More junk: You can run a Mac without any keyboard or monitor attached, in which case your server can take up very little space. Or just remember to turn it on when you want to watch videos or listen to music.
I haven’t measured, but I’d imagine that I would use a lot less energy if I dumped my Drobo and Mac mini duo and replaced it with a single low-power NAS.Īn extra device: If you’ve got a Mac you tend to use most of the time, you could make it your “household server” by leaving it on all the time, rather than dedicating an additional device. Most modern NAS devices are designed to be power efficient. You can put an old iMac, Mac mini, or even laptop into service as a server with little or no financial investment.īuying one of these is cheaper than buying a Mac.Įnergy: Running a Mac server all the time, especially if it’s attached to external hard drives, can use a lot of power. Once I got a fresher model, the old one went in the closet and served me for a few more years as my server. My first two Mac servers were both hand-me-down Power Macs. You have to administer them from a webpage and if there’s trouble, you will be entering a world of troubleshooting that can get alien and frustrating in a hurry.Īvailability: One of the best sources of Mac server hardware is an old Mac you already own.
You probably know how to share files and folders, run iTunes, the works. Reasons to use a Mac serverįamiliarity: If you’re a Mac user, you know how to use a Mac. Not everyone can stream HD movies with impunity. And if you use an online backup service, such as CrashPlan or Backblaze, you can back up that Mac and all of your precious files will be backed up, too.įinally, if your home Internet service is slow, spotty, or metered, having a home server allows you to stock up on content-especially music and movies-and have them available to watch on a moment’s notice.