I want to make a server using Kubuntu

[bongorider]

I know very little about servers. I have tried a few guides, but most are either too abstract (teaching the theory of how to set one up but having nowhere near enough specifics) or they are very specific step by step guides, but are out of date or apply to other linux flavors.

For example I was trying to follow a guide that used Samba, but it was a few years old, the KDE gui is unrecognizable to what I have now and the samba console I downloaded has absolutely no resemblance to the one in the guide.

[ardvark71]

Re: I want to make a server using Kubuntu

Hi....

Although it's newer but no graphics, does this site help any?

Regards...

[oshunluvr]

Re: I want to make a server using Kubuntu

Server Guide
How To LAMP Server

How you're to set it up depends on what you're planning on doing with it and what kind of hardware you have. If you're just file sharing, no need to go the entire server route. If you looking to do a full server (Apache, MySql, PHP, etc.) you might want to follow a guide.

I have a headless (no keyboard or monitor) Ubuntu LAMP (=Linux Apache MySQL PHP) server setup with a Torrent server, Print server, Samba and NFS file sharing, DLNA server, and a few other goodies added. I do not have a desktop installed because there's no monitor or keyboard. You can install a desktop and still access it remotely by using VNC, but VNC can be a bit memory and CPU hungry so I could see no reason to install any desktop for me. There's a nice HTTP tool called WebMin that does almost all that you would do at the desktop.

Here's my suggestions to get you started:
0. Before you install anything; plan out your partition setup, list what you want your server to be able to do, write is all down and research each function.

1. Use Ubuntu Server 10.04 because it's LTS (long term support). The only advantage to using a newer release is newer kernels. It's a server so being "cutting edge" is actually a disadvantage. If you need a newer kernel for some reason (better support for BTRFS for example) there's a kernel backport PPA that has up to 2.6.38-8-server kernel.

2. Get the base server running and setup before you move onto the next add-on. Take your time and complete and test each added feature one at a time.

3. If you still want or need the KDE desktop, install it on top of the server install after everything else is working.

[bongorider]

Re: I want to make a server using Kubuntu

thanks for the suggestions, I don't have a specific goal in mind, I'm just experimenting. I'll try to get that Ubuntu server edition and try it out.

[MoonRise]

Re: I want to make a server using Kubuntu

I would add that since this is a server and you want it to be able to "serve" you best, I would choose a lighter weight DTM over KDE. Don't get me wrong, I love KDE but it is heavy on the resources that you may want reserved more for your server and the jobs it does for you. I for one have used XFCE for that. FWIW.

[kubicle]

Re: I want to make a server using Kubuntu

I would add that since this is a server and you want it to be able to "serve" you best, I would choose a lighter weight DTM over KDE.

The DE usually doesn't matter much resource-wise (unless your server is incapable of running a specific DE at all).

If it's a server, the GUI environment probably isn't (shouldn't be) running during normal operation (you don't really need to install a DE on a server at all). Of course it depends a bit on what you use the server for.