Creating a NAS system

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I've done this before, but now my brother wants to get in on it. I have a USB 500 GB hard drive. I know how to share it on a network and do all that stuff. But my brother, who most of the time is at school, wants to have all of his files in a centralized location. I'm wondering how I can connect my USB drive to the network, while ALSO allowing him to connect to it via Internet.

Also, I only want him to have access to one folder on the drive, as I don't want him to be able to see my data. I've looked into Novell's NetStorage and iFolder platforms, but there are limitations as to what I want to do.

Any ideas? Perhaps Linux might be good for something after all? I have a lot of old Macs, so maybe I could use one of them for this?

Thanks in advance,
-Gil

Usually you can set permissions for an individual folder, even hide them from other users. The methods vary by Operating System (Unix, Windows-based, etc)

You have a lot more control over the drive if it's only connected through the network. Making it available through the Internet exposes it to every malicious script kiddy out there.

Tell us more, especially if I'm not getting the question...

Basically, he has to be able to access his data from anywhere, over the internet. He is on a Mac (10.5 Leopard).

Novell seemed like the best option, but there were too many issues with it, especially Mac clients.

You could try setting up remote access, but I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of that- too paranoid about remote exploits.

I do remote stuff all the time, but on Windows...I hereby withdraw further advice as a Mac LC2 was the last one I owned...

You have a few choices NFS/(SMB/CIFS)/FTP/SFTP

Windows (SMB/CIFS)
Linux *
Mac OS X *

Which is the best?

NFS and SMB are generally the more convenient for Local Area Networks,
FTP and SFTP are good for Uploading Remotely.

if you have a box lying around which you can convert so to speak, there are a number of distro's up this sort of alley.

I will have a look.

FreeNAS which is a BSD derivative supports just about everything http://www.freenas.org/

Thanks, I'm going to try that!

We're currently running a NAS system running Microsoft Storage Server. It allows you to partition the array so that other machines can format and use them via iSCSI. We're running RAID 5 and have other machines using the system via a separate GB network we've built.

Costing how much?

Couldn't figure out how to do AFP shares and crap with FreeNAS.

I said it before, and I'll say it again: *NIX SUCKS BALLS!! !! !! !! !! !! !



What about FreeBSD? Looks cool, but I couldnt get a GUI. I know it has one. What about Fedora? What about something on a Mac?

I think we paid about $1000 per NAS system (we run them in 2 cities now). They were used systems that had never been used. Yea for the failing economy - you can get some really nice warranted equipment on the cheap.

my friend did something like that. it was just ubuntu on an old PC.

as a fellow mac user, it is AFP that sucks. It "works" but never totally satisfactory. Nothing really wrong with *NIX.

If you manage to set up a computer, old PC or mac, and attach the storage, it is easy though with some help from SSH & *nix.

simply set up accounts on the linux or BSD running on the old PC/mac for you and your brother & attach the drive. make folders for both of you and set the permissions so that only you can see your folder. Make sure SSH is installed and enabled. If you have a router or firewall or whatever, you have to set port 22 to forward to the old PC/mac.

On the new mac side, you download this and hit "+" -> "SSHFS" -> enter the IP and login/directory info. whiz bang there you go