help with Xserve at school

[FredAkbar]

My teacher recently got an Xserve for the network of PowerMacs and eMacs (all running Tiger) in his room, and wants me to help him set it up. I've looked through the manuals and am unsure of what to do to get it properly set up. I've put the Xserve on the network by plugging it into the wall with ethernet, but the other Macs can't see it, including the Mac that I installed the Server Admin Tools on; apps like Server Monitor can't find any servers. Anytime I try to use one of those programs to set up the server, it asks for its IP address, which I don't know.

The Xserve doesn't have a graphics card so I can't just use it like a regular computer to find its IP on the network. Unless the IP address is specific to each ethernet jack (in which case I could just plug another Mac in to get the IP for that jack), I don't know how to get the IP. I've tried various things in Network Utility using the ethernet/MAC address of the server, which I have. Can someone give me a quick how-to for getting this thing set up, or point me in the right direction? I called Apple's support line, and the guy basically said to just start over in setting it up, but I don't really know what to do to set it up (other than mounting it in a rack, which we haven't done (yet?)). Help please!

 

[Mechcozmo]

What kind of background do you have with computers and server/client computing?

If you are the "smart kid" with computers but not really a "geek" then you are going to have issues and will need to seek outside help. Xserves are simple, true, but they are rather complex beasts to set up correctly.

Do you have a DHCP server already on your network? Or will the Xserve manage a subnet or a larger network?

 

[FredAkbar]

I do consider myself a computer geek, but network stuff has always been my weak spot. I'm into programming, I like Terminal, etc., but I don't really know anything about servers. I don't even really understand your questions . Right now, I think all the computers just go into a huge router that goes out to the rest of the school, since I'm pretty sure we share the school's Internet connection (the rest of the school is on PCs). I'll probably have to get "outside help" as you said, but the school tech department hates Macs (and surely wouldn't know what to do) so I'm not sure where to go. I've helped the teacher with every issue with his Macs to date, so I don't want to leave him completely hanging with this thing.

 

[xparaparafreakx]

And I thought I was the only teen trying to set up a Mac OS X server.

Well download the K-12 Mac OS X server manual and look it over and see what you would like to do with the xServe. Im guessing your gonna do Mac Manager, AFP and maybe DHCP.

http://www.apple.com/server/documentation/

Go there and download the xServe User Guide and Quickstart. Than download the Deploying Mac OS X Computers for K-12 Education.

As for not seeing the xServe on the network, reinstall Mac OS X server by hooking up the xServe to a Mac with firewire. Boot the xServe in target disc mode and install it. I belive it will ask for IP address and passwords, etc.

Install admin tool on one computer and connect to the xServe. Start Mac Manager and AFP services. Create groups and user names and share points for these people. You might have to do DHCP but it depends on your network. Set up your cilent machines to connect to the server and your done.

After all the chaos, something to think about; Netboot.

It seems like a lot of work but I its only going to take about a week to do it. Just read the "Deploying Mac OS X Computers for K-12 Education" and "xServe User Guide"

 

[xparaparafreakx]

I do consider myself a computer geek, but network stuff has always been my weak spot. I'm into programming, I like Terminal, etc., but I don't really know anything about servers. I don't even really understand your questions . Right now, I think all the computers just go into a huge router that goes out to the rest of the school, since I'm pretty sure we share the school's Internet connection (the rest of the school is on PCs). I'll probably have to get "outside help" as you said, but the school tech department hates Macs (and surely wouldn't know what to do) so I'm not sure where to go. I've helped the teacher with every issue with his Macs to date, so I don't want to leave him completely hanging with this thing.

Our computer tech people hate Macs and refuse to do anything with macs. According to them, Mac OS X Server can't do DHCP services but I proved them wrong. I plan to move the whole school into Mac OS X this winter and get out of FoolProof. There are 30 eMacs that only boot X still in the storage room crying out for help.

 

[belvdr]

And I thought I was the only teen trying to set up a Mac OS X server.

Well download the K-12 Mac OS X server manual and look it over and see what you would like to do with the xServe. Im guessing your gonna do Mac Manager, AFP and maybe DHCP.

http://www.apple.com/server/documentation/

Go there and download the xServe User Guide and Quickstart. Than download the Deploying Mac OS X Computers for K-12 Education.

As for not seeing the xServe on the network, reinstall Mac OS X server by hooking up the xServe to a Mac with firewire. Boot the xServe in target disc mode and install it. I belive it will ask for IP address and passwords, etc.

Install admin tool on one computer and connect to the xServe. Start Mac Manager and AFP services. Create groups and user names and share points for these people. You might have to do DHCP but it depends on your network. Set up your cilent machines to connect to the server and your done.

After all the chaos, something to think about; Netboot.

It seems like a lot of work but I its only going to take about a week to do it. Just read the "Deploying Mac OS X Computers for K-12 Education" and "xServe User Guide"

Be very careful with bringing up a new DHCP server. If your settings do not co-incide with the settings for the authoritative DHCP server, you may find you caused a network outage, and then you'll really have the tech guys not liking you.

 

[xparaparafreakx]

Be very careful with bringing up a new DHCP server. If your settings do not co-incide with the settings for the authoritative DHCP server, you may find you caused a network outage, and then you'll really have the tech guys not liking you.

Opps I forgot to point that out. Yea you can really kill a network thorugh a new DCHP server but I was asked to do it and so I did. However out district does not use DHCP and assigns manual IP to everyone. Im trying to do the whole Netinfo/DHCP thing where by checking the MAC address of a computer then the server assigns them an Manual IP Address but Im too lazy

 

[Mechcozmo]

Opps I forgot to point that out. Yea you can really kill a network thorugh a new DCHP server but I was asked to do it and so I did. However out district does not use DHCP and assigns manual IP to everyone. Im trying to do the whole Netinfo/DHCP thing where by checking the MAC address of a computer then the server assigns them an Manual IP Address but Im too lazy

In terminal: "Ping XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX", wait for reply, "arp XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX"

That will get you the MAC address of the computer with that IP. So you can have DHCP for a short time and then get permanent DHCP addresses set up easy.