tiny webserver hardware?

Miscellaneous Forums/General Discussion/tiny webserver hardware?

I wonder if there's some kind of small device, based on flash rom as mp3 players, sd-disks, usb sticks etc., that can be used as a webserver? I want to plug it into my router.

The reason why I ask is: they realy need only a very little bit of energy, compared to a full rig. And they are also silent and relative cool.

I'd be surprised is there isn't such a thing.

EDIT already found one:
http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2653
EDIT2: correction: this one still requires a PC. You then have to plug it into the USB port to make the machine act
as a server.... guess I'd rather install a free apache on the machine...

Guess there must be more of them, no? They may also be cheap, since usb sticks are getting cheaper too.

Edit 3

found this:
http://www.jkmicro.com/products/flashtcp.html
Still big and it sounds a little too complicated to me. Borland compiler? Why do I need that one?

EDIT 4
now this one is looking cute:
http://www.embedded-computing.com/news/db/?6572
And i have the choice to use the ready to use web server, or try to code something in c++ on an ARM processor, as it seems. Looks really nice IMHO, and best of all the whole kit is only 49$.

yeah they had an interesting use for a small webserver here:

http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/episodes/3996/Tom_Green_South_by_Southwest_Chris_Gore.html

Have a look at these...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumstix

I'd have bought one of these but the postage costs are way too high:
https://www.pegasosppc.com/store.php?category=19

http://www.mini-itx.com/store/?c=2#epia

I get my ITX stuff from linuxshoppen.dk - which is probably only a solution if you happen to live in Denmark.

How about buying one of these

http://www.linksys.co.uk/acatalog/NSLU2.html

and tweak it...

http://www.nslu2-linux.org/

I stumbled across this a few months back.. never seriously looked into it as I dont have the need but it sure looks like it would do what you want.

[Edit]
Just had a look at the site again.. go to the sucess stories page and its pretty impressive what people are using it for....
FTP server, file server, email server, automatic backups of other PC's, music streaming, web servers ( MySql/Apache/php )... one even has set one up for his missus so when she plugs in a digi-camera it automatically copies the files and beeps when it is done.

Im tempted to get one just to play around with it !

[/Edit]

NSLU2 is indeed very impressive, particularly for the price (if you already have a decent size usb memory stick, or better still an external usb hd).

Very Very easy to reflash (just make sure you have a crossover ethernet cable... very handy if it goes wrong).

I have one which is running UnSlung, and currently hosts apache, mysql, php (for development) and subversion for source control. All on a totally silent little black and silver box.


If you fancy something a bit bigger, have a look at this...
http://excito.com/products.html
Ordering one myself next month once they get the next batch built :)