Want a Linux Home Server? There Are Several Choices

There are several reasons to run a Linux home server. In many ways you might already be running a server without knowing it. For instance, if you have file sharing enabled to share files with a Windows computer, then you are running a Samba server.

Below is a list with a description of some possible servers to install on your Linux home server.

• Samba server. A way to share files with a Windows machine.
• NFS server. A way to share files with other Linux machines.
• Apache2 server. Apache is a well known web server. Used by a lot of the web hosting company's out there with PHP.
• MySQL server. The Database server that drives a lot of dynamic content on the Internet.
• FTP server. A quick way to move files through the Internet.
• CUPS server. The CUPS server shares the printer that is connected to the computer running the CUPS server.
• DNS (BIND) server. The Domain name server that resolves domain names.
• DHCP server. The server that hands out IP addresses.
• Firewall. This is not really a server but always a part of a server.
• Proxy server. A proxy server reroutes all traffic and can stop your kids from visiting sites you don't want them to visit. Like Squid web proxy.
• SSH server. A way to securely login to your computer and run commands.
• LDAP server. Network shared address book.

This list doesn't show every server out there but it gives a good overview. These servers will all be covered in this article series.

In part two we will start with installing and configuring a DNS, DHCP and firewall combination. You might want to take some strain off the little processor in your router. One way of doing this is to install DNS, DHCP and a firewall on your Linux home server.

The LAMP which stands for Linux Appache MySQL PHP. This is a classic server used by every web designer and developer I know. In part three I will show you how to setup a LAMP server.

I already talked about why to use one over the other in this article. I only found it appropriate to tell you how to setup these two servers. Also there have been more articles about SAMBA and NFS on Bright Hub so this part will compile all links to this subject.

This article features all of the servers not yet covered in the first four articles: LDAP, SSH, FTP, Proxy and CUPS. The installation and configuration of these servers is not that hard. That is why all of these servers are combined in this article.

Next week part 2 of the series.