If you have a need for a file server, there are actually quite a few different methods to implement it. From a Windows computer, you can simply share a folder and assign the appropriate permissions. You can also install FTP server software to the Windows computer so that files can be uploaded or downloaded through the FTP protocol. There is also third party software such as HFS (HTTP File Server) that uses web technology to share files.

However, if you’re looking for a really solid and yet free file server, you should consider using Linux to achieve this because the operating system is well known to be stable which will save you money in licensing costs. This is why you find that most websites are hosted on Linux because of the stability, and not Windows server.

The only drawback is most of the people who are so used to Windows might find it difficult to handle a Linux operating system because things are very different. However, there is a Linux distro called SME Server that is based on CentOS which is easy to configure and manage. Once you’ve successfully installed SME Server, you can easily manage and configure the server using a web interface.
(more…)