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Apple Updates Mac Mini and Adds Server Option
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os x server macmini media server
I suggest ordering an OS X Server demo disc and start messing with it. I found it simple to set up basic media serving. I have not tried more complicated setups as I do not have much free time. I think its great!!! Awesome price with a lot of potential. As for future upgrades they are possible limited but possible. I would prefer external devices as a means to upgrade (Raid and Time machine backups or extra storage) rather than internal replacements. As for needing two Gigabit ports totally not necessary for most people. Gigabit has plenty of bandwidth for most. PS Like the internal raid 1+0 setup idea should be default.
I suggest ordering an OS X Server demo disc and start messing with it. I found it simple to set up basic media serving. I have not tried more complicated setups as I do not have much free time. I think its great!!! Awesome price with a lot of potential. As for future upgrades they are possible limited but possible. I would prefer external devices as a means to upgrade (Raid and Time machine backups or extra storage) rather than internal replacements. As for needing two Gigabit ports totally not necessary for most people. Gigabit has plenty of bandwidth for most. PS Like the internal raid 1+0 setup idea should be default.
I can't understand why people are complaining about this... You get two 500GB hard drives capable of using RAID1 and Snow Leopard Server, which retails for $499 itself.
This is an amazing deal. If I had the funds, I'd be picking one up this afternoon.
This is an amazing deal. If I had the funds, I'd be picking one up this afternoon.
Again, I am not saying what Mac OS X Server can or cannot do. I am telling you what it isn't. It is not a media server. In no way does that mean it CANNOT serve media. It is OBVIOUS that it can.
No "wizard" needed. You are right, but knowledge on how to setup a server would help no?
Let's think about the home use though. Most users don't even know they can serve files with OS X Client. Without a wizard they will not be able to setup this thing up, especially if they can't do it in client.
And just so you know, you are also talking to an admin (although not certified yet). I know full well what OS X Server has and what it can do.
The reason I am saying this is not a media server is because that is not what it is made for. Sure, it may be able to do things, and of course it can. But because it can do that doesn't mean we should call it a media server OS.
The setup is hardly a walk in the park. You know how to setup a server, but the majority of people here do not.
Setting up a real server can be complex, if not impossible, task for Joe-average home user, but there are two, well three, answers to that... 1. Ya don't have to. One can run MacOS X server just like "client" without server admin tools. 2. One could RTFM instead of complaining. 3. SL Server has a "Server Preferences Application" that makes basic setup drop dead easy. I think most home users could figure out how to use it.
I did not know that. If that is the case, methinks I'll pick up a copy and run it on some existing hardware!
Re: Mini server
It would be perfect for a small business like my father has, but it doesn't have any easy access to get to the hard drives, and I just don't trust OS X in a business environment, and their lack of business class tech support is a no-no for any business.
And it's too expensive for a home, which would benifit from a Drobo or something along those lines.
Yeah, the only market I can see for this is an all OS X business that doesn't yet have a server, but needs one.
It would be perfect for a small business like my father has, but it doesn't have any easy access to get to the hard drives, and I just don't trust OS X in a business environment, and their lack of business class tech support is a no-no for any business.
And it's too expensive for a home, which would benifit from a Drobo or something along those lines.
Yeah, the only market I can see for this is an all OS X business that doesn't yet have a server, but needs one.
You are absolutely right. And while this Mini is a good deal, why not simply buy the plain ole Mini and run the same stuff in OS X Client?
I will admit that this Mini is a good deal, but what is the point if you are simply going to serve media?
I haven't looked, is there a mini Display port to HDMI cable...maybe ?
Or they are expecting you to use the DVI cable, then a DVI to HDMI cable and use the mini TOS for audio.
No It is a media server because as you put it "it can" and it was designed to do so because it is there and works! Thats like saying some who has a computer, but does not use their computer does not have a computer! It does not make sense.
You should say it is to hard to setup as a media server for beginners. Which I still have to disagree for basic stuff. What would you suggest for the beginner than at this price?
I agree a 7200rpm option would be nice. Although it is quite possible that two 7200 drives in that space could be enough to tip the thermal envelope in the wrong direction.
Your analogy is a strike out.
I am talking about how much something is defined, not whether or not someone/something has or does not have something.
Snow Leopard client CAN serve media, but do we call it a media server OS? Does Apple call it OS X Media? No, but it can serve media.
I am saying it is not easy to setup OS X Server properly. If you want to share out some files, sure it is easy. But you do not need OS X Server to do it.
At that price, I would suggest a base Mini and some network storage. Done.
Mini Server could use a second Ethernet port
To me it would be ideal with a second Ethernet port but I guess they decided against it.
Not bad 999 for the mini and the server software.
BTW I order my OSX Server Eval Disk using my company info and hope to receive it in 3 to 7 weeks. It does not state the period lenght so I assume it is because it can not be used to set a production system and as such there is no license time period.
I been wanting a copy of OSX server to play with and learn, this eval will be great!!!!!!!!!!
To me it would be ideal with a second Ethernet port but I guess they decided against it.
Not bad 999 for the mini and the server software.
BTW I order my OSX Server Eval Disk using my company info and hope to receive it in 3 to 7 weeks. It does not state the period lenght so I assume it is because it can not be used to set a production system and as such there is no license time period.
I been wanting a copy of OSX server to play with and learn, this eval will be great!!!!!!!!!!
thats probably true..
it would have been cool to make the server taller and have some more options within. they say its a server after all.. doesnt need to be tiny
out of curiousity, why would second ethernet be ideal? for load balancing or something similar?
no need. display port can adapt to everything. mini display port to hdmi:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5311&seq=1&format=2
Really? I intend to buy one of these little beasties as they're pretty much exactly what I want; a system running OS X Server that I can tinker with at home without feeling guilty at splurging a load of money on. I've actually been keeping my eyes open for a second hand XServe for just this purpose but the new mini server looks to be a much better fit and, compared to an XServe, is much better house trained in terms of noise and power usage.
So, maybe a limited target audience (though we may all be surprised), but certainly not the case of no target audience.
Interesting update -- and certainly not worth planning an event.
I wouldn't mind these kinds of updates of the mini if they came more regularly. The gap between the last update and the previous one was way too long and created speculation that they were ending the mini.
This one is nice, but not enough to make me want to rush out and buy one.
The low end model gets a gig more RAM, a very small speed bump and a very small hard drive bump. If I were going to buy one yesterday I would appreciate the upgrade today.
The update doesn't look so bad when you compare it with where the mini was a year ago. For an additional $100 you can have 4 gigs of RAM on your mini -- that's a huge improvement over where the product was before the last update.
I do tons of Photoshop and music editing on an old G4 mini, you can imagine what having four gigs and an Intel chip would feel like compared to that old machine -- and that old machine is still very usable.
I wouldn't mind these kinds of updates of the mini if they came more regularly. The gap between the last update and the previous one was way too long and created speculation that they were ending the mini.
This one is nice, but not enough to make me want to rush out and buy one.
The low end model gets a gig more RAM, a very small speed bump and a very small hard drive bump. If I were going to buy one yesterday I would appreciate the upgrade today.
The update doesn't look so bad when you compare it with where the mini was a year ago. For an additional $100 you can have 4 gigs of RAM on your mini -- that's a huge improvement over where the product was before the last update.
I do tons of Photoshop and music editing on an old G4 mini, you can imagine what having four gigs and an Intel chip would feel like compared to that old machine -- and that old machine is still very usable.
I have been using a mini as a SBS2003 server for years with much success. Supports 10 users with Blackberry exchange server, an external raid storage device attached that houses all the data in mirror raid. Even been through a hard drive failure that had me down for like 5 hours (ripping apart the mini to get at the drive, replace drive, re-image the OS disk from backup made nightly using a nice free imaging software DriveimageXML).
Now that several users switched over to Iphones, I consider doing so as well for myself and switching to this server... if only tethering was enabled for iphones without JB.
And for all the naysayers... size is a consideration in a small business. This thing sits on a rack shelf in a closet that houses ALL the network gear for the office and house in the space of a regular server would take up.
Anyone know if the server supports OTA syncing of ical? Thats another killer feature that has me stuck on BB.
And what about supporting remote access for the in-house macs?
Now that several users switched over to Iphones, I consider doing so as well for myself and switching to this server... if only tethering was enabled for iphones without JB.
And for all the naysayers... size is a consideration in a small business. This thing sits on a rack shelf in a closet that houses ALL the network gear for the office and house in the space of a regular server would take up.
Anyone know if the server supports OTA syncing of ical? Thats another killer feature that has me stuck on BB.
And what about supporting remote access for the in-house macs?