Hi, as I am going into my final year of university I was thinking of setting up my own little local server for personal use (because the support in the uni, is well )
I have never really played around with this sort of stuff at home, so was thinking of building a local server to act as file backups (in which my parents could use also) and also to set up a database (for playing around with server side scripting).
I have ventured into multiple areas of computing, mainly scripting and programming so want another computer to mess around with to test with these below:
Apache
PHP & MySQL
Java (test bed)
File backups
Usual server stuff (active directory, domains, DHCP etc etc)
Thinking of using Ubuntu Server edition as I am familiar with ubuntu and really need to start learning more Linux.
As for the hardware, I was thinking about going for server side hardware for the sake of the experience.
I purchased a cheap Sempron 3600+ thinking of using the computer as a file server only, but now I am thinking of venturing into dual socket boards, Opteron based preferably. Yeah it will be older socket 940s, but I should be able to pick up some ECC DDR RAM, I won't be needing too much at all. Or would it be worth my time to stick with an AM2+ socket or AM3 and pick up a Sempron/Athlon for this? Worth my time and money for the Opterons?
Also looking for a managed switch for personal use just for the hell of it.
This is for my final year project and just for learning server side things which will benefit me in future.
Any advise or suggestions, am I going the right way about it? Both the software and hardware, need experience with both really.
Thanks
EDIT:
Forgot to add, I won't be buying a rack mount. I have an old CM iTower 930 that can fit SSI CEB, with a bit of modification it could fit in. Seen as there won't be much devices should go well. *Should*