So, assume I have:
- More Windows PC's than you can shake a stick at
- An international private cloud colocated in major internet exchanges, based primarily around Windows Server 2008 R2. I have dedicated recent servers I could throw at this task if necessary, ideally though the software to make it happen would reside on one of my older servers (~2008-era dual-quad Xeons) which would then be replicated across datacentres for redundancy.
- A few iPads (though I can wait for WOA, not got a lot of time for Android TBH)
- A couple of Windows Phone 7's
Unfortunately I have a few issues with iTunes Match, which was my kinda-hopeful solution. First there's the iTunes thing. Second, there's the Apple-only thing. Then there's the iTunes device limit per account. Then there's the speed of uploading unmatched files, which is truly abysmal, and ludicrous - especially since I can simply walk into any of my colo's, stick a disc filled with my entire library onto one of the server I can allocate to the task and just copy it all onto a SAN in minutes. And of course, there's the 256K AAC thing (actually it's not a big deal especially as it'll be used while on the move, but lacking the option for higher is a potential issue).
I'm wondering if there's an option, or whether I throw the towel in, take the compromises and drastically shift my stuff around so that I can lie back in the warm zombifying embrace of Appledom.
I would really like to be able to access my music anywhere from all my devices, have the ability to stream it in either 'web friendly' or download it piecemeal in original Lossless / high-res form. I would like the front end to be either 'full' MC, or at least something along the lines of iTunes - i.e. not a particularly 'dumbed down' interface in the manner of e.g. Spotify. I'd like to make changes to the library on any machine, which then gets propagated to any other accessing machine. Buying additional software not a huge issue, but custom development is something I'd like to avoid - I still have nightmares over the half-functional middleware transcoder I commissioned.
I do have also more than a few Macs, and while they're not important in the long term it would also be nice if I could have the same options as the above without resorting to Boot Camp, which I think is only for masochists (or the committed Apple-worshipper, which I'm not).
Is it even anywhere near possible? If so, where would you start?
