Why? Set up a Linux server computer on a home network if:
- You want to run code that takes a long time to complete. Let it run on the server computer so you can use your main computer for other things.
- Your main computer is low on storage space. Upload all data files to the server and you can run analysis on the server remotely, e.g. from a laptop while you sit on your couch.
- You want a server specifically for Linux (e.g. for bioinformatics or programming purposes), whereas your main computer is Windows or MacOS.
Who? This tutorial is intended for computer-savvy people with enough patience and knowledge to troubleshoot their own computer by searching the internet for error codes and following instructions. Ideally, you should have some programming experience (beginner level in any language is enough) and know about terminals or command prompt windows, but you can learn what you need as you go. This is a great hands-on way to learn to use Linux. Expert Linux knowledge is not a prerequisite.
What? Ubuntu Desktop 24.04.x LTS "Noble Numbat" (or the latest version), OpenSSH for server capabilities, RStudio server, and Jupyter Lab. Ubuntu is a specific version of Linux.
Cost? All the software is free. For hardware, you need the following:
