FTP Server: Rumpus Or Crush

[MIKEROPHONICS]

Dear All

Mobile me, nice as it is just doesn't cut the mustard - so with digidelivery no longer really a viable option, I ma thinking of setting up my own ftp server.

Does anyone have any experience with Crush or Rumpus? I am leaning towards Rumpus rather heavily - but as always would like to solicit others experience.

Before anyone pips in with drop box or you send it, no thanks - can't bear either (especially drop box)

many thanks

[reichman]

I suppose Rumpus would make a better client front-end, but communicating via HTML or FTP is pretty crude. We did a project recently which didn't require a sexy client front-end (only the sound team was accessing the server), and we used AFP. This was great, because it felt like any external hard drive, and we were able to use tools like Chronosync to keep large Pro Tools sessions up-to-date in different studios. This was on a NAS, but if I did it again, I would use a Mac mini server.

I also use MobileMe extensively, but my biggest problems with it are a lack of separate password-protected client areas. Why do you think it's lacking mustard?

[Pirate Post]

I have a working DigiDelivery LT server and as a backup I set up an FTP on a MiniMac in my studio. First with Crush then settled on Rumpus. Both are good, Rumpus is prettier to look at.

Recently purchased a 5 bay DS1511+Synology NAS with 5-3TB drives that has FTP capabilities. Currently only using it as a redundant backup for my 8 bay Drobo but the Synology has FTP capabilities that I have yet to tap. Really happy with the Synology.

Also I'm investigating the technology at www.storageDNA.com

[EarHole]

We've been using Rumpus for a few years and have been happy with it. If you can network to your "server", an old studio g4 in our case, it makes uploads so fast. Downloads for the client are dependent on your connection speed. We went with a t3 line for that machine.

[MIKEROPHONICS]

I have a 50mb fibre connection (down) and 1.6 mb up (soon to go to 5mb).

Mobile me got very grumpy recently with a 1.7GB transfer that was time critical for a source connect session with LA. I had used source zip pro - which I love, despite its mac to mac limitation, and this failed for some reason. I had to use a plain vanilla zip in the end and Andy's ftp server. Due to the heat of battle I never chased up what went wrong.
I also find mobile me very slow and the password protection thing is a bit of a worry for some clients.

One of my clients (a large european satellite broadcaster) has a painfully slow ftp server - as it is behind so many firewalls.

I have vpn access to their sound suites and can tunnel in via afp to their pro tools macs to be able to use synchronise x - but again that is slow due to their network, and I tend to do this at night only when the cooperate orifice bods have gone home. These are the only people that have to sync with as I am a single studio entity.

I would like to do my uploads to a machine on my network via gigabit ethernet and let the client do the download at their leisure.

I have a spare macbook that I can use or a pc laptop. I am more tempted to use the mac due to the ease of networking and security in generally.

I have been thinking also of getting a synology NAS as a network backup of my pt drives and wondered about its ftp capabilities. The lazy part of me also considered getting an airport extreme and a usb drive.

cheers

[MIKEROPHONICS]

Peter

I checked out storageDNA.com, but it went slightly over my head.


cheers

[Frank Kruse]

One side-note. While rumpus might be nicer to look at with a browser most of the browser-based front-ends have a maximum file-size limitation of 2GB so you won´t get around a "real" FTP-client for larger transfers.
I put my server (DD-GT) into a computing centre. Just paying for the rackspace and direct connection to their 1Gbit/s (up and down!) back-bone. No bottleneck. Also very cost effective and more relieable compared to a super-fast local line. I haven´t physically touched or seen my server in 3 years now. Has been running 24/7.

Frank.

[MIKEROPHONICS]

Hi Frank

I did like the digidelivery service, I made ESPN buy one for their suites I ran and it has been very successful.
I thought Aspera were bailing on this technology? What happens when we all move to Snow Lion (or whatever the next OSX is called)? I am not keen on unsupported tech - but i suppose I do run a pro control and fader pack.....

I was unaware of the 2Gb file size limit - I will check this out. Thanks for the heads up. Does this apply to using an ftp client as well?

cheers

[Frank Kruse]

Originally Posted by MIKEROPHONICS

Hi Frank

I did like the digidelivery service, I made ESPN buy one for their suites I ran and it has been very successful.
I thought Aspera were bailing on this technology? What happens when we all move to Snow Lion (or whatever the next OSX is called)? I am not keen on unsupported tech - but i suppose I do run a pro control and fader pack.....

I´ve asked the same question over in the DD-section of this forum. Don´t have an answer yet. Aspera decided not to provide a unibersal client via the DD website so sooner or later new clients that run 10.7 and are taken to the Aspera site won´t be able to obtain a working client.
I´ve looked into the DD-faspex offer and also SmartJog but neither offer the same functionality and price efficiency that DD has done for me so to keep my current speed and covenience specs It would mean a massive investment/month. I am willing to pay for such a service in general but more money for a slower service is not very tempting at the moment.

I´m really hesitant to go the FTP-route since it´s sensitve to packet losses and slower than DD, SmartJog, faspex and other specialized file-distribution systems. FTP has no notification system and FTP folder tend to get VERY messy over time and need serious maintenance unlike DD.

Still thinking what to do. At the moment the fact that 10.7 is going to drop rosetta is just a rumour I think but it´s unlikely that apple will support rosetta for ever so sooner or later DD will be dead for sure. It´s a shame that aspera never released the "new" (actually at least 2 years old) beta-client.

Originally Posted by MIKEROPHONICS

I was unaware of the 2Gb file size limit - I will check this out. Thanks for the heads up. Does this apply to using a ftp client as well?

cheers

No, this only applies to up/downloads via a browser, AFAIK.

[Vedat]

We have been running Pure Ftpd, a free solution: http://www.pureftpd.org/project/pure-ftpd
on a G4 for 6 years now. Never had a problem, solid as a rock.
It does not have a front end though, needs to work with a client.