NAS, you got it?

[crashwg]

I'm reffering, of course, to Network Attached Storage.

Well, it seems to be holding true the saying about how if you've got the storage space you'll use it.

For 2 years I've used 1 60gig HD and didn't have any problems with space, then once I did, I bought a 120gig HD.  That was only 5 months ago and I'm already aproaching full again!

So basically I need to consider my options on upgrading sometime in the near future and I'm considering an NAS system.

Of course I could get rid of my 60 and 120 to replace them both with 250s for a total of 320 more than I'm currently using, but where's the fun in that?

Ok, so if you've got any experience with NAS or you want to give me another suggestion I'm open to just about anything.

[Jakobud]

I have experience with NAS's in the workplace.  They are a hassle, at least in my experience.  Not as easy as they sound to be.  I would not bother with a NAS solution for the home.  Not worth the extra time and money.

[daeven]

I'm a NAS/SAN Engineer at work  I've got a $300,000 NAS system at work that is ALMOST as reliable as my Linux Samba server running on a $299 Dell in my basement.  OK, so the one at work has 10,000 users and 10 TB behind it vs. 4 users and 80GB.  On the other hand, the work one just runs a tweaked version of Samba.

The point is, take a look at Samba.  You can configure it to be a Windows domain controller, and set up shared file areas.  It's a great place to store arcade cabinet hard drive images!  You could even store all your cabinet's ROMs there for one easy place to do updates.  Get seriously carried away and take the hard drives out of the cabinets.  Figure out how to boot from the network and access everything over the network.

On a not-so-related note, has anyone considered anything like VMWare for multiple arcade cabinets?  The concept is that it allows multiple "virtual machines" on one computer.  If it can output to multiple monitors and take input from multiple "keyboards," maybe it can control several classic MAME cabinets from the same computer.  One problem I see is that it uses a "virtual" VGA adapter - meaning no ArcadeVGA or otherwise tweaked video adapter.

[crashwg]

I am quite interested in this Samba.  

I have absolutly no linux experience other than the fact that I have redhat linux that I never took the time to figure out.

Is there some sort of beginners guide and/or more details on how it is used?

On the other hand...
Using a file system that I'm not familliar with kind of scares me a little bit.  I've had experience with windows and have a general idea of how to recover data and that sort of thing incase of errors.  But when it comes to linux I am completly clueless and wouldn't know what to do.

So yes, I still am interested in samba but I guess I'm still looking for the perfect system for my situation.  What about having a windows based PC on the network used only for file storage?  Anyone have tips on that or a place to find more information on what that would entail?

[Matt, GoC]

Samba is another name for a windows share.  All you gotta do is right-click a folder and select sharing and security (or share, depending on what version).  Windows 2000 is pretty good for this, it gives many options that WinXP Home takes away.  Then on the computer you want to use to access the files (like the cab's), just right-click the My Computer icon and select map network drive.  Point to the folder you want and it appears as a drive in windows.  You can also just type the address, such as:
\\MYCOMPUTER\MYSHARE\
Where MYCOMPUTER is the computers "Name" in the network identification, and MYSHARE is the folder.  Simple.
Note: Press the windows logo key and the Pause key together to see the property sheet that says your computer's name, or open the system control panel.

[IG-88]

On a not-so-related note, has anyone considered anything like VMWare for multiple arcade cabinets?  The concept is that it allows multiple "virtual machines" on one computer.  If it can output to multiple monitors and take input from multiple "keyboards," maybe it can control several classic MAME cabinets from the same computer.  One problem I see is that it uses a "virtual" VGA adapter - meaning no ArcadeVGA or otherwise tweaked video adapter.

What is this VMWare you speak of? That sounds too cool! What does the "one computer" require for specs? Does it have to be set up with an O/S like Windows 2000 Server or equiv.? Man, I gots all kinds of ideas floating around in my head.....

[daeven]

Go to <http://www.vmware.com> and download an eval of VMWare Workstation.  I haven't found the time to play with it, but apparently it will work on any decent computer.  I've got co-workers who are running it on P-III notebooks.  I think the best use would be to put a second O/S on an arcade cabinet.  That second O/S could be Windows or Linux and be used as the family file server.

[xar256]

Go to <http://www.vmware.com> and download an eval of VMWare Workstation.  I haven't found the time to play with it, but apparently it will work on any decent computer.  I've got co-workers who are running it on P-III notebooks.  I think the best use would be to put a second O/S on an arcade cabinet.  That second O/S could be Windows or Linux and be used as the family file server.

VMware is a neat piece of software, I've played with it a little bit.  The one thing you need to remember is that you are literaly running multiple machines on 1 pc.  So if you are running 2 virtual machines at the same time, you will need the resources <memory, cpu cycles, hard drive space, etc> to run all the processes on both virtual machines, PLUS the OS that is currently running on your own machine hosting VMware.  <In other words not something for a p2 500 machine>.  
It is a nice program for doing small test stuff though.  I wouldn't use it long term.  <I have a 2Ghz machine with 1GB ram and XP Pro, and was able to run Win2k Server Virtual server without much of a slowdown - but I did notice a slowdown>
Just something to consider.

Xar256