How to Setup a BTRFS File Server with VPN / VM Windows Server Essentials?

Operating Systems & Open Source Linux
1

I had originally built a file server running Rockstor, and it was awesome, but extremely unnecessary for my use, so I sold it to the small business I work for for cost. I'm new to Linux, so anything done in the terminal needs to be spelled out...

They obviously have a different set of needs for it, and it has to get done this weekend... Our office manager set me up with another IT guy, but he sucks at Linux too. I figured we could at least bang our heads against the wall and get SOMETHING up and running. Apparently Networking IT Technician is a broad term because my cousin does the same thing for TVA and also knows nothing about Linux...

It needs to have:

  • BTRFS in Raid5 or 10 through the 4x 3TB WD Reds. (already in place with Rockstor)
  • Samba sharing (already in place with Rockstor)
  • OpenVPN access for employees and SOS offsite backup solutions.
  • Dual-boot to Windows Server Essentials to run E2 in a Windows environment on a separate partition of the SSD.
  • Weekly on-site backup to the old NAS.

It's currently running Rockstor on the SSD with software RAID5 / Samba sharing and THAT works brilliantly, but the OpenVPN "rock on" won't work, and I'm a fish out of water on the headless terminal. If we could use the current setup and gpart the SSD as is for WSE/VMWare, that would save a TON of time. <--- but while I know what needs to be done, I have no idea how to do it on a headless Redhat based kernel. I'm open to other Linux flavors, but it HAS to be stable and you HAVE to be able to explain how to get done what needs to be done, because Ubuntu is the only thing with any documentation to speak of and I don't have time on Saturday to get stuck in a rut. This is not the thread to recommend the newest flavor of whatever and give no explanation as to why or how to do what I need to do.

Also, I'm going to back it up to the old NAS on Friday before we do anything, but most of it already exists from the last time I backed it up, so what EXACTLY do I type on the headless server to rsync the [LocalServerIP] to [LocalOldNasIP], because I can't afford to screw that up! If nobody can help with the setup, this at least would save a TON of time Friday and keep me from having to check in on it several times after hours.

Thanks in advance...

Server Specs:

Xeon E3 1231 v3
ASRock H97 mATX
16GB DDR3-1600 Mushkin Blackline Ram
120GB Samsung 850 Evo
4x 3TB WD Red
Seasonic 550w PSU
Nanoxia Deep Silence mATX Case
GT 9500 (for setup and headless access)
Currently running Rockstor (redhat-based NAS OS)

2

It would make more sense to virtualize Windows instead of dual booting to minimize down time. Xen or KVM would work.

3

For documentation I'd recommend also checking out the arch wiki for reference, since it might contain more technical info compared to the ubuntu docs... Just remember to adapt the correct commands for redhat/fedora. (a lot of commands are the same, just don't go copy-pasting!)

[lotsofspam]
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Full_system_backup_with_rsync
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Btrfs
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/RAID
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Samba
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Openvpn
[/lotsofspam]

4

The guy I'm working with basically wants to install WSE and virtualize Rockstor with VMWare, which would work and keep us both in the Windows comfort zone... But is that advisable being that the file server is the main use of the hardware and needs to maintain a saturated gigabit connection? I was wanting to keep it based in Linux with a virtualized Windows since the Windows portion is REALLY only going to be used to serve one program to the end users.

5

I would run Linux bare metal and virtualize Windows with KVM. It is built into the Linux kernel so you already have it.

6

I ended up just setting up a Cygwin SSH on my desktop and installed Gnome on the RHEL7 base of Rockstor... installed all the virtualization packages, openVPN, etc... we can set it up tomorrow on the GUI and not have to deal with the headless server... also, we can keep Rockstor intact this way and the Samba share remains intact... I rsynced the server to the slave old NAS and set it up to backup on-site weekly.

It won't be as efficient in the end but it'll make it bearable to work on it as I can pull up tutorials in Firefox next to the terminal... fairly confident we'll get it done tomorrow... thanks for your input