Apple Updates Mac Mini and Adds Server Option

[EagerDragon]

It's a product with no target market.

Small businesses with 10 to 50 employees can use this as an internal server to handle their mail, their internal web sites, their wiki, etc and also to integrate their iPhone into their company.

You can add a lot more disk drives to this or a Drobo with up to 8 2T drives.

I think it is a great value given that it comes with SNL which iis 499 by it self so 500 more for the hardware is great.

Lots of small businesses can use this baby.

Also you can use these for server co-location, where you provide the server and the ISP host it for you.

 

[Mac4Brains]

To be a useful server for handling a home or small business network, it would need to be able to handle DHCP server functions. With out the second RJ-45 port, it is severally handicapped right off the bat.

The second issue I am worried about is, is this a full OSX 10.6 server system or a slimed down version? Can I use it to host a in home FTP server and be able to access it over the internet if I got it a real world IP address for it?

In the end I am getting one, but I think I will wait until a second generation comes out and see if it has the second RJ-45 port, then get one. Otherwise I might seek to use the USB to Ethernet port adapter for the MacBook Air so it can DHCP my network.

 

[EagerDragon]

out of curiousity, why would second ethernet be ideal? for load balancing or something similar?

For many reasons including putting an internal firewall between this server and lets say database servers. Allows you to create a separte network, maybe can use it with XSAN which I believe needs a second ethernet card.

Can also put this baby facing the Internet and acting as your firewall, gives you full visibility at what is coming at you and you can programatically act on the attacks.

Also second interface can be used as the Management interface so you can SSH or use remote access into the box using a private network with out having to use the same network that faces the Internet.

 

[RazHyena]

The mini is still pricy but the speed bump and double RAM is enough to make me consider actually getting one now. I'm happy with this update.

Just one question: Why no optical in the server model?

 

[Lershac]

To be a useful server for handling a home or small business network, it would need to be able to handle DHCP server functions. With out the second RJ-45 port, it is severally handicapped right off the bat.

The second issue I am worried about is, is this a full OSX 10.6 server system or a slimed down version? Can I use it to host a in home FTP server and be able to access it over the internet if I got it a real world IP address for it?

In the end I am getting one, but I think I will wait until a second generation comes out and see if it has the second RJ-45 port, then get one. Otherwise I might seek to use the USB to Ethernet port adapter for the MacBook Air so it can DHCP my network.

Hmm, put it on the internal network with a router with DHCP turned off, tell the router to point its DMZ function to the server address. Poof.

 

[mytdave]

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'm trying to see where you're coming from on this media serving thing... Since I'm running a mini as a media server right now, based on the previous Mac mini running regular 10.5, which works fine... why would I want this new mini server?

I guess because it's an overall better deal. My mini setup was $599 for the Mini, $60 for extra RAM, $300 for two cheap external 1TB hard drives (one primary, other backup), and some extra $ for various doo-dads. That's $959 not including the doo-dads.

This new mini server has a faster CPU, more RAM standard, two internal 500GB drives (which even in software RAID 0 should be faster than my single external 1TB drive via FW800), AND includes MacOS X Server. All for $999. It's really a good deal, and should perform much better than the one I built up with various parts. It would make a good media server.

 

[Lershac]

The mini is still pricy but the speed bump and double RAM is enough to make me consider actually getting one now. I'm happy with this update.

Just one question: Why no optical in the server model?

To fit in the second drive.

I wonder why they didnt go with the WD 1TB 2.5" drives? I wonder if they will in teh future?

 

[weckart]

The mini uses the smaller notebook size disks. 500GB is the largest size made....

Uh huh? S'pose this thing must have some mystery component inside, which doesn't exist.

 

[hprata]

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.

Fair enough I agree this is much to much for just sharing some files. Its clearly great for small business for freelance video, Graphic artists and photographers and not to mention dedicated colocation hosting. Not to mention people stuck with G5 xserve who can't afford a new intel xserve. PS still say it is a media server and obviously more. The problem here is that the media server definition is Not well defined

 

[hiptobesquare]

I wish they would have lowered the prices a bit, or included the Core i5 or i7 Quad-core processors on-board, like the new iMac27.

It is still a bit too high for what you get in the box.

The MiniServer is an interesting concept... too bad you can't pro-rate the server OS, to 5-user or whatever, instead of whole hog... but I guess there is probably some bundled savings in there anyway.

If it weren't a thousand bucks... I would be sorely tempted to build my central media and storage server to something like this.

A Mini Server with no on-board optical...
-with two 64 or 128 Intel SSDs in a RAID configuration for OS speed and redundancy. Partitioned for BootCamp, but also running VMWare Fusion from that partition, within Mac OS.
-with a Drobo attached to the FW800 port, or on the network.
-gigabit ethernet to the router.
-Firewire external bluRay player / superdrive-burner, if there is any way to get the thing to play BluRay movies.
-digital audio out to my receiver
-miniDP to HDMI out to a high-def monitor.
-good auto-focus web-cam/mic for video-phone/telepresence chats.
-perhaps TV and radio tuners, if I can get them too cooperate with my satellite TV service, otherwise it would have to be parallel to my DVR-tuner.
-Serving iTunes library, file service and central storage, centralized TimeMachine backup archive for both itself, and other machines, and upgrade test/image server with Mac OS Server facilities for other machines around the house... central iPhone docking and syncing source... and on and on.

I am sure there are folks who could figure out all manner of other uses for such a system. phone answering to email conversion, security camera monitoring and recording, home automation control,

It would make a nice little image-cloning and systems management server with a drobo attached redundant storage, at work, too.

 

[hprata]

To be a useful server for handling a home or small business network, it would need to be able to handle DHCP server functions. With out the second RJ-45 port, it is severally handicapped right off the bat.

The second issue I am worried about is, is this a full OSX 10.6 server system or a slimed down version? Can I use it to host a in home FTP server and be able to access it over the internet if I got it a real world IP address for it?

In the end I am getting one, but I think I will wait until a second generation comes out and see if it has the second RJ-45 port, then get one. Otherwise I might seek to use the USB to Ethernet port adapter for the MacBook Air so it can DHCP my network.

Why tax the server with that get a decent router

 

[mytdave]

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

Agreed. I would like to see Apple release a "same-footprint-but-tall" version of the mini, possibly with 4 drive bays inside. And if it were that tall, it could conceivably be big enough to sport a single short x16 PCIe slot.

 

[EagerDragon]

To be a useful server for handling a home or small business network, it would need to be able to handle DHCP server functions. With out the second RJ-45 port, it is severally handicapped right off the bat.

The second issue I am worried about is, is this a full OSX 10.6 server system or a slimed down version? Can I use it to host a in home FTP server and be able to access it over the internet if I got it a real world IP address for it?

In the end I am getting one, but I think I will wait until a second generation comes out and see if it has the second RJ-45 port, then get one. Otherwise I might seek to use the USB to Ethernet port adapter for the MacBook Air so it can DHCP my network.

This is fuil OSX Server. I agree that it is severly handicaped due to missing 2nd ethernet port. With a USB to Ethernet dongle you can add the second port but it may not provide you the same speed, not sure, have not tried one of those dongles yet.

Yes you can use it as an FTP server or even better an SFTP server or use WebDAv, plus you can host your own web server, applicaiion server, database server, and more. Best would be a public IP but there are services that will assign you a DNS and allow you to use a private IP with their software, it will map the two addresses so you can always find your server in the Internet. See this one as a sample: http://www.dyndns.com/ you register your DNS subdomain with them (free I think), install their software, and everytime your system changes IP, it send it to them and they re-map back to the subdomain.

Obviously a permanent public IP address would be better. Some ISP(s) will charge you X dollars for it, some will give you one or more if you switch to a commercial account (which cost more).

 

[Tastannin]

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!!!!!!!!!!

#1 - Apple did not build in a 2nd Ethernet port because you can easily add one using the USB Ethernet dongle they have for the MBA. In fact you probably can add as many ethernet dongles as you can find USB ports for.

#2 - The OSX Server Eval Disk came to my home beginning of this month, and the trial key they gave me is good through the end of November. As far as I can see, the media is the same as the full retail edition and does not say anything regarding it being a trial version. I'm gonna install it in VMware Fusion play with it in there.

 

[Eidorian]

Small businesses with 10 to 50 employees can use this as an internal server to handle their mail, their internal web sites, their wiki, etc and also to integrate their iPhone into their company.

You can add a lot more disk drives to this or a Drobo with up to 8 2T drives.

I think it is a great value given that it comes with SNL which iis 499 by it self so 500 more for the hardware is great.

Lots of small businesses can use this baby.

Also you can use these for server co-location, where you provide the server and the ISP host it for you.

I took another look at the product page for it after the dust settled. I see your points. We'll be complaining about the lack of an additional Ethernet port though.

#1 - Apple did not build in a 2nd Ethernet port because you can easily add one using the USB Ethernet dongle they have for the MBA. In fact you probably can add as many ethernet dongles as you can find USB ports for.

You want dual gigabit. WANT

 

[profets]

Agreed. I would like to see Apple release a "same-footprint-but-tall" version of the mini, possibly with 4 drive bays inside. And if it were that tall, it could conceivably be big enough to sport a single short x16 PCIe slot.

yup, couldnt agree more. also, eSATA would be nice

 

[Lershac]

I took another look at the product page for it after the dust settled. I see your points. We'll be complaining about the lack of an additional Ethernet port though.

You want dual gigabit. WANT

WHY? Just put it behind a router and point the router DMZ or port forward what you need!

Thats what most small businesses use anyway.

 

[calderone]

I'm trying to see where you're coming from on this media serving thing... Since I'm running a mini as a media server right now, based on the previous Mac mini running regular 10.5, which works fine... why would I want this new mini server?

I guess because it's an overall better deal. My mini setup was $599 for the Mini, $60 for extra RAM, $300 for two cheap external 1TB hard drives (one primary, other backup), and some extra $ for various doo-dads. That's $959 not including the doo-dads.

This new mini server has a faster CPU, more RAM standard, two internal 500GB drives (which even in software RAID 0 should be faster than my single external 1TB drive via FW800), AND includes MacOS X Server. All for $999. It's really a good deal, and should perform much better than the one I built up with various parts. It would make a good media server.

I don't doubt that it is a good deal. Hell, I would pick it up if I didn't already have an 10.6 Server license.

 

[KnightWRX]

I took another look at the product page for it after the dust settled. I see your points. We'll be complaining about the lack of an additional Ethernet port though.

You want dual gigabit. WANT

Yeah, but you'll probably have problems saturating the single Gigabit link as it is with the kind of hardware and disks found in there or that you would externally connect. WANT doesn't mean NEED.

And since the thing doesn't have redundant power supplies, I doubt redundant network links would be worth it. If you really need the redundancy, the Mac Mini isn't the product you're looking for.

To be a useful server for handling a home or small business network, it would need to be able to handle DHCP server functions. With out the second RJ-45 port, it is severally handicapped right off the bat.

What ? That doesn't even start making sense. My Ultra 5 has 1 Ethernet port, and it has a fully functionning DHCP server.

 

[Eidorian]

Yeah, but you'll probably have problems saturating the single Gigabit link as it is with the kind of hardware and disks found in there or that you would externally connect. WANT doesn't mean NEED.

And since the thing doesn't have redundant power supplies, I doubt redundant network links would be worth it. If you really need the redundancy, the Mac Mini isn't the product you're looking for.

I apologize. It is NEED.

 

[Lershac]

I apologize. It is NEED.

How so?

 

[KnightWRX]

I apologize. It is NEED.

So you need it for what ? Looks ? Because other than that, I don't see you even being able to push Gigabit out from the box or into it. Bonding the links for more speed ? Only on paper yeah... And redundant network links with multi-pathing ? On a server with a single power supply ? Waste of a switch port.

If you need redundancy, you'll be getting something with hotswap drive bays, hot swap redundant power supplies and proper Ethernet adapters.

If you expect to be saturating a Gigabit network link, you'll be running RAID 1+0 or 0+1 on SAS drives or Fiberchannel to actually be able to get those kind of read and write performances.

For small office/home e-mail or streaming or webserving, 100 mbit is fine, Gigabit is nice to have. Dual gigabit is overkill.

 

[TuckBodi]

Still $100 to much, needs to be $500 they could sell so many more mac minis if that was the price

Agreed! Apple needs to get these under the magical $500 price point again. Perception is huge and I can't tell you how many friends ask me why Apple doesn't have something under $500 which has been common on other PC makers for some time now.

 

[aristotle]

It's a product with no target market.

Are you sure about that? The target market would be companies which are mainly PC but want to test their websites on Safari on the mac or companies doing iPhone development who want to have a centralized server for automated iPhone app builds or a number of other uses for smaller companies.

 

[hprata]

So you need it for what ? Looks ? Because other than that, I don't see you even being able to push Gigabit out from the box or into it. Bonding the links for more speed ? Only on paper yeah... And redundant network links with multi-pathing ? On a server with a single power supply ? Waste of a switch port.

If you need redundancy, you'll be getting something with hotswap drive bays, hot swap redundant power supplies and proper Ethernet adapters.

If you expect to be saturating a Gigabit network link, you'll be running RAID 1+0 or 0+1 on SAS drives or Fiberchannel to actually be able to get those kind of read and write performances.

For small office/home e-mail or streaming or webserving, 100 mbit is fine, Gigabit is nice to have. Dual gigabit is overkill.

Well put great features and price for specific situations. Welcomed in the hardware line up