Interesting. The reason why I went to such a relatively powerful machine is because I had too many issues running AHP (with the VA12a) on a Toshiba laptop (1.3ghz, 1g ram, 100g hdd). It would bring the laptop down to its knees - to the point where I couldn't even start another application. I was surprised at first, but moved my machines around anyway. I now use the laptop as my Lola server, which is connected to my audio system and has all my music.
After futher debugging AHP, I realized that the VA12a driver was so buggy with multiple memory leaks that I removed video all together from AHP configuration and downgraded to AHP 2.28, which is what I'm running on this machine now.
I neglected to mention that I also have a video surveillance (DVR) client application running on this machine all the time. This client is connected to a networked DVR (higher level than the PC since it runs off of a switch, where the router which connects the PC is.) Because the DVR client for my cell phone is very unreliable, when I use LogMeIn, I can also see my DVR client app on the same AHP machine to see everything around the house (from my cell).
I also have multiple firewalls (1 at the main router level, 1 at the PC's subnet level (a wi-fi router), and 1 at the PC level - software based). I've had many "xmas tree" attacks to my subnet recently, so I'm trying to figure out what might be causing it.
As for my network layout, I do share connections among machines because I have a shared printer, shared backup, shared music library, and multiple clients (each family member has a computer + children's friends when they visit.) I have two subnets (essentially 2 wi-fi networks off of the aforementioned switch.)