Anybody considering buying a mini as a web/mail server?

[debo]

I started looking at the prices of old powermacs and cubes and whatnot and realized that you could get this new computer for only a couple hundred more? Anybody else thinking of this?

[Santiago]

The thought did cross my mind, especially since the old Beige G3 I use as a server has been suffering unusual freezes with alarming regularity of late. The lack of gigabit ethernet on the Mini is a minor annoyance, though. I'm really more hoping it'll cause the price of old PowerMacs to drop by a good chunk.

[Xenious]

Yep and also to run DNS.

[maya]

Would be nice, since I have the bandwidth to spare. :)

[mim]

The lack of gigabit ethernet on the Mini is a minor annoyance, though.

This shouldn't really be a problem if you're connected to a DSL line, and are serving to 100 odd people or less.

I currently use an old G3 iMac snow for this. The G4 in the macmini is overkill for email and web serving, but the price is cheaper than what I paid for the iMac >secondhand!<. The advantage the iMac and the MacMini have over the powermac's is silence. Some of the powermac are really loud. You wouldn't want to leave one running 24/7 in your house, unless it's a big house and you've put it in the garden shed.

[neilrobinson]

The G4 in the macmini is overkill for email and web serving

i think its good if you want a mac web server, other the other hand you could also fold on it! :D you can never have to many cpu cycles to fold!

[debo]

This shouldn't really be a problem if you're connected to a DSL line, and are serving to 100 odd people or less.

I currently use an old G3 iMac snow for this. The G4 in the macmini is overkill for email and web serving, but the price is cheaper than what I paid for the iMac >secondhand!<. The advantage the iMac and the MacMini have over the powermac's is silence. Some of the powermac are really loud. You wouldn't want to leave one running 24/7 in your house, unless it's a big house and you've put it in the garden shed.

Yeah I know it's overkill but like you said, I started looking at prices and this thing is almost as cheap as the old Macs.

[devman]

yep! I just ordered one for very similar needs.

[3Memos]

How safe is it to run the mini as a server with what is essentially a laptop drive?

[maya]

How safe is it to run the mini as a server with what is essentially a laptop drive?

Considering its not a public server, the demand on the HDD is not much.

How many process are you planing for this Home Server. :)

Music, Movies, Email, Storage.

[panphage]

How safe is it to run the mini as a server with what is essentially a laptop drive?

External FW enclosure w/10k rpm sata drive inside. :D

[Chip NoVaMac]

There was a post on MacBytes that gave some insight as to the "power" behind the Mac mini. It may become a server for the home. I am already seeing some possibilities.

[snkTab]

for those of you running servers at your home, does your isp tell you that you can't use a server.

my isp sent me a nice email when i was, although i was "sharing" lots of data.

i've always wondered if I can start one again for just low-load web/email but I figure that the isp can see when people are sending request to my server.

[tersono]

I started looking at the prices of old powermacs and cubes and whatnot and realized that you could get this new computer for only a couple hundred more? Anybody else thinking of this?

Yeah, I'm currently running a Linux-based Web/mail server on an x86 box that I had hanging around, but used to run it via OS X server on an old B/W G3.

The mini makes a lot of sense as a small server, and I'm seriously planning to do just that (probably x2 in the long term . :p )

[tersono]

for those of you running servers at your home, does your isp tell you that you can't use a server.
my isp sent me a nice email when i was, although i was "sharing" lots of data.
i've always wondered if I can start one again for just low-load web/email but I figure that the isp can see when people are sending request to my server.

Depends on the ISP. I have a fairly inexpensive business account with a static IP (it costs about 30% more than the standard home account from the same company) - I figured it was worth paying the extra as:
1. I DO use it for work
2. Servers are specifically permitted by the terms of my contract with them.

Some ISP's don't like you running servers at all, and can in theory make a fuss if they catch you doing it...

[Uma888]

is it then possible to "cluster" a group of mini macs? :rolleyes: does osx support "clustering" or would we need to invest in mac os x server edition? :confused:

[Littleodie914]

Not me... That's what our super-fast kick-ass gaming PC is doing in the corner, covered with books and magazines... Thing's getting what it deserves :p

[tersono]

is it then possible to "cluster" a group of mini macs? :rolleyes: does osx support "clustering" or would we need to invest in mac os x server edition? :confused:

Yeah, should be doable with X-Grid. Alternatively there are several other clustering options available - either under OS X via third-party software (Cluster 3.0 runs on OS X now and is open source - there are a couple of commercial alternatives, too), or possibly via Linux.

[CanadaRAM]

External FW enclosure w/10k rpm sata drive inside. :D

Now there would be a waste, on a FireWire 400 bus

[DVW86]

I am currently using a G3 iMac as the family web server (PHP, MySQL, FTP...) and as my kids school computer. The ISP I'm with will allow me to have a web/mail/file server at no additional charge as long as it's for personal use. If the iMac quits in the near future a Mini will be taking it's place.

[Solafaa]

What do you mean by a "web/mail server"? how does it work?

I have no idea.

[panphage]

http://www.macminicolo.com
Someone considered it. I looked around, and the xserve colocation is actually at a great price.

[tersono]

What do you mean by a "web/mail server"? how does it work?

I have no idea.

Um - a machine that runs web (i.e. Apache) and mail (POP/IMAP/SMTP - and, in my case, webmail) servers.

Not really sure what you're asking, to be honest.

[neilrobinson]

What do you mean by a "web/mail server"? how does it work?

I have no idea.

maybe this might be what you are looking for?
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-server.htm

[DougJrS]

Um - a machine that runs web (i.e. Apache) and mail (POP/IMAP/SMTP - and, in my case, webmail) servers.

Not really sure what you're asking, to be honest.

I have basically the same question. I get the web server part but I don't really understand the email part. Can you register a domain name and use a service like dyndns and then setup a mail server? So when all done if I go to MyMacIsBetterThanYourPC.com :D I get my mac and if I send email to doug@MyMacIsBetterThanYourPC.com that goes to my mac?

This sounds really cool! Can you do IMAP or r u stuck with POP3?

Doug

[neilrobinson]

thats the basic's... sometimes you are better getting a 3rd party webhosting company to do that thou - cheaper? more stable etc