cheap Mac file sharing?

December 10, 2006 6:54 AM

I'm looking for a cheap (or better yet, free) software to run a simple file server in my journalism lab.

I have a G4 mac to use. I've been using AppleShare IP running OS 9, but there are issues now that all the clients are OS 10.4. (file name lengths, etc)
Apple's Personal Sharing limits me to 10 users and I have 20.
Mac server software costs a ton and does a lot more (web, mail) then I need.
Is there an in between solution?

posted by cccorlew to computers & internet (11 comments total)

You could run a Samba Server under Yellow Dog Linux if you're game to tackle a different operating system. You can download free install images.
posted by roue at 7:29 AM on December 10, 2006

Or probably easier, install OS X on the G4 and use the Samba service provided by Apple. I don't know why that didn't occur to me first.
posted by roue at 7:31 AM on December 10, 2006

Yellow Dog Linux and Netatalk?

Also does a lot more than you need, but is free.
posted by Orb2069 at 7:33 AM on December 10, 2006

Jinx!
posted by Orb2069 at 7:34 AM on December 10, 2006

MkLinux or LinuxPPC (Power Linux) or any of the Mac distro ports you like (Debian/Ubuntu/Yellow Dog) with NFS for basic file sharing. Samba [fixed roue's link] if you want to provide Windows/SMB client connectivity.
posted by paulsc at 7:39 AM on December 10, 2006

Is there perhaps an answer that runs on teh Mac with a graphic interface for the non tech gods?
posted by cccorlew at 8:51 AM on December 10, 2006

You can set up Ubuntu very easily to do this. In fact, using this search, there are multiple step-by-step how-tos.
posted by chrisamiller at 9:07 AM on December 10, 2006

You just install X-windows and Gnome (usually the default X windows GUI on Debian based distros like Ubuntu) or KDE (another GUI) and you're graphical. This is usually a checkbox option on the semi-graphical installer for most distros (Ubuntu asks you what you'll be using the machine for, and if you check "Desktop" you get all the graphical stuff installed for you, and set to come up automagically on next restart).

Thereafter, or better yet, instead, you can install various free or commercial server management packages that allow you to admin the server from another machine, and don't load the GUI (which you'd rarely use) on the file server, saving memory for additional file buffers, which would improve its performance as a file server.
posted by paulsc at 9:08 AM on December 10, 2006

OTOH (although what I'm about to say doesn't directly address your question), if you are a Linux newbie, and part time administrator, migrating an organization of 20 users from OS 9 to a Linux based server can seem a pretty daunting task, as you have to learn a little bit about another OS, while planning to manually migrate existing files and permissions across the changeover, sensibly, without much (or any) automated tools support. So there's a value proposition to consider, here, particularly if you don't see this as an opportunity for learning more about operating systems.

OS X 10.3 Panther Server (Unlimited Clients) is selling for as little as $337 [no recommendation of vendor, or suggestion that this is the best price available], which is about $15 a client, to your organization, which seems pretty minimal to an outsider like me. 10.4 is a bit more expensive, but deals are still out there. If you can qualify as an educational user (you mentioned journalism lab) software and associated support contract costs might even be less. So, that cost might be less, in terms of time and upgrade issues, than doing the Linux thing, although I doubt you'd just be able to plop in a CD and upgrade, maintaining all files & permissions seamlessly. So, it might pay to Froogle it, or talk to an Apple Educational center about discounts.

There's nothing wrong with OS X Server for what you want to do, aside from cost, and as we know, cost and pain are relative things.
posted by paulsc at 10:05 AM on December 10, 2006

I second the OS X Server route. You're in a journalism lab, which would lead me to believe that you're on or near a school. Use the educational discount.

paulsc is right. You can beat yourself over the head with Linux, or go with what works.

Yes, Samba on Linux works fine, but why throw in the extra learning curve right now?

Or, you can check out SharePoints as it might solve your whole problem.
posted by drstein at 7:37 PM on December 10, 2006

paulsc is right. You can beat yourself over the head with Linux, or go with what works.

Whatever. Downland Ubuntu Dapper for free, install it. Then click: System->Administration->SharedFolders

In that, click the "Add" button, and browse to the folder you want to share. Repeat as required.

The install disk you download is also bootable as a Live CD, so you can try this without even installing it (the CD will boot up into Linux without installing anything so you can try it out). If this turns out to be too hard, then go for OSX server. If OSX server is easier than clicking "Add" then I am suitably impressed, and that is certainly $400 well spent.
posted by markr at 12:35 PM on December 11, 2006