Retiring multipurpose Mac to server duties only - what to keep, what to remove?

Hardware
1

Hi, I have a base model M1 Mac mini that is my full time, multipurpose Mac, serving as my primary desktop computer, Plex server, SecuritySpy camera server, Carbon Copy Cloner remote destination for my wife and kids’ backups over the network, Backblaze source for off site backups for the mini itself as well as attached external drives that serve as the destination for the previously mentioned CCC network backups, etc.

Anyway, I plan on using the mini just as a server and backups and making a Macbook Pro my primary computer for everything else

So, aside from the obvious things I need to keep on the mini to allow it to continue to run Plex, SecuritySpy, CCC, backblaze, etc. I’m wondering if there’s anything else I should keep on it?

And along the same lines, what all can I and should I remove from it?

I need to still stay signed into iCloud right? I don’t really need iMessage on it, Apple Music, etc. but I imagine I’ll need to be signed into the App Store for any app updates, etc.

Anyway, if someone has done something similar any advice on how best to make the mini as low maintenance as possible would be greatly appreciated.

2

I’d sign out of any service I didn’t need and remove any large apps if I needed the room. An M1 could probably handle file serving for a few hundred (or more) people, so you should be golden, IMO.

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4

The Macbook Pro would be my primary Mac after sending the mini off to server pastures

6

Photos without optimised storage to allow backup of all of your photos to Backblaze

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7

Getting back up and running fast is not mission critical for me, so I think keeping the mini redundant would be more hassle than it’s worth

8

That’s a good point I hadn’t thought of

9

I would enable the content caching server as well. Good for speeding up updates and app installs.

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10

I also have Homebridge running on the mini, so it will be serving that as well

Gonna try scrypted as well

Just remebered that I’ll need either Screens or something like AnyDesk on the mini to access it remotely (if I move it from my desktop and move it into my audio/video rack

11

You may also need a dummy HDMI plug to convince the mini to run at a reasonable resolution if rubbing headless.

12

Yup have that ready in case I go headless