Server or no server?

[cometdad2010]

I'm looking at upgrading all the computers in the house and switching to an all-Mac setup; before, it was mixed. After poking around on eBay, I won a late-model Mac Pro AND a Mac Mini Server (I didn't expect to win both). So now I have a few options...advice? Here are the specs:

Network Setup
Airport Extreme router w/ Mac Mini Server and 2TB External HD for Time Machine

Mini Specs: 2.4Ghz Dual core, 1TB 5400 RPM HDD, 4GB RAM, 512MB VRAM​

Mac Pro with firewire 800 to a 1TB External HD for Media (iPhoto library, iTunes) and seperate partition on the external for iMovie -- videos are only edited on this computer

Mac Pro Specs: 2.8 GHz Dual core x 2, 500GB 720RPM HDD, 4GB RAM, 1GB VRAM​

Two very lightly used Macbook Pros (wife and daughter)

Not yet purchased​

So my question is, what benefits would I get out of having the server? I already share Address Book and iCal over the network, and I don't need multiple user accounts for any of the computers (we all have our own). Should I resell the mini server (it's still unopened), or is there a benefit I'm overlooking?

 

[JTR7]

Open Directory would be useful if you wanted to access your files from other computers. IE, you usually use the Mac Pro, but for a change you decided to sit on the couch and use your wife's MBP. You could log in with your username and password and access all your files, but that's easily accomplished without the server.

You could also use the server to push updates to all your computers so your network only has to download each update once.

If you wanted a small website, you could use the server (depending on your ISP).

You could assign permissions with the server, so if your daughter has to use your MP she would be assigned the same priveleges she has on her laptop (depending on your daughter's age and whether or not she'll be the administrator for her own laptop).

You could set the server up as a Time Machine target if you wanted, although if you're already using the AEBS for that, there's little point.

If I was you, I'd be ditching the server, selling it back on eBay.

 

[cometdad2010]

My wife has a small website that we are currently in the process of getting up and running, but we just signed a 1-year hosting contract.

I think my original suspicions are confirmed -- I'm going to go ahead and sell it. With more computers, or hosting the site ourselves, etc. it may make sense, but right now it's just not necessary. Maybe down the road