Mac "server" help

[BenHoleton]

I co-own a small two person booking agency. We both use Apple laptops. We use Address Book and iCal on a daily basis. With Address book and iCal, we share contacts and calender events. Currently, we are just emailing each other new entries into either. We also sync address book and iCal to our Palm Treo 650's. What we would like to do, if it is possible, is set up another Mac as a file server, where we could store contracts on, etc, and set up that machine as a master iCal and Address book server, then simply use that address book and iCal as the main one where we can access that to view all contacts. Now I know how to subscribe to an iCal and address book. What we can't do with that situation is add any contacts in that situation without accessing the host computer. Does anyone out there know how to do that? Is there software out there that will accomplish that instead? We are a small business and don't have the funds for a xserve or expensive programs such as File Maker Pro (although we will probably do that at a later date). Can we do this? Please feel free to write me at bholeton@mac.com with suggestions.

 

[brad.c]

If I remember correctly, Leopard Server will have advanced Calendar Server capabilities, will it not? I know it's more $$ than Filemaker Pro, but it's probably easier to set up. And since it won't be out til late Q2 '07, you can save up til then.

 

[BenHoleton]

Mac "server" help

I did see that, but that still doesn't help my address book dilema. Also, how would I even set up the extra Mac as a server? Does anyone know a website or book where i can get detailed explanations?

 

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Go to your book store and look up books on UNIX. Should help you set up a file server, including iCal server.

OS X Server is the same as standard OS X with up-to-date apps and a UI to go with them. You can easily install these on standard OS X. A good sysadmin will compile and install these apps anyway.

 

[BenHoleton]

Mac "server" help

Will this set up a "address book" server?

 

[robbieduncan]

Will this set up a "address book" server?

Will what setup a shared server? Anyway Address Book has the ability to use a remote LDAP server for data. You need to setup and populate an LDAP database and then setup Address Book to access this.

There are instructions here on one possible way to set this up. Note that from this it appears that you cannot use address book to add entries to the database, you need to add them on the database and search from Address Book.

 

[MacsRgr8]

Address Book app and iCal app are at the moment pretty much stand alone apps, which have very limited "networking" use.

Yes, you can setup a Mac OS X 10.4.x Server as "Directory Master (LDAP)", which means it stores its users in a databse which can be accessed on the network.
In the user's info tab, you can fill in his personal info: like email, home address, telephone number, etc. On the client side, the Address Book app can "see" into this database, and give you the info of the users which are defined and thus hosted on the server. But... from the client you cannot change the info. This has to be done on the server itself.
iCal can be "shared", but also this is very limted. People usually want to be able to read only, and/or read and write in someone's agenda. As it is now, you can publish you own agenda, and let someone read it via the web. No interaction at all. And that is gr8 for home use, not for office use. That is why most use meetingmaker on Mac OS X.

In Leopard server there will be a calender server which seems very promising.
Not sure how well the Adress Book app will be able to communicate with the Leopard Server, i.e. be able to "write" into the databse.

 

[BenHoleton]

Thanks for all the help. I was finally able to talk to a business unit person at the Apple Store and he showed me to do it with the current address book and iCal

 

[MacsRgr8]

Thanks for all the help. I was finally able to talk to a business unit person at the Apple Store and he showed me to do it with the current address book and iCal

Care to share the info he gave you?
Could be very interesting!

 

[BenHoleton]

Mac "Server" help

Care to share the info he gave you?
Could be very interesting!

This solution only works if you are using .mac. With .mac, you can set up the "server computer" (in our case, a core solo mac mini) with it's own email. You log into the server's .mac account, set up to automatically update (we are doing every hour). Any changes you make to the addresses or iCal items in each client will update to the server and any other host on the network within said hour. We use laptops as the clients, and if we leave the network, it simply updates everything the next time you enter the network. Hope this helps!

 

[BenHoleton]

Fyi

The first time you do the sync, it will take a loonnnnggg time to update. or perhaps it's just because I have 7500 names in my address book....

 

[MacsRgr8]

This solution only works if you are using .mac. With .mac, you can set up the "server computer" (in our case, a core solo mac mini) with it's own email. You log into the server's .mac account, set up to automatically update (we are doing every hour). Any changes you make to the addresses or iCal items in each client will update to the server and any other host on the network within said hour. We use laptops as the clients, and if we leave the network, it simply updates everything the next time you enter the network. Hope this helps!

aha.... cool!

Tnx for that!