Apple Discontinues Xserve, Only Available Until January 31st

[Warbrain]

Nice, someone on these forums with a common sense.

+1

I've got a unique perspective as I visit many businesses in a year and get to see their internal network structure. Judging from what I've seen most companies use a standard PC as a server for just QuickBooks or something else they share. If they do have a server it's usually just for sharing files. Very few companies use a server for applications. Cloud computing may seem like a big deal to major corporations but for small-to-medium businesses it's just going to be too expensive.

Apple would be better making the Mac mini server, marketing it to those smaller businesses, and making some money. And that appears to be what they're doing.

 

[lewisdorigo]

Well.... it shows that computers isn't Apple's priority.

It shows that servers aren't Apple's priority.

 

[gctwnl]

MS-Apple Deal

My company (a Fortune 100) and I know a LOT of others, WANT to embrace Apple and Mac OS X, but I was flat-out told by our Apple rep that Apple has zero interest in the enterprise.

I have read a while back that there is a 'secret' deal between MS and Apple: Apple stays out of the (large) enterprise (where MS makes its money) and Microsoft keeps providing MS Office for Mac. Small enterprise is probably exempt from the deal and the deal is from before the iPhone so mobile computing is probably also exempt.

 

[blomma]

I realize that Apple never had a strong presence, but did they really try that hard?

Your thinking of today, not the near future. Soon Java 7 will be out, and OSX will be left with Java 6... Java will be left to rot on OSX.

Only apple knows if they tried hard or not, so take your pick.

In regards to java, it's up to oracle/sun now to realize java on osx, and frankly it's about time they got off their asses and did it, that or that a community edition spring into action and fill the place. This situation we have had with java on osx has been weird to say the least. Slow updates which has pleased none so far, and to sort that out they either had to step up the team doing the port or hand it over to the people who are the architects of the language. They choose the later alternative and honestly i think it's for the better.

My deepest wish is that we will see more of this in the future, like offloading driver development for gfx cards for example.

I think both the java and the xserve announcements is apple simply streamlining their business. What makes me ponder more is what will happen to the server edition of osx, is this a move that will transition them out of the server business altogether or will they still keep a presence in the form of the server edition.

 

[chrono1081]

I don't think he was, but it seems you may have been. Which part of OS X becoming more like iOS did you not grasp there? Or how about Java support deprecation? Apple, very sadly, is moving into an almost exclusively consumer device space and part of their strategy appears to be tighter control of their products.

So to re-iterate, Apple's focus is not on PCs, but rather on consumer iDevices and you can see that in the new version of OS X.

Please tell me where people come up with this unfounded crap. The original poster is completely correct. You (and most others in this thread) however are forgetting a few things:

1. They showed a preview of Lion, not everything about Lion. What they showed was a unified app store for OSX, nothing more. They showed this so developers can get their apps ready for it which will take a TON of work. NOTHING about an App store suggests everything is going to iOS, they are simply taking a feature people liked and put it on the desktop. Nothing more. Believe it or not its a good thing for a lot of small developers who make great software that never gets used because people don't know it exists. (Ripit, and Rapidweaver come to mind). Also don't forget that hosting in the app store can take a lot of overhead cost off of the developer since they don't have to pay for site maintenance, bandwidth, etc. For some it will be cheaper to host through the app store. I'm still failing to see how this is such a travesty, especially how a developer can simply opt out of it and sell on a website instead.

2. Do you really think Cisco won't keep up with Java?

I love how everyone tries these constant jabs such as "Apple doesnt' care about pros" and "Apple only cares about iDevices" and all this other crap.

If Apple doesnt care about Pros then why are they pushing pro features like light peak? Why do they keep bringing out awesome mac pro updates and awesome software like Final Cut, Aperture, and Logic? Why do they keep dropping prices? Yes, but apple doesn't care about pros now do they

As for iDevices, they make a TON of money. Why else do you think Apple has so much money and is in the position to buy companies to help develop new technologies for users to take advantage of? Also why do you think more and more people are using macs now? I'll give you a hint, its because users liked the iDevices and wanted more, so they bought a mac. I did.

Sadly mac rumors is nothing but mac haters. Its getting so annoying reading how apple is this horrible devil company in every single post.

If you don't like Apple, go Windows, have fun slowly being disenchanted by Win7 and seeing that below the gloss its still the same sloppy OS. I fix its issues every day for a living so I'm well aware of its faults.

 

[Warbrain]

To be fair to everyone else, the fact that Apple has no penetration into the enterprise space is entirely Apple's choosing.

My company (a Fortune 100) and I know a LOT of others, WANT to embrace Apple and Mac OS X, but I was flat-out told by our Apple rep that Apple has zero interest in the enterprise.

Exactly this. They've made enough effort so that if someone wants to use a Mac instead of a PC they can but it's not their priority.

 

[iDrinkKoolAid]

Did anyone actually buy these? I haven't heard of anyone using them.

I have seen a whole bank of them once at a university lab.

But as someone else said, it doesn't seem to be "Back to the Mac" after all. The future is near when we will be all running iOS on our MacBook Air-like devices...

Bye bye pro machines and apps...

 

[Da Swede]

Mac Mini servers - Sounds nice, but how will they handle XRAIDs/fibre cards, etc?

 

[dcorby23]

It's not about Apple giving up on enterprise. It's about Apple giving up on Xserves which were not making any way into enterprise anyway.

The fate of OS X Java is still a big problem, though.

 

[ksgant]

Maybe it just shows...I don't know...that they weren't selling very many of these and they just figured they'd put their resources into something else. It's not like it was a "hobby" like Apple TV. These are expensive pieces of hardware.

Why does everyone have to read so much into things?

 

[mabaker]

The end of an era

Mac you will be sorely missed.

Apple is transitioning into its consumer future.

 

[marco114]

I know why

Now they can use Linux Servers in their new Data Center since they don't have a server of their own, makes perfect sense.

 

[cosmos]

Mac Mini servers - Sounds nice, but how will they handle XRAIDs/fibre cards, etc?

Not to mention redundant power supplies, more than two drives or SSDs and remote management. Add that you would need third party solutions for putting them into racks as well.

 

[jmggs]

Apple is getting more and more closed. that's i a have sell my mac pro that i have used as a server (too expensive an limited of expansion..(yes only 2 grafics cards for 2006 mac pro if i install windows i can put anyone i want)) and buy a workstation (10 hard drives and so on)....


apple app store is only the beginning of a CLOSED SYSTEM.

 

[newagemac]

I guess it's pretty difficult to sell a server product you're not using in your own data center.

 

[Elderloc]

I'm thinking we're getting an announcement in January about the new server farm and the availability of the new product/service will begin February 1 (Xserve ends January 31).

This server farm might be a business orientated project. Companies will no longer need to have servers themselves but can use Apple's farm. This means no more maintenance, updating, etc. and not needing to run a big server yourself it will reduce energy consumption and free up some work space.
The way I sometimes see it is that in a few decades people who have a 'desk job' will no longer need to go to work but will be doing everything at home using the internet. This eliminates the need for big office buildings, reduce traffic during rush hour, etc. Employees will be able to take their kids to school themselves, they won't waste hours sitting in a car, they won't need to spend money on fuel for driving it to work and back again, they get a computer and a cellphone from work and off they go. They will be working at home. Some people I know are clearly getting into this pattern at work. Ad Facetime or Skype to it and you can have meetings etc. on the computer.

Just a thought but I think it could do allot of good.

I'm the global lead for virtualization with one of the largest computer outsource companies. Working from home is indeed something that will become more common in the future. However I have worked from home for about eight years now, and if things don't change people will just become a prisoner in their own home. My company calls at all hours of the night, you can never find time to do what needs to be done etc. Of course I'm an IT worker and we never get a good family / work balance. Either way yes this is coming I just hope things change, because I have seen the bad side of this already.

I'm going to miss the server line, they were not cost effective. I just wish they would open up OSX Server to ESXi or Xenserver.

 

[marco114]

would be cool if..

If someone at Apple is listening, modify the MacPro so it can have bolt-on handles that change into rack mounts and slim it up a bit into a 2U form factor. I am sure that MacPro could be shrunk down a bit. It's huge-mongous.

Marc

 

[Stella]

Now they can use Linux Servers in their new Data Center since they don't have a server of their own, makes perfect sense.

I find it depressing that Apple won't be able to eat their own dog food.

 

[Don.Key]

Hardly.

Guys, this is an enterprise machine. Did you ever actually buy one? Hell, did you ever see one? I have seen maybe one or two XServes in the wild. Companies just don't buy them. It makes sense from a fiscal standpoint to stop making them. The Mac Pro and Mac mini servers will do just fine. Most people just use their server for file share anyway.

So go on, cry a tear and claim that this is the beginning of the end. It's not.

No sane sysadmin would run mission critical services on Mac Mini or Mac Pro.

Just because you did not see xServes does not mean they are not used. I do have two loaded machines in my very own company.

Killing of xServe will be indeed the last nail into the coffin of OSX as a serious computing platform / eco system. Sure, I can use some brand of UNIX as server, in fact we run many of them as web / app servers but they would never integrate into the OSX as well and offer same level of functionality.

If OSX Server is to go then full host of other services is going down! Just to name a few:

* OpenDirectiry Server
* Mobile User Profiles
* AFP File Sharing with Spotlight
* iCal Server (Although there are alternative CalDAV servers)
* iCard Server
* iChat Server
* Update Server

Oh, and say Final Cut Server bye bye as well! Hmm, bad sign for Final Cut too....

Frankly, I would see little reason to stick to OSX if all that will happen. Back to Windows 7 or Linux then.

Unless, of course, Apple would release the OSX Server for other HW platforms such as HP Proliant boxes.

 

[mdatwood]

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?

I agree. Today XServe, tomorrow MacPro, and finally any OSX device. Apple Consumer Electronics will eventually only sell iOS devices like iPods, iPads, and MBAs. It's sad to think that my i7 MBP will likely be my last mac. I have at least 3 years to see how things shake out though

 

[Trakker]

Oozing with home users in this place, ignorant of the Professional Apple world.

This is a BIG blow to Apple Networking - I manage a system of 180 Mac's with Two Xserve's.

I don't fancy picking up a MacPro to do the same job.

 

[MacsRgr8]

I get the idea that the need for servers in small businesses isn't there anymore.... you know, use the ISP's email and domain hosting services, use local TimeMachine as a backup and the cloud for digital collaboration, etc.
And, TBO, I support that idea.

However, in larger businesses where the IT has a lot of influence, the need for service and support relying on System Administrators who use the 19" rack-mountable servers in many different ways to provide service and support, makes having a Mac which fits the description of a "real" physical server is a necessity.
The Xserve was perfect: 1U high, redundant power, front-swappable hard drives, RS-232 port, hardware easily accessed even when mounted in rack.. etc.... (can't have those on Mac mini or Mac Pro)
These System Administrators will have a hard time "transitioning" either to Mac Pro's or Mac mini's...

I hope some future "Mac" will fit the needs of many who want and buy the Xserve.

 

[womble2k2]

We used Xserves a few years ago, and did find that they had many advantages. They were also ultra reliable, and we only had two HD failures, which were easily resolved, and a PSU failure on one unit.

The performance easily outclassed anything else available at the time (I cannot remember exact figures, but throughput was approx 3x that of the best Windows server machines we had).

Although the cost of the hardware was high, ongoing support costs were much lower than say Dell, HP, etc, so overall a good choice.

Sad to see it go, I think it would have had a future if Apple had sufficient resources, but as others have pointed out, they are more focused on the consumer space at the moment.

Phil
P.S. OS X Server is a real server OS, with Unix underpinnings and at least equals Linux systems. A lot of personal preference, but I liked working with them.

 

[hob]

Nooooo

I manage a bank of 20 Xserves at work, and I love them. We were waiting on a refresh to update them all as well. Telling me to replace with Mac Pros simply doesn't work - wrong form factor, no redundancy.

Boo hiss.

So what alternatives do you have? Transition to a Linux solution?

 

[0098386]

A very, very big booo, hiss, etc.

Makes me worried about sticking with Apple for home computers in the future. I figured this OSX into iOS transformation was a small deal, but by cutting off their enterprise market, well, it speaks volumes.