Mac OSX vs. Mac OSX Server for home server use
At home I'm running my own web server, mail server, file server, DNS (BIND), etc... It's all running off my good old Mac mini (OSX 10.4 standard, not Server) with an external HDD attached. What I'd eventually like to do is have each machine in the house (1 desktop & 2 laptops) boot off the network instead of the local drives as well as keep everyone's home directories centralized on the server (each user logged into would sync locally with the server). The main thing is centralized home directories, not netboot, but if I can get both, then great.
My question is would it be worth it for me to buy Leopard Server once it comes out? I'm not too worried about the $500 price tag, but it is really worth it for a home setup? Or are there free/cheaper things that I can do?
As I said before, I've already got most of the servers running fine under Tiger, but OSX Server is supposed to make things so much easier to configure and maintain. At least that's my perception of OSX Server.
My question is would it be worth it for me to buy Leopard Server once it comes out? I'm not too worried about the $500 price tag, but it is really worth it for a home setup? Or are there free/cheaper things that I can do?
As I said before, I've already got most of the servers running fine under Tiger, but OSX Server is supposed to make things so much easier to configure and maintain. At least that's my perception of OSX Server.
Comments
What are you using for the mail server? I've been using 10.3 Server long after I wanted to, simply because I couldn't find a cyrus-imapd package on 10.4 that actually worked...
I was just using the builtin mail server with OSX, nothing special.
About 2 months ago, I switch to Google's mail hosting service.
I think it's still in beta, but not sure...
Basically I just have to add a MX entry to my domain and everything goes through GMAIL now.
I guess it depends on the complexity of what you have left running. I'm using 10.3 Server, and it has *zero* support for setting up DNS, and I'm using only the most basic features of the web server, so I don't even really need that, and the printer is now hanging off the AirPort Extreme, so *that's* no longer needed... I'm down to IMAP as my only reason to still use it. Sounds like you don't even need that. I dunno, I'm not seeing a compelling reason for you to toss down $500. (Heck, I'm not sure *I* need to, except for that &*(%@# IMAP, and I am considering gmail just to not have to deal with it anymore...)
Thanks for the input
I thought you could configure DNS with 10.4 Server...
Maybe not with 10.3 though... not sure
$500 is a lot of cash just for ease of use.
I've tried using Webmin and it seems to be working ok, just not as easy as I want it.
I just wish someone could come up with an easier way to manage the server stuff without having to pay that much cash for OSX Server...
And I *completely* agree with you on the cash-for-ease balance on this one. Hard to justify. My wife is urging me to do it, however, just so I don't waste any time on it. :}
10.3 Server, and the only support it has for DNS is on/off. Gee, that's helpful. :P
And I *completely* agree with you on the cash-for-ease balance on this one. Hard to justify. My wife is urging me to do it, however, just so I don't waste any time on it. :}
I think I could get away with sneaking the OSX Server purchase
I could find some way to justify it
Besides server configuration, I also want to use roaming profiles (server stored home directories) and netboot. The big thing for me is having all my files avaliable on all my machines. I know, "get a NAS and store the data there" ... I've already got a 2TB NAS hooked up via gigabit ethernet. I just want my desktops to be the same everywhere I go...
Netboot would be nice, having only 1 system to maintain instead of multiple systems.
I don't know, maybe I'm just trying to talk myself into it, when I already know I want to buy it.