Hi all

I'm about to build a new server, I built one a couple of years ago to backup my laptop weekly and that was about it, now I want a much more complex server as I have more computers in the house now. This is what I'm after and any help is much appreciated.

1/ We know have 3 laptops I want to keep backed up, 2x Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and 1x Windows, with 4 different users. I would like to have the server hold the most current version of a file so no matter what computer was being used (Ubuntu or Windows) the most current vesion of a file would be available. So when I finished working on 1 laptop and logged off it would auto sync the most recent files back to the server. Also if I was away from home for a while, when I got home and logged on it would update the server with any new files in certain directories, eg documents, photos, etc.

2/ A printer server so any computers on the network could print/scan.

3/ Have a media server that any device, including tablets, could access and have movies/music streamed to them.

4/ Weekly backup the servers new/updated files to a backup server in another building on the network. Would like this backup server to use wake on LAN if possible.

5/ be able to VPN into the server from any of the 3 laptops and from phones/tablet.

I also want it secure of course, I currently putty with passwordless? ssh into my backup server if I really need to, but haven't had to in a long time, as I only use it as a backup and haven't had to retreive any files. Hence I can't even remember how I set this up!

Wow! I know this is heaps, I am hoping that people could point me to some good thorough guides/walkthroughs so I set it up correctly first time. It took me about a month of hassles to set up the current backup server using command line so I don't mind using Ubuntu Desktop as the server.

Thanks for any help.

Cheers

There is some value in keeping record (maybe a paper diary) of the steps you've done. And you could list your packages currently installed as a guide to what you want in the next server.

If you haven't retrieved any backup files lately that's known as neglecting to test it. Most of the disaster stories about backup failure involve an element of this.

Totally agree, I was very slack in the last server setup.

I want to do a fresh instal and start from the start and document it this time.