osx server at home

[dale.albiston]

thinking of setting a local domain up at home, roaming profiles, home directories on a network drive, making ACL actually easy to use.

the ability to run the server machine as an internet based machine (i have a static ip) is also useful (i realise i can use apache via osx desktop) simple setup of an email machine etc.

question: since I'll be upgrading to leopard at some point after it eventually escapes (assuming circa 100 ukp) what do people think of using osx server (leopard version ideally) on a machine?

I've had a look on apples site and while it will do everything i'm after (i think, not sure about roming profiles) its around a 250ukp upgrade, i.e. going to leopard server vs leopard desktop (probably on either an mini with a ram upgrade, or an imac, i'd love a mac pro but thats not going to happen just yet)

The load should be fine on a mini, its not going to get stressed through this.

just wondering what osx server is like to use? I'd assume it does everything the desktop version does, but has extra software with it and extra bits in the kernal.

and yes i have thought of using linux for this (cheaper) but i don't fancy spending the rest of my life trying to actually get it working...

comments, thoughts?

 

[nuckinfutz]

thinking of setting a local domain up at home, roaming profiles, home directories on a network drive, making ACL actually easy to use.

the ability to run the server machine as an internet based machine (i have a static ip) is also useful (i realise i can use apache via osx desktop) simple setup of an email machine etc.

question: since I'll be upgrading to leopard at some point after it eventually escapes (assuming circa 100 ukp) what do people think of using osx server (leopard version ideally) on a machine?

I've had a look on apples site and while it will do everything i'm after (i think, not sure about roming profiles) its around a 250ukp upgrade, i.e. going to leopard server vs leopard desktop (probably on either an mini with a ram upgrade, or an imac, i'd love a mac pro but thats not going to happen just yet)

The load should be fine on a mini, its not going to get stressed through this.

just wondering what osx server is like to use? I'd assume it does everything the desktop version does, but has extra software with it and extra bits in the kernal.

and yes i have thought of using linux for this (cheaper) but i don't fancy spending the rest of my life trying to actually get it working...

comments, thoughts?

http://www.macgeekery.com/tips/customization/mac_mini_and_os_x_server

Sounds like a happy user.

 

[Yoursh]

I'm also in the process of setting up a home server. Actually it will be the Xserve in my sig. I have 10.4(tiger) server and have been researching all the options it has. I plan to use it mainly for the network/mobile home directories and network storage myself. The server version of osx has alot of features that you may or may not need. I would suggest picking up a book that covers the software. I'm currently reading this...http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780321362445&itm=1

As for leopard, it's hard to judge since it's not out yet. I got the current version very cheap, so I'm willing to live with it. You may want to wait till after WWDC in June since they may cover more of what the final version leopard server will have. Then just decide if the new features are worth the wait+cost.