Raspberry as a Server

Angello Reid wrote:

 

but I'm wondering if there is a limit of usage in case if I leave it working 24/7.

root@raspberry-pi:~# uptime

11:22:27 up 62 days, 16:19,  3 users,  load average: 0.16, 0.05, 0.06

Obviously conditions vary, and depending on what your ambient temp is and what load you put it under etc your results may be different. However I've not had any problems as yet.

I've had my model b rev 2 running for over a fortnight without issue, but i do a daily sudo apt-get update followed by a reboot, I will be trying out the samba wiki / tutorial.

Just wondering how you all keep your pi's up to date or are ye simply updating and not rebooting?

Is the reboot a habit i've developed from years of windows OS's???

I've had my model b rev 2 running for over a fortnight without issue, but i do a daily sudo apt-get update followed by a reboot, I will be trying out the samba wiki / tutorial.

Just wondering how you all keep your pi's up to date or are ye simply updating and not rebooting?

Is the reboot a habit i've developed from years of windows OS's???

You'd only really require a reboot for a kernel or firmware change. Everything else is just an app that can be restarted.

Even then, unless your Pi is specifically vulnerable (un-firewalled public ip address maybe?) then there's probably no need for daily reboots.

Rebooting for every update is a windows bad habit. Unfortunately necessary for windows. Even so, MS only releases updates once a month so daily would be excessive.

In a different, non-RPi, context I have a machine currently showing

20:02pm  up 587 days  0:29,  0 users,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

Oh, and I keep my Pi up to date by compiling everything from source, so 'up to date' is a somewhat relative term. I'm likely several steps ahead in certain areas while having a fixed, out of date, version of something else where compatibility or not having a distro do something stupid behind my back is an issue. YMMV, I don't expect what works for me is suitable for anyone else.

@quiggers: apt-get update will only refresh your package list, to actually bring the software up to date you need to apt-get upgrade

then a reboot is sometimes needed but actually rarely. constant reboots are indeed a windows practice, but I found myself not rebooting my windows as often as I should, and rebooting my linux more often  than I need because I find it more convenient than manually restarting some services or resetting part or the whole of the network stack.

EDIT: fixed a typo.

@OP: save for the network chip overheating on some rev1 already mentionned, the answer to your question is not really straight forward. The best is "under reasonable condition it probably won't overheat".

I've had my rev1 board on for days and days and it would be barely feel warm by touch (meaning the temperature is slightly higher than that of skin probably less than 40C) if also depends on the ambient condition and the workload. If you're webserving the network chip will warm up, if you are playing HD video then the video core will, if you are recompiling the whole distro from source then the CPU will probably join the dance.

That being said even if you are overheating, damage will either happen instantly or after a couple years of abuse (not a science fact, just personal experience) Active cooling never really hurts check with the coolerguys they carry small fans operating at 5V. you can probably power them from the same source you power the Pi, just don't power them FROM the Pi

ref http://www.coolerguys.com/fans.html

also just for fun : http://simbimbo.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/time-to-light-the-fires-and-kick-the-tires/