OS for File Server

[w0z]

Hello all,

I am looking for your guys opinion on what is the best OS for a simple File Server.

Thanks
w0z

[JD]

This comes to mind: FreeNAS 8 | Storage For Open Source

[lowfat]

Just a file server? Then definitely something like FreeNAS. Now many HDD's do you plan on using?

[w0z]

Originally Posted by lowfat

Just a file server? Then definitely something like FreeNAS. Now many HDD's do you plan on using?

I currently have 4 of these on the way

Western Digital 2TB Caviar Green SATA3 Intelli Power 64MB Cache 3.5IN Internal Hard Disk Drive HDD - Western Digital WD - WD20EARX

A little bit more info:

I have:

3 Windows Machines
2 Mac Machines

that i would like to connect to the file server.

Thanks for the help
w0z

[botat29]

Freenas is good, but At $51, I will also look at Windows Home Server 2011 , it has a very friendly dashboard . It will back up your PC and Mac too. I like it, if as example you lost a HD on a PC you just install a new HD and put the recovery CD in the PC and it will go get the restore image on the server ( from your backup) and reinstall all the HD like it was before the HD crash. What I like most; it use NTFS so if something happen to the server motherboard, you can simply place the HDs in any PC and you have instant access to all your files, and it's a Windows product, so you already familiar with it.

[NyteOwl]

For basic network accessible file storage and backup it's hard to beat the FreeNAS package. OpenFiler is a bit more feature rich but also commensurately complicated.

[yamawho]

I used FreeNAS for a few years but it did not support printing ... does it now?

[lowfat]

Originally Posted by botat29

Freenas is good, but At $51, I will also look at Windows Home Server 2011 , it has a very friendly dashboard . It will back up your PC and Mac too. I like it, if as example you lost a HD on a PC you just install a new HD and put the recovery CD in the PC and it will go get the restore image on the server ( from your backup) and reinstall all the HD like it was before the HD crash. What I like most; it use NTFS so if something happen to the server motherboard, you can simply place the HDs in any PC and you have instant access to all your files, and it's a Windows product, so you already familiar with it.

Can it actually backup a Mac? This is the first I've heard of this.

[Keywork]

If you do go with Freenas and end up using RAIDZ (ZFS's take on RAID), be sure to read up on it's limitations (adding additional drives later and so on).

[botat29]

Originally Posted by lowfat

Can it actually backup a Mac? This is the first I've heard of this.

you have 2 way to do it, the easy one with Orbital Backup Configuration Add-In for WHS or SBS 2011 , it work only on OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and up


Orbital Technologies News and Updates in Custom Software Development Services

it's free the download is here

Orbital Backup Configuration - We Got Served Forums

and the manual one, it's a little bit tricky but it work, here how to do it

SeanDaniel.com: How to Enable TimeMachine Backup for your MAC to your Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials or Windows Home Server 2011