running my own web/ftp server?

How dependable is running a linux PC server out of one's home for web
documents, remote ftp, etc.? I am frustrated to say the least at my
current hosting company (lunarpages.com)-- it all has been great for
several years, but this year they farmed out their tech support to the
Pacific Rim (India, etc) and it is frustrating whether by phone or
email to try to get tech support; I would like to say the tech support
are idiots but I know it is more a language barrier issue. They never
seem to understand what I need done when I request addon domains,
redirects, subdomains, etc, which I sometimes need help on when their
control panel does not do the job.

Sigh. Well, I am contemplating setting up a spare PC linux static ip
server in my home, for serving up webpages and files, sftp (just for
me), ssh, etc. The primary use is for materials I use in teaching
college for students to access. Nothing commercial per se. So I am
wondering if I set that up, how automated would it run, how much
maintenance would I need to do, how frequent of backups. Since the
server PC would be in my home, part of my LAN, could I perhaps
configure some sort of mirroring program to automate the backup over
the network to my other PC? Any considerations regarding hardware--
e.g. I have heard somwhere to go with a slower older PC perhaps that
does not even need a fan on the CPU so such a fan could not stop
running and ruin the pc.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: running my own web/ftp server?
    ... current hosting company -- it all has been great for ... but this year they farmed out their tech support to the ... and it is frustrating whether by phone or ... server PC would be in my home, part of my LAN, could I perhaps ...
    (alt.os.linux)
  • Re: running my own web/ftp server?
    ... documents, remote ftp, etc.? ... but this year they farmed out their tech support to the ... and it is frustrating whether by phone or ... server PC would be in my home, part of my LAN, could I perhaps ...
    (alt.os.linux)
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