Building a Server need help

[Aquinus]

Originally Posted by zaqwsx

I got the Ubuntu LAMP server running in VMware player.

I hope that isn't your solution. Using VMPlayer to run a virtual server is a terrible idea.

What else is running on this server that requires you to be running Windows on it? Can you get away with not running Windows in the first place?

I know you said some websites, file sharing, and some game servers, but specifics would be nice since the only thing here that I would imagine that might require Windows is the game server part.

[zaqwsx]

Im running a mincraft server that is 100% and a website for that server. Then I will have a file server for me so I can grab my files from anywhere.

Their will be other websites but not sure on that and maybe some other game server.

[zaqwsx]

I open to ideas but as far as buying new stuff I can't. I have to work with what I have cant spend anymore money.

[BiggieShady]

Originally Posted by zaqwsx

I open to ideas but as far as buying new stuff I can't. I have to work with what I have cant spend anymore money.

Using Windows Server 2012 you can run minecraft server and host web site - I know, you love apache and linux, but in this case IIS is better solution for you. Seting up a website in IIS is just as simple as in apache, just more clicking

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323972

Just remember - DocumentRoot in apache is Web Site Home Directory in IIS, ServerName in apache is Host Header in IIS, Listen in apache is IP Address and TCP Port in IIS

[zaqwsx]

Anyone else want to comment on IIS for a website?

[Aquinus]

Originally Posted by zaqwsx

Anyone else want to comment on IIS for a website?

Yeah, IIS extensions for PHP suck and managing PHP versions in Windows is terrible. Unless you're only serving up static content or using ASP.net I wouldn't use it. I would however use it as an FTP server.

Originally Posted by zaqwsx

Im running a mincraft server that is 100% and a website for that server. Then I will have a file server for me so I can grab my files from anywhere.

Their will be other websites but not sure on that and maybe some other game server.

Minecraft servers can run on Linux.
Websites can run on Linux.
File servers can run on Linux.

...so you're not using Linux why again? It almost seems to make more sense to just run Ubuntu Server and run a VM of Windows if you really need it. It seems like most of what you're going to do can be done in *nix land.

Considering the machine doesn't have virtualization extensions and most of what you're doing will run well in Linux, I don't see what reason there would be to use Windows Server as the host OS. The fewer VMs you can run the better because they're take a hit in performance without the VT extensions.

I'm also partial to *nix servers since I run one for my own gateway, have several dev VMs with it, and I manage a rack full of Ubuntu servers at work. So I learn towards Ubuntu because I've had good experiences with it and I have to use it.

Originally Posted by BiggieShady

I know, you love apache and linux, but in this case IIS is better solution for you. Seting up a website in IIS is just as simple as in apache, just more clicking

Easy does not mean better. Simple, as in less options, also does not imply better. Having a lot of control over the system you run is way more important. Yeah, Apache configs have a steeper learning curve, but when you start using things like mod_rewrite, you ask yourself why you even considered using IIS.

[zaqwsx]

OK that sounds good, what other game servers can run in Linux? Also what about remote desktop and getting into the machine from anywhere is that easy as windows?

Edit: Also which version of Linux would recommend?

[Aquinus]

Originally Posted by zaqwsx

OK that sounds good, what other game servers can run in Linux? Also what about remote desktop and getting into the machine from anywhere is that easy as windows?

Edit: Also which version of Linux would recommend?

I personally tend to us Ubuntu Server. A administer servers using shell, no GUI for me. If you really want a graphical interface (why you wouldn't want to baffles me because it's a waste of server resources,) but you could install all the stuff Ubuntu desktop has on top of Server by running.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

Then you can use something like VNC to view the desktop, but I discourage graphical management of servers if the option exists.

You also shouldn't be asking "what runs on Linux," The question should be, "What do you need to run," because you tailor the server to your needs, not your needs to the server in most cases.

[Geekoid]

Also, licensing is a nightmare if you are running a Windows server. Often, each device that connects to it in any way needs either you or the connecting person to have a licence to do so. Even worse if you have a Microsoft database on it. A real headache causer...

Ubuntu server is actually pretty good. I have a few running myself, and they typically use around 128MB RAM when running (before I start installing all the extra stuff I need) so it really helps reduce overheads. Its also really easy to do maintenance scripts for Minecraft and for webservers (something else that causes me real headaches on Windows as I'm not a Visual Basic or 'powershell' programmer). Another bonus with Ubuntu server is patching is a real gem. Most of the time you can apply all your security patches without having to bring the server down

[BiggieShady]

Originally Posted by Aquinus

Easy does not mean better. Simple, as in less options, also does not imply better. Having a lot of control over the system you run is way more important. Yeah, Apache configs have a steeper learning curve, but when you start using things like mod_rewrite, you ask yourself why you even considered using IIS.

I somehow missed the PHP requirement and it seemed to me that OP really wanted to use Windows Server 2012 licence he owns, so in that respect I mentioned IIS.
Also, based on that misconception, when I said "better solution for OP" I never meant "better web server than apache".
That would be silly.

[Aquinus]

Originally Posted by BiggieShady

I somehow missed the PHP requirement and it seemed to me that OP really wanted to use Windows Server 2012 licence he owns, so in that respect I mentioned IIS.

He didn't, it's an example of how doing web applications other than ASP and ASP.NET is terrbile on IIS. We don't know his exact requirements, I've found every description on what this server will be used for to be pretty vague so I'm having a hard time makes many recommendations.

Originally Posted by BiggieShady

Also, based on that misconception, when I said "better solution for OP" I never meant "better web server than apache".

Well, since we don't know really what the website requirements are I leaned towards that which is more flexible, and I don't think IIS is more flexible.

[zaqwsx]

Just to clarify again what I want my server to do since It seems most are still confused. I'll post this in my main post later.

I need to be able to host a game server (i.e. mincraft)
I need to be able to host a webserver needs to be secure (i.e. mincraft website with logins, my own personal site, A website for my doctor which will not contain any personal customer info but may have an option to making appointments online.)
I need to be able to access my personal files from anywhere I have web access needs to be secure.

So it was between Ubuntu and Windows Server and after reading your comments I will go with Ubuntu.

Their were also comments on command line interface or gui interface. As far as that how difficult is it to use the command line interface and can most stuff be found online or youtube?

Those are the most major things for me I can think of at the moment.

If that is still not clear please tell me. Thanks guys for all your help!

[Aquinus]

Originally Posted by zaqwsx

I need to be able to host a webserver needs to be secure (i.e. mincraft website with logins, my own personal site, A website for my doctor which will not contain any personal customer info but may have an option to making appointments online.)

This is what isn't clear. What are you doing to run these websites? What are you using? Just plain HTML? PHP? Is it a web application or a static page?

What are the software requirements for what you want to run.

As far as Minecraft and file sharing is concerned, that's not too bad. You can try Webmin, but it will be grossly insufficient for what you're going to be doing I think. Learning how to use the CLI isn't a "watch a youtube video and be done" kind of thing. It's something that you learn and get better at, like anything else.

Google is a powerful thing, I suggest using it. If you see something that is confusing, Google it, learn and continue.

[zaqwsx]

OK Ill get the details in the next few weeks as I am currently busy with college .