Hi all...
I'm involved in supporting an old friend who runs a SOHO, and has recently made the switch to Macs.
She currently has a HP Smart Media Server acting as a central depository for files to avoid the issues of local storage of files. But we keep having issues where permissions from the HP to the chief Mac (hers) break down and whilst she can copy files to and from it, she cant open them from it at the shared point level. A folder deep and no issues exist.
Anyway, in true form, after a month on the Macs, she's thinking of dumping the HP box altogether. One reason for the HP box also was for remote access to the files there as she travels a lot.
Now I did suggest that a Mac Mini running Lion Server would be a suitable replacement, but as I look & think more into it, I questioning the need for a server at all.
Perhaps a nice thunderbolt Raid storage system, shared from her Mac, with either a VNC setup or Back to My Mac setup would be more appropriate?
With only 3 iMacs, 2 Airs, and 3 legacy PCs(used only for email & web - no content creation), I thinking more and more that a server is overkill for such a small network.
SO, what I'm asking is for opinions re Server VS Shared Raid system, and the difficulty in setting up remote access for her during her trips.
Problems I see are:
No onsite technical assistance (I'm managing the system remotely using LogMeIn)
Dynamic Ip address
My experience with VNC is nil, hers even less!!
For those of you in the know...your help would be appreciated!
I'm involved in supporting an old friend who runs a SOHO, and has recently made the switch to Macs.
She currently has a HP Smart Media Server acting as a central depository for files to avoid the issues of local storage of files. But we keep having issues where permissions from the HP to the chief Mac (hers) break down and whilst she can copy files to and from it, she cant open them from it at the shared point level. A folder deep and no issues exist.
Anyway, in true form, after a month on the Macs, she's thinking of dumping the HP box altogether. One reason for the HP box also was for remote access to the files there as she travels a lot.
Now I did suggest that a Mac Mini running Lion Server would be a suitable replacement, but as I look & think more into it, I questioning the need for a server at all.
Perhaps a nice thunderbolt Raid storage system, shared from her Mac, with either a VNC setup or Back to My Mac setup would be more appropriate?
With only 3 iMacs, 2 Airs, and 3 legacy PCs(used only for email & web - no content creation), I thinking more and more that a server is overkill for such a small network.
SO, what I'm asking is for opinions re Server VS Shared Raid system, and the difficulty in setting up remote access for her during her trips.
Problems I see are:
No onsite technical assistance (I'm managing the system remotely using LogMeIn)
Dynamic Ip address
My experience with VNC is nil, hers even less!!
For those of you in the know...your help would be appreciated!
