Mac OS X Server

Mac OS X Server is the server-oriented version of Apple Computer's desktop operating system, Mac OS X. It is based on the BSD-Unix-based operating system that Apple acquired from NeXT Computer and which formed the basis of the current Mac OS X.

The server version of Mac OS X provides additional features over the standard version, such as internet-based services like email or site hosting, or local network services such as the ability to manage networks of Macs and/or Windows PCs and provide services such as file and print sharing. Prior to Mac OS X, Apple's AppleShare software provided server applications such as file and printer sharing and user management.

Mac OS X Server leverages both open source technologies for provision of powerful standards-based services, and proprietary Apple applications for administration and for some additional services. Many services have aspects of both origins, such as Open Directory, which provides access to several powerful open source (and external proprietary) technologies from one simple, graphical interface.

Versions

The first version of Mac OS X Server, Mac OS X Server 1.0, was based on Rhapsody 5.1, a hybrid of OPENSTEP from NeXT Computer and Mac OS 8.5.1. The GUI looked more like OPENSTEP, with an emulation layer for running legacy Mac OS-based applications. WebObjects was included with the server package.

On May 21 2001, Apple released a version of their server operating system based on Mac OS X v10.0. This was followed by server releases based on the following

Mac OS X Server 10.3 Panther

The 10.3 Mac OS X Server release includes updated Open Directory user and file management, which with this release is based on LDAP, beginning the deprecation of the NeXT-originated NetInfo architecture. The new Workgroup Manager interface improved configuration significantly. Many common network services are provided such as NTP, SNMP, web server (Apache), mail server (Postfix and Cyrus), LDAP (OpenLDAP), AFP, and print server. The inclusion of Samba version 3 allows tight integration with Windows clients and servers. MySQL v4.0.16 and PHP v4.3.7 are also included.

Mac OS X Server 10.4 Tiger

The 10.4 release adds even more tools, applications, and services, some of which are derived from open source. Most notable additions are 64-bit application support, Access Control Lists, Xgrid, link aggregation, e-mail spam filtering (SpamAssassin), virus detection (ClamAV), Gateway Setup Assistant, and servers for Software Update, iChat, and weblogs (Blojsom).

10.4 also has new client capabilities, as user identities can be fully independent of the client machine. The server can provide various levels of user management scenarios, including having client machines boot directly from an operating system stored on the server (NetBoot), booting independently but storing all user information on the server (network home directory), and/or storing the users' files locally on the users' portable computers while periodically synchronizing all user information to a mirror identity on the server (portable home directory). The end result of these technologies is that users can access some or all of their complete computer identity from any location and/or from any computer on the internet. In typical Apple style, these services are all configured with a small number of graphical-interface configurators.

Mac OS X Server 10.5 Leopard

Mac OS X v10.5 "Leopard" was announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6 2005, and will be shown to the public for the first time at the World Wide Developer's Conference which begins August 7 2006. The client and server editions of OS X have always been released at the same time, so 10.5 Server is expected to be released concurrent with client, in late 2006 or early 2007.

Speculation on the features of 10.5 has been rampant, but there has been very little solid evidence of what the final new features may be.