Linux cifs smb server

Mac OS X Server v10.3

Online Extra

More IT directors should know what a capable and affordable solution Mac OS X Server is; unfortunately, we didn't receive a test copy in time for the print version of this story. While its small share of the server market seems to be growing, this is still a minor player, perhaps because many administrators don't realize how seamlessly it works with Windows networks and PCs, or because they're unfamiliar with the Macintosh operating system.

OS X Server is a robust and far-reaching server; it is largely a grouping of open-source utilities bound together, integrated, extended, and given a clear, intuitive graphical user interface. It provides excellent file management, user management, and print, Internet, and mail services for those looking to use it in a small-business setting, besides which it can be administered remotely and via a command line prompt. It's also a capable Web site server, grouping together simple hosting, broadcasting, and streaming controls.

The server includes easy configuration for most basic small-office functions, such as mail protocols, file sharing, and print sharing. We did find a few significant omissions, though, compared with some of the other products in this roundup. Among these is a lack of Outlook integration, which would include calendaring and scheduling tools. In fact, OS X Server lacks centralized group planning tools, like meeting scheduling, instant messaging, and discussion forum capabilities. It also lacks a Web-based portal for users.

While OS X Server has a very friendly graphical user interface, below the surface its heritage to the Linux and BSD platforms is apparent. And it is here, when adapting Linux- and BSD-based applications to the OS X platform, that things become less than simple. In fact, getting most Linux-based applications to work with OS X would mean re-compiling them, a task not many administrators can do by themselves. This means that OS X users will have to rely largely on applications that were developed specifically for OS X.

OS X Server has recently been upgraded to Version 10.3, to match the designation of the Panther desktop operating system. Among the many improvements to OS X Server is the inclusion of Samba 3, bringing smooth file and print services to Windows clients. Living in a Microsoft Windows world, Apple has often extended itself to play nicely with the competition, and OS X Server v10.3 continues that trend, working with Windows' SMB/CIFS file-sharing protocol and providing simple log-on and authentication for Windows users.

OS X Server's low price should make it appeal to any budget-conscious small business. A ten-client license costs $499, and an unlimited license is $999. That puts it well below our Editors' Choice winner, Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003. Mac OS X Server has also become a more common choice for replacing aging Windows NT servers; administrators who can't see the point of going to the expense and trouble of upgrading to Active Directory are instead turning to OS X Server.

Although the server is relatively easy to set up and manage, some Unix or Linux savvy is necessary in command line configuration. We therefore recommend hiring a knowledgeable consultant or VAR for installation and configuration if you lack a programmer on staff.

What You're Really Getting

OS X Server is open-source without the work, since Apple has taken the best-of-breed open-source applications and made them all work together, extended their functions and abilities in some cases, and then wrapped them in a clear and simple user interface. Version 10.3 shows significant improvements over the already capable 10.2. It has been built on Darwin 7, the current version of the open-source Unix OS Apple uses, which in turn finds its roots in FreeBSD 4.4. The server has been optimized for Apple's latest processor, the G5, which is now also found in the Xserve G5 hardware.

We like that virtual private networking (VPN capability) has been beefed up in this release. Technically, VPNs were a part of Version 10.2--but in an extremely limited way. Apple had simply included an open-source client but hadn't built on it or integrated it with the rest of the applications. As a result, it supported only PPTP and was not easy to configure. But Apple has done VPNs right with 10.3, including a new VPN server that is easy to configure and supports L2TP/IPsec and PPTP. It's robust enough that each server can support hundreds of clients.

The Server Admin tool, where you'll likely be spending much of your time, has been improved to consolidate more services. Firewall, Mail, Open Directory, and VPN are listed along the left, where you can see at a glance whether they're running or not. Modifying services, adding groups, and working remotely are all simple with the unified interface. Server Admin supports OpenLDAP, DNS, NAP, VPN, QuickTime Streaming Server, NTP, and SNMP.

OS X Server also offers stronger network services and authentication with Open Directory 2 and Kerberos. Open Directory 2 is Apple's centralized directory management protocol, and with the support of Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC), users on any platform can use a single sign-on for access to all the services on a network. With OpenLDAP as a base, directory services are built into the OS, and the server is compatible with any open standard directory. OS X Server works with Active Directory as well, but as a client only, so it doesn't have post privileges.

Installation and Management

We ran OS X Server on a G4-based Xserve, Apple's rack-mountable 1U server (the new G5 model was not available in time for this story), in a configuration offering dual 1.33-GHz PowerPC G4 processors, a 60GB ATA storage drive, and memory increased from the base amount of 256MB to the maximum of 1GB. The minimum requirements are much lower, though, and Mac OS X Server can be installed on virtually any G3, G4, or G5 Macintosh, even a lowly eMac, as long as it has 128MB of RAM, 4GB of storage space, and a built-in USB port.

The basic configuration was simple and quickly finished. When we first launched the server, we needed to fill out perhaps half a dozen screens of information, and once that was over we were free to set up the network and application settings. Expect to spend up to an hour configuring a medium-size network, or much less if you're already familiar with OS X Server.

Usually we found that the GUI front end given to the open-source tools worked just as well as a command line prompt (via the Terminal application), but that wasn't always the case. Setting up SquirrelMail, the open-source Web mail tool, requires Unix or Linux knowledge, as no graphical user interface is available to configure the Web mail component. The overall OS X GUI is limited to providing a switch for enabling Web mail globally and giving permissions to access the HTML directory on the server. Using the command line here is necessary simply to get SquirrelMail up and running.

In general, OS X Server provided us with a rich, fully featured experience, with little hassle over setup and none for open-source tool integration. It may not best the range of features available in our Editors' Choice winner, but it certainly earns high marks for ease of use, compatibility, and price. Keep in mind, though, the many collaborative features that OS X Server lacks compared with its competitors, and remember that it's largely limited to using the business software created especially for the Apple Macintosh platform.