I think unless you buy more licenses. XP Pro might allow exactly that many also, I'm unsure. I've always heard that a Linux file system is faster though.

[wilebill]

So you're saying MS Server will limit 5 workstations accessing the server at any one time?

That would probably be enough, at least initially. Right now we'd probably only have 4 computers at the most at one time accessing it, even though we have about 7 or 8 computers on the network.

I know nothing about Linux and don't really have a desire to learn. Not that I like MS, by any means, but I've learned to bear it.

[aaron]

MS may be the way to go then. I looked through the licensing when I bought mine and never could really understand whether I had the right for 5 computers to connect or I had to buy that. I use it as a web server, so it doesn't really matter.

[Bahlk]

The licensing...aah that long winded article that mostly looks like egyptian hyieroglyphics

[carsalesguy]

get a copy of novells OS, which is linux now............

i still love novell 4..........have some businesses still running 3.13