cek.log

Geeky rants, raves, and random thoughts from Charlie Kindel...
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Killer home server deal

Slickdeals.com is showing that you can now get a DELL PowerEdge SC420 P4-2.8GHz, 80GB system for $289+tax w/free shipping.

These SC series machines from DELL make great home servers. They are plenty powerful, expandable, and amazingly very quiet.

Posted: Nov 18 2004, 01:51 AM by charlie | with 3 comment(s)
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Comments

Gareth Jones said:

So my big question is what O/S to run on such a box?

I need a server OS as I only have 56K dialup and so need Software Update Services to spread the download cost of huge patches around my three or four clients in the house.
But the killer problem for me is that Windows Media Connect doesn't run on server OS's.

Right now I'm compromising and running Windows Server 2003 with Virtual Server running an instance of Windows XP. This is not exactly what you'd call a consumer appliance ;-)

What I want (and I suspect a lot of the international market needs) is a "Home server" product that is a UPnP server and an anti-virus and patch management solution all in one that doesn't make the assumption that I can get broadband where I live.
# November 18, 2004 4:06 AM

Charlie Kindel said:

Clearly I'm a fan of W2K3 as a home server OS. I do understand your frustration with Windows Media Connect not installing on it. Very cool that you are using VS and XP as a work around.

Where do you live that you can't get BB?
# November 18, 2004 7:22 AM

Gareth Jones said:

Nowhere outlandish, just outside Cambridge in the UK. I have my fingers crossed for broadband in the new year!

We had a power cut last night, and I have to say I was fairly impressed that even with this complicated setup, my investment in a £50 UPC and the quality of Virtual Server meant that when I turned on my Roku this morning I still had streaming media ready to go.

So I think I'm adding "built-in cheap UPS" as a must-have feature for my dream home server appliance. Too few people will buy it separately if its not built in and it will save a lot of pain with people's digital assets.
# November 19, 2004 12:58 AM