OS for file server

[Daniil]

Hello all, comrades!
As you can know, I have a small private network in my home, so, now I want to reorganise it.
For my torrents and files, I want to create a file server. The platform will be MB ASUS P5S-MX SE, with Celeron 1,6 GHz and 2 GB RAM.

Main applications of that server must be:
1) store torrented films, games, etc at one place
2) sharing it inside my network (via simple file sharing) and outside (via torrents)
3) automatically scan files from time to time via antivirus
4) easy adding new HDDs

What OS you can offer for such server? I myself thinks about a kind of a Linux.

[scarface]

For this kind of use linux is useless...
chances are if There Is a virus it wont be detected under linux.
a ftp is simple under Windows for file sharing (in a local network using 192.168.x.x). not sure linux Will be better for that too.
I use a ftp between my system and vmware on the same computer for file sharing.
You can use linux for c# or c++, and even for that its hard to use. I tried to compile Handbrake under Ubuntu, to no avail, compilation succeeds but under Windows the exe doesnt work.

[Daniil]

Sorry for a late answer, scarface.
I can't fully agree with you, comrade. 

chances are if There Is a virus it wont be detected under linux.

As well as in Windows. On Linux there is CalmAV and also a Comodo Antivirus.

a ftp is simple under Windows for file sharing (in a local network using 192.168.x.x). not sure linux Will be better for that too.
I use a ftp between my system and vmware on the same computer for file sharing.

In Slackware ftp is simplier than in Windows, but I don't want to use FTP in my LAN. I think about SMB, but it may be difficult, because I never configure it before. I also think about connecting a printer to this server, but I didn't decided yet, that may be difficult (Linux didn't good with printers).

You can use linux for c# or c++, and even for that its hard to use. I tried to compile Handbrake under Ubuntu, to no avail, compilation succeeds but under Windows the exe doesnt work.

Yes, here I can agree with you.

[scarface]

I dont change my mind, for this use linux is useless. Also keep in mind There Is practically no virus working under linux, its perhaps the only advantage, but if youre not dumb You wont have virus under Windows anyway, personally I installed no av under Ubuntu and under Windows I dont remember when was the last alert.

[Daniil]

Also keep in mind There Is practically no virus working under linux, its perhaps the only advantage, but if youre not dumb You wont have virus under Windows anyway, personally I installed no av under Ubuntu and under Windows I dont remember when was the last alert.

I know that, scar. My goal is to create a system where files can be stored safely.
I have 6 unsed HDDs - they're old but without bad blocks. Their size in total is about 1,5 Tb. I got them for free (clients left that HDDs to me after I upgrade their PCs). So, an idea - plug that hdds to a motherboard, join them to a software "RAID" and use it as torrent- and fileserver.
Of course, there is possibility that downloading files (games or video) can contain viruses. So, second idea - check it just after downloading and if there is a virus - not a problem! It wouldn't start under Linux and av will kill it before I open it on my Win PC.

BTW, I got last virus alert at february - after I download a VRay pack from one torrent.

[Daniil]

A very interesting news - I read an article about OSes for file servers. And its authors said that today Linux or BSD isn't the best OS for keep your info.

Here is an article, but it's on russian. I'll relate the findings of article.

Tests was performed on two identical PC's, one of them was under Windows 7, and other play a role of a server. PC's was cannocted via 1Gb LAN.
As a server OSes was used:

• Linux Ubuntu with ext3, ext4 and other Linux-native file systems.
• FreeNAS (based on FreeBSD)
• Windows Server 2003 with NTFS
• Windows Server 2008 R2 with NTFS

And... Windows just destroy all Linux systems, even Win2k3 was 10% faster then best of NIX file servers. Windows 2k8 was about 25% faster then server with Ubuntu&XFS.
What do you think about this, comrades?

[scarface]

Its not astonishing. But for your use, speaking of servers is somewhat ridiculous. Some firms like google have centers the size of a football field. For them its crucial to have an appropriate OS for their computers and a secure system. For 100 computers or more, it can be profitable for them to use a free system too. Some OS are even totally designed for that like openSUSE. For you, with your computer, I think its not important.

[scarface]

If this question is still essential for you then try to use some system using vmware...its probably the easiest way to test an OS. I guess the specialist harkaz uses it a lot also. For example there is no gui with opensuse server (no desktop), at least 10 years ago it was the case, so someone not knowing the essential command lines of linux will not use it more than 10 seconds. It can keep you from being disappointed.