building a server for my mac

[k3rast4se]

i'm currently doing a project and I would need your suggestion. I'm building a dedicated server (windows or linux... not sure) for my mac. I'll need the following things on my server.

-320GB dedicated partition for Time Machine. I'll be backing up my Macbook Pro 160GB ML to this server/partition. So my OS need to support AFS.

-Torrentbox for downloading/uploading (utorrent vs transmission??). I'll be downloading/uploading everything on the server and I need to use a remote to control it from my mac. Then I'll be playing those files from my macbook pro.

-Itunes. I would like to be able to stream itunes from my mac to this server. The server will be connected to my sound system. I want my macbook to control/forward/stream?? my music to the server which is then playing it on the sound system.

-General storage for everything else.

I'm thinking about windows 7 because I can install itunes and then control it with my itunes (remote). But i'm afraid of AFS support for time machine. I'm also considering a linux distribution. I've heard good and bad thing from FreeNAS.

[AppleDApp]

I am considering something similar check out these links

http://lifehacker.com/5822590/turn-a...e-with-freenas

http://lifehacker.com/5938883/how-ca...ask-lifehacker

[1911]

Take a look at the Synology NAS devices, they will do all you listed.

http://www.synology.com/us/index.php

[throAU]

freenas...

new version has plugin support for transmission daemon, DLNA server, itunes server, etc.

been running freenas at home for a few months now, no complaints, except my old PC needs new fans to quieten it down...

[AppleDApp]

Originally Posted by throAU

freenas...

new version has plugin support for transmission daemon, DLNA server, itunes server, etc.

been running freenas at home for a few months now, no complaints, except my old PC needs new fans to quieten it down...

How will fans make it quieter?

[throAU]

Originally Posted by AppleDApp

How will fans make it quieter?

My current fans are shagged and making grinding noises.

[dimme]

Originally Posted by k3rast4se

i'm currently doing a project and I would need your suggestion. I'm building a dedicated server (windows or linux... not sure) for my mac. I'll need the following things on my server.

-320GB dedicated partition for Time Machine. I'll be backing up my Macbook Pro 160GB ML to this server/partition. So my OS need to support AFS.

-Torrentbox for downloading/uploading (utorrent vs transmission??). I'll be downloading/uploading everything on the server and I need to use a remote to control it from my mac. Then I'll be playing those files from my macbook pro.

-Itunes. I would like to be able to stream itunes from my mac to this server. The server will be connected to my sound system. I want my macbook to control/forward/stream?? my music to the server which is then playing it on the sound system.

-General storage for everything else.

I'm thinking about windows 7 because I can install itunes and then control it with my itunes (remote). But i'm afraid of AFS support for time machine. I'm also considering a linux distribution. I've heard good and bad thing from FreeNAS.

I have very similar needs and have been trying different solutions over the past year and a half. We have 1 Windows 7 Pc and 3 macs, Ipad and 2 iphones.
One item you did not mention but was very important to me was power consumption, because the box will be running 24/7.
First I put together a atom based computer running unbuntu. It worked excellent for torrent box (except for auto adding, transmission kept seeing the invisible mac files) and file sharing was also great. I hacked together time machine but it was not reliable. Itunes was a no go. Ran this setup for 4 months and was my second favorite setup.
Then I moved to Amahi server a bit better but not perfect. I moved then to free nas but it did not work with the tracker I use. They I got a copy of windows home server 2011, worked with it for a month but got very frustrated with the limits of have a Microsoft system in a mac environment.
At that time my wife upgraded her macbook pro so instead of ebaying her old machine I set it up with OS X server & a couple of firewire drives.
It works perfect, Itunes works with all the devices in the house, File sharing, time machine & transmission work seamless. I access the server thought Apple remote access. I have no problems logging in from work on my Ipad.
I just order a used mac mini from ebay to replace the laptop that has been running 24/7 for the last 10 months. I wanted a bit more memory and power.
So I hope my story helps you in you quest.

[throAU]

I also had a mac mini doing this job, and still have it running Lion server.

The problem with the mini is limited disk capacity. Yes, you can plug in external drives but they are slow, and you are limited with regards to ability to mirror them for fault tolerance.

Sure, you can plug in an external enclosure with mirroring (or RAID5), but if you're going down that path you may as well just buy a NAS box.

[ixodes]

I use a 5 drive Synology with a Mac Pro dedicated to server duties. Works great.