OT: Setting up a server

Post by **Scotness** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 1:46 pm

I want to set up a server for my film stuff - mainly so I can serve out pretty hefty video files - it would probably be on a Linux system - does anyone know any good tutorials for this (Windows as well I guess) -- I've searched around on google etc but the one's I've found don't seem to be simple yet detailed enough for me -- can anyone reccomend any good sites?

Thanks

Scot

Post by **Dave Anderson** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 7:31 pm

Scot,

Check out Tom's. There's a good basic primer on setting up Linux:

http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20040329/index.html

If you're setting up a media server, make sure you have plenty of bandwidth. You'll probably want to find an ISP that can give you a static IP address as well. To set up a server, the cost is farily inexpensive to get started. If you have a good background knowledge in setting up a http server, then Linux would probably be a good way to go. If you're just cutting you teeth, then I would say WinXP Pro and Apache server would be the best way to start. Apache is free and the most secure. From there, you can install various media server technologies from Apple, MS, Real, etc... Although you don't even need those to get started...

Check out http://www.streamingmedia.com as well...

Post by **christoph** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 8:54 pm

Dave Anderson wrote:If you have a good background knowledge in setting up a http server, then Linux would probably be a good way to go. If you're just cutting you teeth, then I would say WinXP Pro and Apache server would be the best way to start.

just for the sake of it i'm going to disagree and claiming that OSX is the simplest way to start serving files ;)... (3 clicks -- yes i counted -- and you have a fully secured apache webserver running).. been doing that for quite a while now.

you dont really need a static IP either, just register with dyndns (or no-ip or something similair)

good luck
++ christoph ++

Post by **Dave Anderson** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:13 pm

christoph wrote: just for the sake of it i'm going to disagree and claiming that OSX is the simplest way to start serving files ;)... (3 clicks -- yes i counted -- and you have a fully secured apache webserver running).. been doing that for quite a while now.

you dont really need a static IP either, just register with dyndns (or no-ip or something similair)

good luck
++ christoph ++

Christoph,

You are correct! :oops: My brain is mainly in the PC world, although I use a MAC at work. It is very easy to set up a server on the MAC. Try doing that with 4 clicks with Linux on a PC! Even Windows for that matter...

Not to start yet another MAC/PC debate, but Scot, I would use the platform that you happen to have available and load Apache on it. The easiest is MAC OSX/Apache, next easiest is WinXP/Apache, and slightly more challenging is the Linux/Apache route. I wouldn't say security is much of an issue as long as you are running Apache.

As for the dynamic/static IP, Christoph (again) is correct. I happen to prefer the static IP camp, but that's just personal pref.

Christoph, thanks for keeping me honest

Dave

8O

Post by **christoph** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:38 pm

Dave Anderson wrote:I happen to prefer the static IP camp, but that's just personal pref.

Dave, i'd prefer a static ip myself (if only because it's geeky) but unfortunately that's a pretty expensive thing over here in old europe :/

++ christoph ++

ps: since there are quite a few mac users here that might be interested,
the 3 clicks are:
- open "System Preferences"
- click "Sharing"
- check the box "Personal Web Sharing"

everything that is inside your global web folder (HD/Library/WebServer/Documents) will be accessible immediately to the rest of the world under http://your.ip.number.here
obviously, if you're behind a router you'd have to forward port 80 to your server.

Post by **Scotness** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:23 pm

Thanks guys - I found a good resource here too if anyone is interested

http://www.diywebserver.com/index.php

- that's good advice about starting on a platform I'm familiar with - that'd be easiest - so it'd probably be on Win 2000 with Apache -- I heard Linux was more secure because hardly anyone writes viruses for it - an plus a PC magazine I get came with Lycoris on it the other day... anyway first steps first

Scot

Post by **stoney** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:33 pm

I will post again later. My two attempts at writing a reply must
have timed out, and I lost the content of the reply both times.
The most difficult services to configure are DNS/BIND and the
firewall. You don't have to run a name server DNS/BIND as you
may pay the domain registrar for the service or use a redirection
service that is offered my the domain registrar.

Code: Select all

http://www.linux.org/docs/index.html

Code: Select all

http://httpd.apache.org/docs-project/

Code: Select all

http://www.fedora.us/

Code: Select all

http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/fdoc.php3[code]
[code]http://www.suse.com/us/private/support/online_help/index.html[code]
[code]http://www.debian.org/doc/

O'rielly publishes many good titles related to these subjects which hold
your hand through the process. The nutshell series are good references.

Good Luck

Stoney

Post by **Nigel** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 9:14 pm

Scot--

I actually have been thinking about doing the same thing. I have an old Mac that I am putting Linux on in order to get some more life out of it(Performa 6320CD, 64mb RAM, 20GB HD, Ethernet Card). I simply fear that it may be to slow to serve clips...

Have you found any recomendations on processor speed??

Right now I don't have any clips on my website. If you want those you need to request a reel. The reason I have it this way is that I worry a little less about idiots stealing from me. Hey if they want to lift some low res jpegs let them. I fear having full res video clips could lead to seeing my stuff come back at me on someone elses reel. It may sound paranoid but I know a shooter in NYC that lost a job becuase the client saw the same footage twice. He used to send out his reel to anyone that wanted it.

Yet, I would like to have the ability to give people instant access to my stuff. Do you see the Catch-22 I am in?? I guess I could set up some sort of password protected folder...

Good Luck

Post by aj » Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:18 am

I actually have been thinking about doing the same thing. I have an old Mac that I am putting Linux on in order to get some more life out of it(Performa 6320CD, 64mb RAM, 20GB HD, Ethernet Card). I simply fear that it may be to slow to serve clips...

Well, the 64mb is somewhat limited for modern UNIX-es
Although it seems like only yesterday that some of our branch-offices had 10 people working on a complex database on a UNIX system with just 64mb

Serving demand is going to be dictated by the speed of the connection mostly.

If potential customers must access your files to play you might consider a low-budget hosting service. Still gives better datarates than you could possibly supply from a home-address. Limited access should also not be too difficult to configure.

Post by **Nigel** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 1:14 am

AJ--

The reason I am not updating the hosting plan I already have is because by the time I get the space I need I am paying as much as it would to get my own IP.

Good Luck

YouTube · Post by **Andreas Wideroe** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 9:41 am

If you're ever going to set up a server I highly recommend the FreeBSD operating system. It's based on BSD Unix and is free: http://www.freebsd.org. It takes some time to understand and get used to, but when you're up and running it will just work and work and work. I've had servers running this system for years without any trouble. It runs on regular PC hardware.

Macs are built on Unix.

Post by **christoph** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:13 am

awand wrote:If you're ever going to set up a server I highly recommend the FreeBSD operating system. [snip]
Macs are built on Unix.

to be more precise, OSX is based on FreeBSD... just with better hardware support, prettier interface, more standard applications and quite a bunch of extra features thrown in..

but it's also not free ;)

++ christoph ++

ps: unless you need moe than 1GB of storage space i also think that a hosted service would be the better deal... and if you have to serve more than 1GB of data you better have a faaast upload speed ;)
but if you *really* want your own server on PC hardware, cont me in for another vote for linux (or bsd) over windows. just google the web for SP2 security holes and you'll understand why.

Post by **Nigel** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:52 pm

It is more than needing more than 1GB but I woul also like to have unlimited flow-through per month.

I have a very fast DSL connection right now...I could make it a bit faster too. I am putting Linux on the old Mac. My concern is with the CPU speed. How fast of a CPU does one really need??

Thanks and Good Luck

Post by **christoph** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:03 pm

Nigel wrote:I have a very fast DSL connection right now...I could make it a bit faster too. I am putting Linux on the old Mac. My concern is with the CPU speed. How fast of a CPU does one really need??

i'm not really a server specialist so take this with a grain of salt (and maybe ask in a server forum):
the performas were not really good power horses, but since you already have a upgraded HD in there and maxed RAM it should actually perform /(uh oh, a pun) quite well as long as the only service running on it an apache server.. you definitely dont want too many ppl connected at the time though!

if in doubt, make a test ;)
++ christoph ++

Post by **Nigel** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:13 pm

Thanks....

I think that is what I will do. If it doesn't work I will buy a cheap box and go from there.

Good Luck

Filmshooting

OT: Setting up a server

OT: Setting up a server

Thanks guys - I found a good resource here too if anyone is

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