linux file servers
 

im new to linux and i need to know linux file servers by next week.
what distribuitions work best with file servers and why?
is there any links you guys could give me to help me learn more about linux fileservers or using linux as a file server. so far all ive learnt is that samba will help linux read nt files. thanks

(...weeks go by before I stop laughing...)

Samba can do more than that - it can serve files to windows clients, as well as participate in various domain scenarios. What are you trying to achieve? What does the linux system need to serve, and to what sort of clients?

Re: linux file servers
 

fileservers
 

i know that sounded alittle to generic.
i was assigned linux file servers to present in my compter class at a college here.

its a pretty broad topic but i cant seem to find much information on them. another person already has samba so i could touch lightly on that but theres tonnes of info on samba.

i was pretty much just wondering the advantages of using linux over xp, some of they ways they can be set up. the differenses betweet them. basicly anything i can learn about them and present.

any help or a link would be GREAT because i have been searching for some time now and cant find very much. thanks alot

A non-windows way to share files would be NFS (won't work with windows out of the box, but I think you can get software to add NFS support). Another option is the linux network block device. There's some info on it here http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=3778. Google will probably give you better links than I for NFS.

Re: fileservers
 

You've got a lot to do in such a little time, which is why we "laugh."
However, the fact that you're searching, asking, and looking is good.

I want to give you just a little bit of "Linux over XP" information, and
opinion. When you install XP, unless you really know what you're doing,
you only install accounts with Adminstrator priviledges. This means that
the person logged in (or an attacker who overtakes your comp) can
execute any program on the computer, change any file, change any
password, or do anything they desire. Did you setup another user who
has less priviledges on your box?

When you install Linux, you create a normal user account for everyone
who will use the box, and always login as the normal user. These users
can only modify files located in their /home/<username>directory, which
keeps them pretty harmless. If your root (super user, i.e. Administrator)
password isn't weak, you'll probably never have to worry about someone
destroying your box because they happened to hack it while you were
logged in as "Administrator."

Second, the way virii, worms, and trojans are written - there is virtually no
risk to a Linux system, because of the way it is designed. I've recently gotten
some of these worms which come as an attachment called "document.zip"
and such. I've opened them on my Linux system, looked at their "code" and
then deleted them - with no harm done to my system. It's nice not to have to
pay for anti-virus software, update it daily, scan the system...

I just thought that perhaps you might take a Knoppix Linux Live CD
to class and boot one of those Windoze boxen with it. Then you can
mount your Windoze drive and see all that data in there. Read that
page and you'll learn a little. Knoppix is a complete Linux OS and
tons of free software, which runs from the CD using ram memory
and never even touches the hard drive. When you're through, just
logout and you can shutdown or reboot, it will eject the CD, and
the hard drive and Windoze system will remain totally unchanged.

With a Linux Live CD you can demonstrate to the class what you
are presenting. Let's see one of your classmates do that. This alone
should give you about 20 points on your grade - you'll be considered
so clever, informed, and prepared. ;-)

fileserver
 

haha.. well. that was gonig to be part of my presentation if i can get a quick demo going. thanks for the help. but ive still only got a slight bit of information to use.

its been hard finding information on "linux file servers" so my topic is now more of WHY you would use a LINUX file server instead of a windows file server. is there any sites with a LARGE ammount of information on this? i know the obvious reasons such as, faster, less viruses, more relieable. ive also got a book to explain abit on nfs.....

if someone could also maby help me find a site or some information on setting up a linux file server, with linux clients or windows clients. im new to the whole linux world and have only played with a few clients and dont' know too much about file servers but in time i plan to be much better. its great that my college is teaching linux

thanks for all the information ive recieved so far.. and anything else on linux file servers would be GREAT

Scott,

http://tldp.org/cgi-bin/ldpsrch.cgi

Please post back how much help that gives you...

Did you ever search at http://www.google.com/linux for this?

http://www.google.com/linux?hl=en&lr...=Google+Search

The first result is a pretty good article. And also this one ->
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=4969

information
 

ive done ALOT of google searches and have found nothing on linux file servers really. that article is good, but it is very small and i have already been there :P.

is there any versions of linux that are specificly used for file servers? and the one linux search thing u sent me didn't work 100%
thanks

guess not
 

so i guess no one can help me?

just install samba on any distro
learn the basics set up some shares
put some files in the shared folder
and make sure you can access them from windows or any other linux box and the viola you got a file share


or do you need something different?

It's hard to understand what information you're looking for. You know what the file servers are, you know what they do, but you seem to be looking for reasons why Linux is a better choice than Windows? As far as fileserving goes, there's not that much difference any more. In some cases Linux will outperform Windows, in some cases the other way around. What exactly is your assignment?

Re: guess not
 

/me thinks you need some definitions, so you'll know what it is...
Read these server types and determine which one you would need for this
"linux file server." You know files are stored on a hard drive, now you need
to narrow it down to how do you want to serve them where for who?

This is your original question ->You've been asked specific questions by CroMagnon that you didn't
answer, so how do you expect him to help you?

You said "I was assigned linux file servers to present in my computer class..."
Is that "exactly" what was written on the paper? Perhaps if that is really all that
he gave you, it's just a matter of asking him to be more specific concerning
your assignment.

Debian is a very good distribution to use for a server. We always recommend
that you use the stable branch, which is called Woody. Markus Welsch has a small
website to help you setup a Debian-based system > http://www.debiansec.com/
and harden it so that's it's more secure.

This, in a nutshell, is why Linux is better than Windoze...
1) Linux is more secure
2) Linux multi-functions better
3) Linux is free, but not free from responsibility

When you signed up for an account with LQ, you agreed to the rules. One says:
"Do not expect LQ members to do your homework - you will learn much more
by doing it yourself."

servers
 

im not expecting someone to do my homework.. i was asking if anyone knew where i could find any information on linux file servers.. and from that last post it was actualy quite helpful thanks.

basicly i was supposed to get any information on fileservers that i could.. after having a hard time i joined this site to see if anyone could help me.

those last posts were good information.. what i was wanting to know is....

why would u choose a LINUX file server over any other one..(such as windows)
i know there more relyable, faster in some situations, and way more sercure. but i dont' have any information to back that up... well i have a few. but not enough to talk about for 15 minutes.

i was also going to discuss how you would setup a linux server with linux boxes and windows boxes.. basicly anything on file servers i could think of

the other problm is.. is that someone else si doing a topic on samba.. so they have plenty of information and i cant go too deep in to explaining samba.

i also wasn't sure if some distributions of linux were ment specificly for file servers or were better than others. ive been playin around with it trying to learn the basics. but its kindof hard without some help choosing what distrobution would be best.

any mroe information you guys have would be great. and thanks alot for the help.. i hope this was alittle more specific.