[PLUG] Fileserver+ suggestions and comments.

[Jeme A Brelin]

So, here's my situation:

I have a small home network included a modded XBox for playing stuff 
through the home entertainment center and a networked MP3 player in 
the living room (since living space should be as far from TV space 
as possible).  Also, my home is in New Orleans where it is hot and humid 
(A/C is for chumps).

After my old PIII media PC conked out, I decided to go with a smarter, 
"greener" solution for acting as the house server (mostly just dishing 
out files to whatever wants them, running network backups, and playing 
experimental webserver from time to time -- unknown future applications, 
but flexibility is geek oxygen).  But what is it?

Ideas:
A Pogoplug with external USB drive enclosures.
   +  Small, very low power consumption
   -  separate power for each USB enclosure, lots of cables, unknown 
long-term effect of heat and humidity on the drives.

A MiniITX box with Atom processor.  The case sold at ENU has space for 
three hard disks with a 5.25->3.5 adapter rail.  Might be cool to mount a 
thumb drive inside for the OS.
   +  More power, bigger, more work.
   -  Fewer cables, more processor.


So, what are the informed opinions?   More suggestions!

I'll be at the meeting tonight and social hour after.   It'll be good to 
see your old, bearded faces.

J.