Complex office networking (server, imac, macbooks, iphones and TVs)

[Nxr]

Hello everybody!

I've been wanting for some time now to change my office (and home) network. And I think its about time I do it. I have some money to spend on it and I'll probably go for it as soon as I make my mind with this problem.

So I need some things, first and most important a server that would be running all day, probably with a RAID that should hold all my media and files. That server should share seamlessly a couple of folder to other macs in the network. As far as this goes I now theres no problem.

I'd also like to have the same configurations in all the macs, like if I backuped one macbook and restored in another one, not just iCal, etc. I wouldn't really need the imac to sync this way, but I'd like to if theres no hard issues (that's why I'm moving to mac in the first place). As a note, these machines wouldn't have any movies or music in their drives, so they should be pretty light. But, if this is possible, would there be a chance to sync everything except some folders? ie picture folder in my users account (there has to be some local things lol). Is there anything that saves a "backup" when shutting down on the server, and restore it if needed when booting? I'd be most probably only using one of the macbooks, so I could boot up a little 13incher when i need to go out, let it get the updates from the server and then leave. Is this what time capsule is all about?

The server has to be connected wirelessly to various TVs, so I can stream video on them. I've read something about DLNA that could just be it? I need to buy the TVs anyway so I could make sure they have this... but is there another solution? (I don't want an apple tv in every tv or a mac connected to them on wire).

I believe syncing the iphones is easy pie, any advice anyway?

Is airport any good?


So in conclusion: A server that should share/stream to tvs and share folders to macs around seamlessly once configured. Macs that should all have the same configs when I boot them up, with no or little interaction by me.


Thanks a lot for your help! I know it's a bunch of text!

[MacsWork]

Not sure where you are located but,.....

Apple Apple Consultants Network

No one is going to effectively answer all you questions on this forum.

[Nxr]

Thank you, I will have a look at that. Guess I could drive to some apple reseller too, but they are pretty far :X (no apple stores here).

Cheers