Hoookay...

I'm currently putting together a small network between my computers (Desktop, Laptop, and fileserver) and my brother's computer. The main purpose of the network is so that my brother can access a load of films that I have stored and various other files that he might want to use. I'm currently storing everything on the fileserver (Anyone remember the Ghetto computer?) and sharing the various folders over the network. But, my parents aren't too happy about me leaving it on all the time and it does get annoying sometimes.

What I want is a system that turns off the fileserver when there are no other computers turned on in the network, and then can turn on the fileserver when its needed using Wake-On-LAN or the like. I've tested the fileserver for Wake-On-LAN-ability and all seems fine. What I want is to be able for the command to be sent automatically when a computer is turned on, and then whenever a computer is shut down, checks to see if there are any other computers turned on (by pinging them or something like that) and if there aren't, shut down the fileserver.

Make sense? No?

Think of it like people going in and out of a room. When the first person comes in they turn on the light (the fileserver). If any more people come in the see that the light is already turned on and don't need to bother turning it on. If someone leaves then they check to see if anyone else is in the room and leave the light on if there are. If there aren't then they turn the light off as they leave.

Make sense now? Yes?

Does anyone know a way in which I could accomplish this?

umm...you can use cmd command shutdown over network if you know the PC's name, but you need to have sufficient privileges over them i believe

Otherwise, NAS is your best bet, far simpler to set up, and makes more sense really since its only the storage aspect you need, although if your not wanting to spend any money you caninvestigate the cmd command and see if you can get it to work

Hire a dwarf to switch the thing on and off by calling him?

"Switch it on Shorty!"