What is the best way to run an in-home minecraft server

[Charlie1999]

Ive been thinking recently how i could buy a hp proliant server and run a 24/7 Minecraft server on it. I think this will be a great opportunity for me as i persue a career in the computing industry.
I would like to know the Pros and Cons of running a server in home.

- Would i make enough money to pay for it?
- How long would this take?
- Are they unreliable?
- Will i need a firewall to prevent people accessing my files?
- Is it even possible?
- How long would it take to setup a server?
- What ammount of ram would be needed and how many Cpu's?

I hope someone can tell me what i would need, and what is best for what Im trying to do. I am not the most techy person but i do know basic things about computers in general.

Regards

 

[Mrweatha]

- Would i make enough money to pay for it?

Yes, only if people donate though. The new Minecraft EULA states that charging real cash for in-game currencies or items that can change the way the game is played are forbidden, so if you wanted that going for you, that's out.


- How long would this take?

If you plan on living off the money solely from the server, it could take a while (1-2 years) I've been running one for half a year,and I can barely get $25 off it (a month).

- Are they unreliable?

They are prone to getting hit by DDoS or denial-of-service, which closes down the server for as long as they attack you, and could be a bit slower depending on RAM.

- Will i need a firewall to prevent people accessing my files?

If you planning on running a big server, firewalls could work but I would invest on DDoS protection on your router.

- Is it even possible?

Yes, it is possible since I host one myself.

- How long would it take to setup a server?

If you are planning on having a vanilla (no mods/plugins) server then it shouldn't take long at all (a week max). If you do plan on having 1-25 plugins, it'll take you a bit (about a month, 3 months max). If you want to have a server filled with plugins (25+ plugins), it'll take you a long time (3-4 months, a year max)

- What ammount of ram would be needed and how many Cpu's?

Not sure about CPUs but RAM depends on how much you want to host:

Up to 12 players (vanilla) you'll need 512 MB.
Up to 25 players (vanilla) you'll need 1 GB.
Up to 40 players (vanilla) you'll need 2 GB.
Up to 50 players (vanilla) you'll need 3 GB.
Up to 65 players (vanilla) you'll need 4 GB.
Up to 80 players (vanilla) you'll need 5 GB.
Up to 100 and over (vanilla) you'll need 6-8 GB.

If you want plugins, it's double.