Linux Building my own linux file server

Hey there.

I am just about to follow Bit Tech's Guide to making your own xubuntu file server.
I am planning to use an old Epia M Mini ITX board (1ghz CPU) and 512MB RAM.

Main question: would people recommend i use this or FreeNAS? I am basically looking for RAID's NAS but with the ability to remotely access my files if needed.

Question if i go down the xubuntu route:

I have a RAID PCI card that i could use but whilst searching the forum replies to the above article i saw some people talking about using software RAID. What would people recommend i use?

WHen i went to d/l the Xubuntu image CD (link) i also saw an alternate CD image install that includes support for "RAID partitioning" - do i need to use this one if i am planning to use software RAID.

Thanks

Cyp.

 

If you have a proper RAID card, I would use that rather than software RAID. If it's just a cheapy card though, you might struggle to find Linux drivers for it.

 

Its an old XFX one - RAID 3 (Revo 64?) i think. Cant check right now as its in my media PC.
I was basically wanting to separate the storage from the media PC and hence the NAS.

Opinions about FreeNAS? Having done some forum dredging i see lots of people recommend it.

 

FreeNas is great if its just a fileserver, the web GUI is easy to follow and even I managed to get up and running with it (my 1st linux )

 

FreeNAS is a great piece of software, but being the CLI whore as I am, I prefer a regular distro to handle the duties.

While FreeNAS is very small and easy to use, it can't compete with the flexibility and extendability of a full blown distro. So it boils down to what you want, just fileserving or a lot more?

 

I guess more would be good for when i get round to learning a bit more about Linux.

Let's say i go for the xubuntu then - can you answer my first question about which CD image i should use? I will be going for software RAID 1.

Thanks

 

I'd go straight for the alternative server install, saves you a lot of trimming in the end

 

Ubuntu server and webmin for those of us that don't like the command line, funnily enough that was my step up from FreeNAS, you won't need a desktop GUI for a server so forget the various flavours of Ubuntu desktop and go with the web interface from webmin if you dont feel like tackling the CLI head on, even though you'll probably end up using it for some stuff anyway

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

i just use debian etch for my fileserver. i use the command line interface and have xtightvncserver running in a screen so that i can run azureus and access it remotely ( it does all my torrenting). It's not a huge step, but it is a learning exercise if you havent tackeld the cli before. it's worth doing though, it was 3 years of university before i actually had a linux install of my own and got used to using it, but when i did it didn't take long to get a hang of the basics.