Apple Discontinues Xserve, Only Available Until January 31st

[iVoid]

Yes because I'm sure all pro users like myself have an xserve in the house

No, not every pro user has a xserve, but many companies that have invested in Macs for content creation do.

Look at the history:

1) Dropping expresscard on MBP 15" (affects Pro users negatively)
2) Dropping matte screens on all systems except two custom configured MBP 15" and 17" models (affects Pro users negatively)
3) Dropping pro features from Quicktime (affects Pro users negatively even if you can still use QT7 for now)
4) Very little Pro app development, including the next version Final Cut Studio getting scaled back (affects Pro users negatively)
5) Dropping Xraid
6) Dropping Xrserve
7) New "Lion" features touted are clearly aimed at general consumers, and *NO* mention of any improvements that Pro users would find useful
8) Dropping Java and 'hoping' Oracle will continue development of it. (and the number one users of Java on Mac is... Pro users)

There are more, but you should be able to get my point. This is the latest step in Apple's move away from pro users.

The pro users who kept the company alive through the 90's.

The pro users who make a lot of content for Apple's iDevices.

I've been an Apple fan for all of my adult life and it's getting harder and harder to support them to people who actually use their computers for more than consuming content.

Apple prices have always been high, but the quality and value of the hardware and software you got was always worth it. Lately, that isn't true. You get generic hardware that is just overpriced and a F... you attitude from Apple.

 

[4D4M]

By deprecating Java, and Oracle not picking up Java, Apple will be doing just that for a good amount of users.

What is your definition of a "good amount"?

 

[HLdan]

Wow, Apple just seems to be hellbent on continuing to shoot themselves in the foot don't they.

Exactly, that's why they keep laughing all the way to the bank to deposit the billions of cash that they have in their hands while their stocks continue to kick the crap out of most other tech companies while you sit here to a computer saying that they continue to screwed up. I'm no expert but it sounds like they know what they are doing more than you.

 

[Lucky736]

I'd be interested in knowing how many of the people whining about this actually have purchased an Xserve, or even use OSX Server software. I'd be willing to bet not many. It's funny, sometimes people want to just go over the waterfall b/c they see the water going over.

 

[*LTD*]

*All* companies need to innovate, LTD. otherwise they die.

Then MS is in some serious trouble.

XBox has been pretty competitive, windows mobile 7 will make more impact than its .

More impact than what? A wet noodle? Too late. The battle is between Apple and Google now. Apple's mobile development is just too well-rounded and deep. And Google is already saturating the market. You've got your Premium device maker that drives the industry, and you've already got the commodity maker that feeds off the former. Where does a third option fit in here? Nowhere.

MS needs to pull off something revolutionary, something on the order of what happened June 2007. Not with Ballmer at the helm, though.

You still believe its due to licensing that microsoft do well.... fine , if you believe that - ignoring microsoft offer businesses the tools they require.

Which is exactly what I'm saying.

 

[kingtj]

Disappointing but not surprised ....

I think Phil has it figured out here. Apple really has no interest in providing systems for Enterprise businesses. They're fine with *small business* customers, who essentially have the same needs as your typical home user. (The same people both want to use such things as MS Office or iWork, and the configurations appropriate for home users playing around in iLife and the like will run Quickbooks or Daylight or a Filemaker Pro database just fine too.)

But as recently as in the last "Jobs speech" announcing the Air and other new products, he referred to corporate iPad sales as them "ripping them out of our hands". EG. We never really cared to sell to big businesses, but they keep buying our stuff anyway!

The XServe really doesn't make a lot of sense for the vast majority of business customers. If you're a big corporation, you likely need things like Microsoft Exchange or Sharepoint server, which run on Windows. So why pay a premium for an XServe that can and does run OS X, when you can get a more expandable, more capable rack-mount server from another PC vendor and run Windows Server on it? (When I say more capable and more expandable, I mean things as basic as PC rack-mount systems being available in 2U through 4U configurations that have a lot more physical space to hold drives and such. XServes only come in one "thickness".)

I think Apple's vision for the XServe was more of a departmental server or a server for the back-end in an educational setting where everything is Mac. And even there? I've seen quite a few people using Mac Pro towers instead of the XServes. So Apple probably decided it's just not worth making these anymore and tempting big businesses to buy into them, only to be disappointed at a lack of "Enterprise level support" from most people at Apple after the fact.

I think it shows that the enterprise space isn't Apple's priority: Their biggest market is the consumer one and it appears they will move to focus completely on that market in the future.

It's sad but understandable as Apple have virtually no penetration into the enterprise space and rather than fight to win market share they appear to have given up the battle.

 

[johnalan]

Once they keep Terminal access in OS X and ability to install and run abitrary code/applications I'm happy,

Apple seems to be creating a culture where the term 'iOS' is nearly becoming a dirty word! I'm starting to resent it ffs!

I mean they cannot make OS X a gadget OS can they, how would developers create iOS apps then!?!

 

[iVoid]

I'd be interested in knowing how many of the people whining about this actually have purchased an Xserve, or even use OSX Server software. I'd be willing to bet not many. It's funny, sometimes people want to just go over the waterfall b/c they see the water going over.

I have used and supported them for years and know companies that use them to support large numbers of Mac clients.

And many of them are concerned with Apple's move away from pro users. To the point of looking at other vendors.

Just because you don't sell millions of them to the general population doesn't mean they aren't needed or help support the larger Mac and iOS user bases.

 

[iZac]

Well at least they added the Mac Pro Server configuration. They could have easily said "Stick with the Mac Mini or figure out how to make your own server."

R.I.P. Xserve, we'll sorta miss you...

You need to flesh out the attending victims to include eMates, G4 Cubes and eMacs to name but a few

 

[Thomas2006]

Apple wont be running OS X on their new servers. They will be running Linux - just like Microsoft do.

OS X = Built for DESKTOP/USER use (quick & dirty patch = OS X Server)
Linux = Built for SERVER use (quick & dirty patch = desktop/user os)

Linux does have its uses, and its in servers where it shines.

This is what I am thinking. WebObjects is 100% pure Java which means Apple's data center can use Linux to run the hardware while WebObjects serves the services.

Another thought is Apple discontinued the Xserve because OS X "Lion" Server will be able to run on Intel and AMD processors with Apple's support. Businesses will decide which rack (1U, 2U, 3U, or 4U), which processor (AMD or Intel) and which motherboard (1-4 processors) will meet their needs and budget; however, I do think Apple will have a list of authorized hardware so I expect only "server" (i.e. AMD Opteron, Intel Xeon) processors will be authorized to run OS X Server.

 

[darkplanets]

Bad move IMO.

Instead of dropping it they needed to refocus on it-- if they did a nice redesign and spec bump while providing better enterprise support and services they could have pushed into the enterprise sector, a lucrative part of the market. Instead they're pretty much abandoning it because that Mac Pro replacement is a joke.

 

[wildmac]

Boo hiss is right. But c'mon, you must have seen it coming?

Just lie back, take a breath and think of all those little Minis and how many you can cram into your cupboard.

Thanks consumer-troll. You have no idea of the enterprise market, or how it works. Thanks for sharing your ignorance.

 

[Cynicalone]

It's the way Apple is heading now as a company.

The Mac Pro will be next, and then the iMac.

The new MacBook Air is where Apple is heading. Fast, mobile consumer computing.

 

[leehericks]

Been expecting this and now unfortunately this has happened.

OS/X will eventually become a consumer only platform. Even for some developers, OSX is becoming less attractive, with Java now gone and absolutely no hints to whether Oracle will pick up the slack.

I wonder how long until Apple removal access to the Terminal?

HAHAHAHAHAHA....Java. I learned Java in almost every CS class I had. It has no place on the Mac. It's getting hit hard by hackers, security holes galore, oh, and by the way have you heard of Cocoa? It's part of Apple's collection of frameworks and technologies that let you make awesome apps. Java is dying for the Mac and a good developer is one who moves to the best tools for the platform. Whiners just don't get the jobs.

 

[Stella]

Close minded if you think mobile market is going to be decided between Apple and Android only... Only fools discount microsoft. People who aren't in an Apple tunnel vision can see that microsoft have turned a corner in the past few years and have stepped up their efforts signficantly.

Then MS is in some serious trouble.


More impact than what? A wet noodle? Too late. The battle is between Apple and Google now. Apple's mobile development is just too well-rounded and deep. And Google is already saturating the market. You've got your Premium device maker that drives the industry, and you've already got the commodity maker that feeds off the former. Where does a third option fit in here? Nowhere.

MS needs to pull off something revolutionary, something on the order of what happened June 2007. Not with Ballmer at the helm, though.



Which is exactly what I'm saying.

What are you saying - its only licensing or microsoft offer and understand what businesses need?

 

[wildmac]

I think Phil has it figured out here. Apple really has no interest in providing systems for Enterprise businesses.

I think Apple's vision for the XServe was more of a departmental server or a server for the back-end in an educational setting where everything is Mac. And even there? I've seen quite a few people using Mac Pro towers instead of the XServes. So Apple probably decided it's just not worth making these anymore and tempting big businesses to buy into them, only to be disappointed at a lack of "Enterprise level support" from most people at Apple after the fact.

The folks who are going to hurt the most are those who were using these as servers for graphics departments and for video-editing farms.

Where I work, we also have 4 Xserve computer clusters for scientific work. (40+ xserves in each cluster).

The beginning of the end for professional work for the Mac is here. With Apple's war with Adobe ongoing, all it will take is for Adobe to drop Mac support, then Apple can kill MacOS, and become a purely consumer appliance company. It will take another 5-6 years, but it's coming. The iOS intrusion into Lion is the first sign.

My prediction? MacOS will never reach OS11. When OS11 hits, it will in reality be the next version of iOS, and the only desktop systems Apple ships will be iMacs, which will be glorified iPads.

 

[wyrmintheapple]

Same thing was said when Apple announced OS X.

But this is just a server that didn't sell.

I get that it didn't sell. I get that it's not a big part of their strategy. I get why they don't want to sell the server themselves.

I do think it's removal leaves a gap in the market, and for those businesses just wanting a simple central server but don't "get" linux, windows offers a reasonably easy to get going choice.... and if the server's windows, the clients mayaswell be too. And if the employees are using windows at work.....

It's the slope they slid down years ago focussing only on the Mac and it's photoshop dominance. Remember the early 90's..... it took a cheap computer (the imac) a device to introduce the brand (iPod) a deal with microsoft (getting them office) and some iApps to bolster their professional range and produuce a product everyone might like....

Apple had a limited focus on high end graphics stations, they failed.

By early 2000's they were doing better. iMac, iPod, Xserve, iApps and Final cut etc.... they offered a whole range of products, and could get "Apple users" from every market segment"

I see them switching and focussing too much on consumer product, losing that platform dominance they've only just begun to take away from microsoft.

Just think about it, was Microsoft's hold on the industry weakened by the iPod/iphone alone? No. It was weakened by Apples entire product line working together, both the big sellers... and the not so big sellers.

Microsoft have an advantage that they just push out the OS and let other companies deliver it to the various market segments. Apple doesn't want to do this, but I think their decision to drop whole market segments because it's not their "big seller" might be foolish in the long run.

 

[Stella]

So, what your saying is: Java developers and business alike shouldn't use Macs for building Java solutions that will be deployed on to other platforms?

Your CS should have told you, most Java apps server side these days... At least they taught you something, use the appropriate tools available for the job in hand.

Java is still in the top 3 programming languages.

Developers are more likely to get a Java position than ObjectiveC....

HAHAHAHAHAHA....Java. I learned Java in almost every CS class I had. It has no place on the Mac. It's getting hit hard by hackers, security holes galore, oh, and by the way have you heard of Cocoa? It's part of Apple's collection of frameworks and technologies that let you make awesome apps. Java is dying for the Mac and a good developer is one who moves to the best tools for the platform. Whiners just don't get the jobs.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

It's the way Apple is heading now as a company.

The Mac Pro will be next, and then the iMac.

The new MacBook Air is where Apple is heading. Fast, mobile consumer computing.

Yup! Goodbye desktops. Goodbye power.

 

[hayduke]

So what are they going to use in their *own* datacenter? A pile of mac minis? No way!!!

 

[pr5owner]

Then MS is in some serious trouble.

LOL what?

More impact than what? A wet noodle? Too late. The battle is between Apple and Google now. Apple's mobile development is just too well-rounded and deep. And Google is already saturating the market. You've got your Premium device maker that drives the industry, and you've already got the commodity maker that feeds off the former. Where does a third option fit in here? Nowhere.

i supposed the 3 million people on xda dont care about windows mobile

your comments are so narrow minded and blind sided its ridiculous, the global % of people that use macs and ios devices is large, but not as large as you think it is.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/05/dell-offering-free-venue-pros-to-employees-in-exchange-for-their/

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/21/microsoft-to-employees-everybody-gets-a-windows-phone-7/

http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2010/11/05/home-depot-employees-to-use-windows-phone-7/

http://www.phonearena.com/news/AT-T...ven-WP7-devices-for-training-purposes_id14020

MS needs to pull off something revolutionary, something on the order of what happened June 2007. Not with Ballmer at the helm, though.

not really, who else has full exchange connectivity with office mobile? other than windows mobile devices? nobody right now until WP7 comes out

full exchange connectivity includes email, calendar, contacts, corp directory, tasks, SMS, notes, sharepoint

NO SMARTPHONES other than WM has office apps out of the box that can view and edit documents as well as connect to corporate sharepoint sites

 

[wildmac]

Apple had a limited focus on high end graphics stations, they failed.


I see them switching and focussing too much on consumer product, losing that platform dominance they've only just begun to take away from microsoft.

Microsoft have an advantage that they just push out the OS and let other companies deliver it to the various market segments. Apple doesn't want to do this, but I think their decision to drop whole market segments because it's not their "big seller" might be foolish in the long run.

Look at how long it's been between MacPro refreshes. Part of it is that the desktop is a mature market, and the current case is a good design, but part is that Apple just isn't putting in the effort there.

Apple's attempts to challenge on software have mostly failed. Aperture? All the photographers I know use Lightroom instead. The only one they've mostly succeeded with is FinalCut, but even there they have dropped the ball in some ways, and let the competition stay in the game.

As I mentioned above, the intrusion of iOS into Lion really concerns me. I can easily see Apple's next step to be dropping the design industry, as it's really small compared to the consumer foothold they have now.

Steve's ego is going to be pushing us out of the room I fear.

 

[Mal]

Didn't read the entire thread, so forgive me if this has already been brought up, but what if Apple intends to finally license out their server software to another hardware company? I believe it was rumored at one point that HP would get the rights to sell Mac OS X Server based hardware, and just as they transitioned to Promise RAID systems when they dropped the XRaid, maybe they'll move to HP OS X Servers, or another company. I'm not saying they definitely will or that they need to, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. It's completely different from licensing out the consumer version of OS X too, since OS X Server isn't an OS you'd really want to run as a regular user overall, plus they could still lock it to the models it's supported on without too much trouble.

So what are they going to use in their *own* datacenter? A pile of mac minis? No way!!!

As mentioned, probably Linux rack-mounted servers, or possibly even Sun boxes.

jW

 

[PeterQVenkman]

So what are they going to use in their *own* datacenter? A pile of mac minis? No way!!!

Like everyone else, they'll use Dells or HPs running Linux. Does IBM still make server stuff anymore?

 

[iVoid]

So what are they going to use in their *own* datacenter? A pile of mac minis? No way!!!

I suspect that their new NC datacenter is based on some form of Linux Intel blades.

Not xserves if they are discontinuing them now.

Although it's always possible for them to have a custom Mac OS X server build that runs on whatever hardware they bought. Of course, they could custom design something only for internal use and have it mass produced just for them (they have relationships with companies that could mass produce such things).