Starting From The Ground Up

[jmanderson10]

Just wanted to say hello. I have been slowly building some pieces of home automation and the bug has bitten me and I am going to take the plunge. I have been reading on the forums for a few weeks to get my planning ready and had a quick question for the experienced users.

I currently am using a Vera unit for a few z-wave devices just as a trial, have recently installed a couple of IP cams, and have a Synology NAS as a media server and for backup. From what I have read it sounds like people like dedicated machines for the HS software. So if I am right are people running multiple machines 24 hours a day? For example a dedicated NVR for security, a dedicated box for homeseer, and then potentially a separate storage server. The alternative being a monster server functioning as all three.

I am sure there are a thousand ways to do this but I was just curious before I start buying components.

Thanks and I am already getting so obsessed with this and feel TOTALLY over my head. I love it.

[BrunDog]

Yes, we run 24hr boxes for HS, but you don't need much HP for it. Likewise if it is a file server you don't need lots of CPU. Add a weather station and you can still get by with yesteryear's tech. Now, if you do IP camera motion detection and recording, that's a different story: bust out the monster or go multiple dedicated boxes.

Have fun!

-BD

[Uncle Michael]

Yes, we run 24hr boxes for HS, but you don't need much HP for it. Likewise if it is a file server you don't need lots of CPU. Add a weather station and you can still get by with yesteryear's tech. Now, if you do IP camera motion detection and recording, that's a different story: bust out the monster or go multiple dedicated boxes.

Have fun!

+1 on that - especially the part about having fun.

I have HS running on an old Dell core2duo laptop (XP Pro) that I bought used (off lease) and Windows Media Center on another core2duo tower with Win7. I have mcsSprinklers, and weather station, file server and music server software running on an Eee Box (XP Home). All run 24/7.

I'm planning to add video monitoring. That will require a real computer, though.

The main advantage of multiple boxes is that everything doesn't die if one of the boxes fails. And, it's much less likely that you will encounter a fatal error condition when you do not have multiple applications that may conflict.

Some folks are using a more powerful computer with VM to isolate functions. I'm not clear on whether that is cost effective, because low power computers are pretty inexpensive. I'm sure it makes for a neater physical setup though!

[reidfo]

Thanks and I am already getting so obsessed with this and feel TOTALLY over my head. I love it.

With that attitude you will certainly succeed in this hobby and have a great time doing it. Best of luck to you on your journey.