Recently I had a client who was looking for an alternative to the horror of trying to retrieve important files while being on the computer that did not have them stored there at the time. So, being the sort of guy that I am, I started to lay out some options for him.

As our conversation progressed, I explained that something I like to do is keep everything on a home file server and then keep separate backups from that. Seemingly perplexed, I could tell that I had lost him someplace and would need to elaborate a little further. So this is basically how I explained it.

(This article assumes that you are an IT pro familiar with both Linux and Windows networking.)

First you need a stand alone PC
Whether you use Linux or Windows is totally up to you, folks. Being there is not going to be a compatibility issue with only running files from this machine, I like to use Linux myself in order to stave off any chances a virus destroying my important data. Besides, I get to save a bundle on those license fees.

If you decide to go with Windows, I would probably go with an old copy of Windows 2000 myself. While XP is fine, however I like the hands on approach 2K gives me when it comes to setting up the permissions. It just feels more natural to me, personally.

After having looked at the licensing issue and you decide that Linux is a solution that would better meet your needs, then pick a distribution that meets your fancy and let’s get started! ;o)

VNC me
Being that any of the VNC clients are pretty much cross-platform compatible, I would run the VNC server on the server box using one of the operating systems mentioned above. The reason for this is quite simple: it allows you to save the time and hassle of using a monitor once it is configured to run at startup on that machine. Since it is accessible easily via the internal IP address hierarchy, it also makes you look really cool to all of your friends! When picking your VNC client for your client machine, I would seriously consider Ultr@VNC myself. As for the server machine, I’d just use whatever VNC server comes on that machine already.

Mamma loves Samba
Now that we have established control of the remote machine, we can now set up the Samba server assuming it is running Linux (Windows users just need to set up basic networking permissions instead). Remember, double check those permissions! The last thing you need is to make things a little too accessible.

It’s moving day
Now you have a machine that is just itching for all of that data! After it is all moved over and labeled in such a way that it is easy to recall, you will find that it is truly convenient when working on a project from multiple PCs from the same location. It’s just that simple, folks! The big thing to remember is that you still need a separate backup and you must label your server folders correctly for easier navigation. ;o)