# Creating a server



## F1R3-R4H (Jul 3, 2019)

A guy (with according to his words uses windows) said me that if I want to mount a server, I must learn for (minimum) 4 years, dedicate my orientation in informatics to servers and so, and that I should pay for a server. I think he was talking seriously, since he studied this.
I want to do a ftp server, in which I and another users, could upload and download files. I like the way FBSD distributed its .iso, .img, etc. Just navigate for the directories, find the file, and download it.
My question is: this guy was serious? I mean, I download FreeBSD or another system alike, install it on a machine (with the storage necessary), and read the handbook. I didn't thought that this was so complicated, plus I think that my way it's basic, since I want to do something basic.


----------



## marcus123 (Jul 3, 2019)

I think it depends on your knowledge background of unix and computer networking, and it seems you have some, so it should be not hard for you, I guess you may setup a basic one within few days.

Alternatively, if you are in hurry, you may consider to get a NAS with FTP server features.


----------



## F1R3-R4H (Jul 3, 2019)

Thanks! You see, fortunately, I'm not in a hurry nor running a race. Perhaps I need to read the chapters of the handbook, then read some books that I have. Maybe take some classes in a online academy, see a tutorial, and ready to go.
But in the another hand, I have less knowledge of NAS than FTP. But why not study both?


----------



## marcus123 (Jul 3, 2019)

Just for your information, NAS is Network Attached Storage, it is an appliance (a machine), ready made to let you connect it to your network, and let users store files as primary purpose. Some of them come with ftp server, and an user interface to let you setup users and security, etc.

But of course, if you have time and you are interested in building ftp server youself, it could be more flexible and you could have more fun.


----------



## SirDice (Jul 3, 2019)

F1R3-R4H said:


> said me that if I want to mount a server


You don't _mount_ a server, you mount a horse. Or mount a filesystem in case of a UNIX(-like) system. If I would catch you mounting a server I'd probably throw you out the building and call HR because that's just nasty 



F1R3-R4H said:


> I must learn for (minimum) 4 years, dedicate my orientation in informatics to servers and so, and that I should pay for a server. I think he was talking seriously, since he studied this.


It depends. If you want to get a good paying job building and maintaining servers then he's somewhat right. You definitely need experience before I would let you anywhere near my customer's systems. I wouldn't stick a number of years on it though, some people are quick learners, others are not. Certification certainly helps you in the job market. If there's a choice between 2 guys (or girls) and one has certification and the other doesn't you can easily guess which of the two would be preferred. That said, I have very little certifications but a LOT of experience. So certification alone isn't enough, knowing how to apply your knowledge is much more important. 



F1R3-R4H said:


> I mean, I download FreeBSD or another system alike, install it on a machine (with the storage necessary), and read the handbook.


Congratulations, you've successfully installed a server, or a desktop, or whatever you want to do with it. 

A server is nothing special, it just means there's software running on it that provides a service. Anything that provides a service is a server.


----------



## F1R3-R4H (Jul 3, 2019)

SirDice Maybe I'm gonna study that in a future. But for now, I'll just stay with this. And of course, learn more about it.


----------



## ralphbsz (Jul 4, 2019)

Who are the users of your server?

Scenario #1: There is a $100M company whose survival relies completely on this server. If you screw up, their business is dead, which implies that they will kill you (painfully). There is no opportunity for learning from your mistakes, because after the first mistake, the learning stops.

Scenario #2: The only user of the server is yourself at home. And for safety, you don't actually put any vitally important data on it, and just use it for practicing. If something goes wrong, you just wipe it all and reinstall from scratch. You'll be spending much time on learning from your mistakes; hopefully you make every mistake only once.

Obviously, I exaggerated the scenarios. But in scenario #2, you really don't need any special qualifications or studying to set up a server, and you'll figure out how to do it sooner or later. In scenario #1, you shouldn't be doing it; and if you have to, you have to find all the help and studying you can get. The person who should do job #1 should have 20 years of experience, and a team of experts to double- and triple-check every move they make.


----------



## F1R3-R4H (Jul 15, 2019)

ralphbsz It is the second, obviously. If it were the first, I think that I didn't were asking here. The most I can do for now in this system, it's install things. Once time ago, I did a compilation of a kernel. Unfortunately, I can't remember almost nothing about it, not even remember why I did it. Maybe was a thing related with the kernel modules, but I can't remember it.
Now I'm having troubles with WiFi. Any idea? I think I'll open a post.


----------

