OS X Client on Xserve?

[MoparShaha]

I'm setting up an Xserve, and for my use, I think running OS X client would be a lot simpler than OS X Server. I've read conflicting reports of whether OS X client will install on an Xserve. Does anyone know definitively if it will?

[edesignuk]

I know this isn't answering the question, but if you wanted to run OS X Client, why didn't you just buy a regular PowerMac?

Just curious :)

[MoparShaha]

It's actually not mine. I'm setting it up for a school lab, and they just need really basic AFP sharing and DHCP routing. They bought it over a year ago, and no one knew how to set it up, so it's been sitting new in it's box since then (don't ask me why they bought it). I tried to setup OS X Server, and it just seemed really complicated. What I could have done in OS X client in a matter of minutes is taking much longer in the server version. I don't need to setup Open Directory and all that other stuff, I basically want to share some shares and have the machine act as a router.

Since I posted this though, I've discovered that OS X client only allows up to 10 users access at a time through AFP, which will not do. So, it's a moot point, as I need more than 10 users. So I guess I'll trod along in OS X Server. I'm still curious though if the Xserve is limited to just OS X Server.

[MisterMe]

It's actually not mine. I'm setting it up for a school lab, and they just need really basic AFP sharing and DHCP routing. They bought it over a year ago, and no one knew how to set it up, so it's been sitting new in it's box since then (don't ask me why they bought it). I tried to setup OS X Server, and it just seemed really complicated. What I could have done in OS X client in a matter of minutes is taking much longer in the server version. I don't need to setup Open Directory and all that other stuff, I basically want to share some shares and have the machine act as a router.

Since I posted this though, I've discovered that OS X client only allows up to 10 users access at a time through AFP, which will not do. So, it's a moot point, as I need more than 10 users. So I guess I'll trod along in OS X Server. I'm still curious though if the Xserve is limited to just OS X Server.An Xserve is still a Mac. It is designed to be set-up by people who have no experience with servers. Just accept the defaults when you encounter choices that you don't understand. MacOS X Server is not a different OS. It is MacOS X with extra functionality. You can most certainly install MacOS X Server on a regular Mac. Whether this means that you can also install MacOS X on an Xserve, I don't know. It would be stupid to do so, but my guess is that you can do it if you want.

[Mertzen]

There should be quite a few manuals in that box .. and if not you can get loads of material to set up services at apple.com ..

[MacNeXT]

Well, the Xserve tech spec PDF doesn't mention Mac OS X. Also, the Panther hardware requirements do not list the Xserve. I think that -technically- there is nothing that would keep Mac OS X from running on an Xserve.

But: Either way, I think Apple does not support, certify or encourage it. Their Xserve tech people are probably purely trained to deal with Mac OS X Server, and a Mac OS X/Xserve is probably not tested for stability. So for that reason I think it's possible the Mac OS X installer will simply halt with an "Unsupported hardware" message.

[5300cs]

It's actually not mine. I'm setting it up for a school lab, and they just need really basic AFP sharing and DHCP routing. They bought it over a year ago, and no one knew how to set it up, so it's been sitting new in it's box since then (don't ask me why they bought it). I tried to setup OS X Server, and it just seemed really complicated. What I could have done in OS X client in a matter of minutes is taking much longer in the server version. I don't need to setup Open Directory and all that other stuff, I basically want to share some shares and have the machine act as a router.

Setting up AFP is pretty easy in OS X Server. Did you install the server admin tools? There should be a CD that came with the XServe that has it (mine did.) Use the program called Server Admin- it makes it pretty simple to set things up remotely.

Setting up DHCP looks easy, but I've never done it...

[MoparShaha]

Yeah, I'm going to just sit down with the Xserve all day tomorrow and figure it all out. It's just laziness. I know I can figure it out, I just don't want to devote so much time to it. Thanks for the replies guys.