Hi. I'm interested in upgrading everything Mac. I'm sure before I make my next purchase I will wait until the release of Snow Leopard. As a newbie to the world of Servers I was hoping someone could shed some light on the differences between OS X and the server version of OS X for someone who is interested in creating a vast home network.
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OS X vs. OS X Server?
- Thread starter cwazytech
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If all you are doing is creating a home network then OS X server is probably overkill. Just stick with Linux or BSD if you want a home server. It is free, works on just about any PC released in the last 10 years and is fast.
Let me re-word my question.....
In an earlier thread I tried to get the differences between Leopard and Leopard Server. So far no one has answered. So let me ask it this way, if you got your hands on a free(and legal) copy of Leopard Server Would you install it or keep Leopard? If you would install it what would you use it for?
In an earlier thread I tried to get the differences between Leopard and Leopard Server. So far no one has answered. So let me ask it this way, if you got your hands on a free(and legal) copy of Leopard Server Would you install it or keep Leopard? If you would install it what would you use it for?
It should depend on your needs and interest. I started with the free license from ADC for testing and experimenting. There are a few advantages for even a small home network. I liked using networked home directories for the various computers in my house. I had one laptop employing a mobile account that was convenient. My wife and daughter could use whatever computer was available rather than always being on the slower machines even when I was at work. Also, I found it very easy to set-up Trac with the webserver to interface with the OpenDirectory database for SSL authentication. I do not enjoy getting my hands dirty with Apache, but this was straight-forward and allowed me to get back to work.
That said, there are some downsides, I've experienced (listed in no particular order). It's not recommended that you use OSXS as your main workstation in addition to being a server. There can be load issues if you've got a lot going on, and also some programs may not have been tested well on OSXS. Support can be a problem as it gives Apple the ability to say, we don't support this program on OSXS. I ran into this when iPhoto 08 was released. It was causing my 8-core Mac Pro to completely lock-up requiring a hard restart. I would have run OSXS on a different computer, but then I'd be wasting even more electricity, and my other tower was too loud to always leave on. Finally, if you like running the latest and greatest, don't run OSXS. I upgraded to OSXS 10.5 when I bought a full license. It was a big ****ing mistake. I shouldn't have upgraded until at least 10.5.5. I had to do a complete reinstall three times over 12 months to try and get all the components working properly. Nothing pisses me off more than having to wipe and reinstall.
I guess in summary, I would say. If you want to play with it for a hobby, have fun. If you think you might need to admin one in the future, go for it. If you just want to run a CalDAV server for your personal calendar, find a less time-consuming alternative.
crackpip
The Server version includes some "point and click" interfaces that allow people to set up services let networked home directories FTP and such. You can do this without to GUI stuff that Server includes but you'd have to know more about what you are doing.
Both Leopard ad Leopard Sever are UNIX and will do anything you want them to. The difference is the admin tools