Windows Home Server
So I finally got around and bought me a Fujitsu-Siemens Scaleo Home Server 2205. It was delivered with 2x 1TB disks and since then I've plugged in another 500 GB for storage and 750 GB for backups. I've become a bit paranoid since my Lacie Big Disk failed on me. The server looks pretty much like a suitcase and it runs real quiet. Not quiet enough for having under your desk, but sometimes when I open my closet, I wonder if it's still running. Installation was pretty much a 1 click install that took under an hour, and it was very easy to get started with the server. Mounting a new drive took about 5 minutes and there were no need for a screwdriver. Even though I thought the price tag a bit high, I am a very pleased customer. What will I use my home server for?
Daily backups - My laptop is getting old and I don't expect it to survive the daily travels for long. When the hard drive fails, I want to be able to replace it and just keep it running until it is time to buy a new laptop.
Centralized storage - It is so easy just filling your computer with junk. Now I have a centralized storage facility where I can dump all the extra stuff and free some space on my working machine.
Source repository - I've needed a backed up repository for my source for a long time. Local file system based repository just doesn't cut it anymore. I need the safety of backups.
Continuous integration - I will install CC.NET on the server to make sure that all of my source in the repository compiles and that my tests runs green.
Acceptance testing - I will use my server to test out Mint, just to fix "works on my machine" related bugs. Hopefully I will be able to automate deployment directly from CC.NET. We'll see how that plays out.
What would you use a home server for?