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 What comes to mind when you think of a server? Probably a large, bulky PC (or a bunch of them) crammed into a closet or a room somewhere. Those computers can be loud, will generate a lot of heat, and can drink energy like someone knocking back ice water on hot summer day.
For most home computer users, turning a desktop computer into a server can be overkill. Sure, you can look at computer that are smaller, say the size of the famed Mac Mini. Even that's kind of big.
But can you go any smaller? Definitely! By turning to a plug computer
Plug computer?
These are small computers that are designed to be dedicated servers. They're small -- literally able to fit into the palm of your hand -- and lack a number of frills like a video card and pack minimal internal storage. You need to rely on USB flash drives for storage.
Plug computers are meant to always be on, but they draw very little power. When idle, the typical plug computer uses around 2 watts of power. When in use, they usually draw around 7 or 8 watts. They're definitely not going to add much to your electricity bill!
As far as the operating system goes, most plug computers run one Linux distribution or another. It's possible to run other operating systems -- like FreeBSD (a popular UNIX-like operating system) and Windows CE -- on them.
 You're probably thinking This thing doesn't have a video card. How the heck am I supposed to access and administer it? Plug computers have a network adapter built-in, which you plug into your network router or wireless router. From there, you connect over the network or via wifi. But don't think that because the computer is running Linux you'll have to deal with the command line. You won't. Many plug computers have a stripped down graphical user interface or run a small Web server that enables you to interact with files and services using a series of Web pages.
In case you're wondering about the name plug computer, some of these devices actually plug directly into a wall socket, the plug portion of the name usually refers to plug and play.
How people use them
 For a device this small, a plug computer is quite flexible. First and foremost, a plug computer is a server. Many people use plug computers as file servers, not just to store files but to share them across a home network. Others use them to stream media and to share photos and video.
Many plug computers pack software that enables people to create their own clouds. You can do file sharing, access applications like a journal or a desktop information manager, and manage torrent downloads. You can also install third-party server software, like the popular Amahi, to further expand the features and capabilities of a plug computer.
What's on the market
Since popping up in 2009, plug computers have have carved out a small but unique niche in the server world. Plug computers are still seen as being a bit of a geeky tool, but they're expected to make more inroads in the home computing world.
 The number of plug computers available is limited but growing. The better ones on the market include TonidoPlug, a $99 (USD) device that acts as a powerful file server. CloudPlug ($200 USD) is designed for smaller businesses and provides the ability to backup and share files as well as synchronize data across a network. PogoPlug ($99 USD) is similar to TonidoPlug, enabling you to share files and multimedia even to smartphones. The GuruPlug, which will set you back about $129 (USD) is not only a typical plug computer but it also has an interface to home automation devices.
Summing up
Plug computers are a relatively new but very interesting and exciting technology. They bring the power and flexibility of a server to the home user, but do it with a price and a form factor that that wouldn't have been possible even a few years ago.
Sure, they're not for everyone. But if you're looking for an alternative to using that bulky PC as your home server then a plug computer is definitely worth a look. |
