I want to use Ubuntu Server for learning purposes. Of course I won't buy a server for that so I wonder if I can install it on a laptop and then connect to it through local network or ssh. Is that possible?
3 Answers
A laptop can actually be a quite good small home server or a small machine to learn on. You dont need to occupy screens, keyboards and other things you might need to set up a regular server. The main drawback is power. But if it's just for learning purposes then I think is brilliant.
If you really want to have some fun. Ubuntu Server is quite small, so why not virtualize, maximize your hardware's potential and have multiple Servers. There are many Virtualization application OpenVZ, Xen, VMPlayer and vSphere Hypervisor. All which are free.
Once you have a few Ubuntu Servers running you can experiment with joining them in a cluster of your choice. Like using SingleSignOn, or joining a Windows Domain(that's always fun). Setup your Server as a NAS or Media Server.
Your possibilities are endless. Ubuntu Server Capabilities
1You don't even need an entire laptop - you can buy a cheap RasperryPi and install Ubuntu on that. It won't be particularly powerful - but can be great for basic learning.
There's a guide here on installed Ubuntu on a RasperryPi.
