Is Ubuntu Server and SFTP enough? reddit / selfhosted ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LukasNation · 2023-11-27 18:52 Hi there! I've got a beginner question, I just set up an old PC to be used as a media server with Plex. I have Ubuntu server installed on the server. I am wondering, can I also use it as a sort of makeshift file server? And then access them with SFTP from my other PC? Is that good enough? I mean it will work, but is Ubuntu Server and SFTP really everything I need to have a working server? What are the downsides? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- alphabuild · 2023-11-27 19:17 For file server to a PC you should consider Samba instead of SFTP. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LukasNation · 2023-11-27 19:20 Will check it out! What makes it a better choice? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- flaming_m0e · 2023-11-27 19:23 SMB is supported on every OS...and doesn't require a special app on most of them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- alphabuild · 2023-11-27 19:23 Pretty much the standard for network storage shares. Supported out of the box on PC and Mac file browsers without the need for a piece of client software to be installed. Also easy to enable on Ubuntu. You can auto mount these shares as essentially connected volumes so pretty seamless. I use SFTP as well but for specific cases like rsync backups. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ro55mo · 2023-11-27 19:30 If all your clients are Windows then SMB. SMB - [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server\_Message\_Block](https://e n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_Message_Block) If all your clients are Linux then NFS. NFS - [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_File_System](https://en.w ikipedia.org/wiki/Network_File_System) If your clients are a mix then SMB will probably be easier. You can access NFS shares on Windows as well but it is a bit of a pain. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Blackops12345678910 · 2023-11-27 20:31 I mean if you have enabled ssh then Sftp will be working by default on Ubuntu. Might be easier to access it via samba since the windows file explorer supports it natively but you will need to configure samba ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EndlessHiway · 2023-11-27 21:28 Except Linux ---------------------------------------------------------------------- flaming_m0e · 2023-11-27 21:28 Linux support SMB just fine...wtf are you talking about? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DearJudge · 2023-11-27 22:34 I'm using Ubuntu server for my home lab and it mostly just works. Just make sure you know the difference between setting up docker when it's been installed through snap or through the package manager (synaptic/apt). If you use 22.04, it'll want to install docker during the install, which uses snap. I wasn't sure how permissions work with that setup, so I nuked it, reinstalled through apt, and then added myself to the docker group. I'm self hosting gitea, Jenkins, registry, and plex atm, but will be adding caddy as well. All of it is containerized and was pretty painless to set up, though I'm still finalizing certain config details (I need a cross-compilation pipeline). For storage I currently only have the single SSD, and I plan to use an external caddy with four slots (jbod). No RAID, just periodic backups. I have a thinkcentre tiny, so no much room for expansion. If you have the room, I'd suggest using ex-enterprise SAS disks in whatever RAID configuration tickles your fancy, and exposing them as NFS. I only ever use Linux at home, though, so if you have windows machines, others probably have better advice re: making your storage available on the network. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EndlessHiway · 2023-11-27 22:46 You have to install a special app called Samba server for it to work. What the fuck you talking about? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- davis-andrew · 2023-11-27 23:17 Linux has a kernel SMB implementation you can use in lieu of samba, KSMBD. [See kernel docs](https://docs.kernel.org/next/filesystems/cifs/ksmbd.html) > You have to install a special app called Samba server for it to work And even if it didn't, that's a bit of a stretch. Would you say Linux doesn't support ssh because you have to install a special `openssh` app? Or it doesn't support being a webserver because you have to install apache/nginx/... ? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EndlessHiway · 2023-11-28 00:02 The dude literally said you don't have to do install anything for it to work, which is bullshit. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dev_all_the_ops · 2023-11-28 01:04 Use Samba. If you want a GUI for samba on ubuntu checkout \- casaos \- open media vault ---------------------------------------------------------------------- davis-andrew · 2023-11-28 01:19 Do you mean this persons comment? > SMB is supported on every OS...and doesn't require a special app on most of them. He said it doesn't require a special app.... Which again refer to my post: > Would you say Linux doesn't support ssh because you have to install a special openssh app? Linux is a kernel. You can't even create a filesystem without userspace programs being installed There's no need to be so hostile. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- bmaeser · 2023-11-28 12:06 samba / smb if your clients are windows/macos nfs if your clients are linux with any of those, you dont even need media streamling like plex, you can just use plain old kodi on your devices and add the shares to it ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EndlessHiway · 2023-11-28 13:11 So like I said in the beginning Linux doesn't. Thanks.