First look at Mac OS X Lion Server
Apple brings server computing to the desktop with the Mac OS X Lion Server. Here?s a look
Everyone is talking about the iPad, but Apple is also quietly on the verge of redefining server computing. Long the domain of data center experts, Apple is taking the server operating system and integrating it into the desktop – it's "the server for everyone," according to Apple . Here's a first look at Lion Server.
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$50 server, downloaded from the App Store
Mac OS X 10.7, also known as "Lion," will be sold on the Mac App Store starting in July for about $30 for the desktop OS. At the same time, Lion Server will be sold as a $50 add-on to the desktop operating system. Initially Apple indicated that they would be part of the same package, but the pricing model is still a huge departure from previous versions. Snow Leopard Server, the current version, sells for $500 for software only or as part of the $3,000-plus Mac Pro Server. Lion Server, on the other hand, is cheap enough that a MacBook user might consider the purchase.
There is one big caveat here, though: Apple's " how to buy " site says "You'll need Snow Leopard Server v10.6.6 or later to purchase Lion and Lion Server from the Mac App Store." If Lion Server can't be purchased without buying Snow Leopard Server first, then it would actually cost $550 to add server capabilities to a regular Mac desktop or laptop. We're checking with Apple to see if that's the case.
(UPDATE: Apple’s response to us indicates that Mac desktop owners can buy Lion Server without purchasing Snow Leopard Server first.)
The server for everyone?
Lion Server will probably work best for either a small business that uses Macs, or home users with many Apple products, including Macs and iPads. The basic user interface will be identical to what a desktop user sees, but with added capabilities that let it, well, serve other devices.
According to Apple, the server gives you "local and remote administration of features and services such as users and groups, file sharing, calendaring, email, contacts, chat, Time Machine, VPN, web and wiki services. Want to know how your server is performing? The Server app can tell you. It displays graphs for monitoring access and server performance and gives you an overview of your hardware configuration and storage use. The Server app even lets you configure your server to send you email alerts if problems arise or if new software updates become available."
Here, we can see an iMac with a graph displaying the server's network traffic, CPU and memory usage statistics.
Manage your Macs
Lion Server's profile manager lets you remotely manage Macs running the Lion desktop OS as well as iPhones and iPads. For example, Lion Server administrators can apply settings to groups of users or devices, and "simplifies the creation of user accounts for mail, calendar, contacts, and chat; enforcement of restrictions; PIN and password policies; configuration of system settings." Administrators also get a Web-based administration portal, while end users have a self-service Web portal "where they can download and install new configuration profiles, as well as clear passcodes and remotely lock or wipe devices that are lost or stolen."
Lion Server will also integrate with Apple's push notification service to notify users about new emails, calendar invites, meeting changes and updates to contact information.
Untether your iPad
IPads have traditionally been tethered to a user's PC through iTunes and a USB cable. But Lion Server helps you set up WebDAV for wireless file sharing, letting iPads access documents on the server from applications including Keynote, Numbers and Pages. Lion Server is just one example of Apple finally untethering iOS devices from Macs and PCs. The next version of iOS, due out later this year, and the new iCloud service will give iPhone and iPad users over-the-air software updates and wireless syncing .
Group editing with Wiki Server
The third version of Apple's Wiki Server will come to Lion, with Apple promising greater ease of use and control over wikis. "Your wiki includes a document repository where users can upload, preview, and download files to their computers, making sharing and collaboration a breeze," Apple says. A new navigation bar makes it easier to switch from one piece of content to another, automatic email notifications let you know about updates and new comments, and the People Browser "lets you discover and share information outside a wiki."
iCal Server 3
All Macs come with the iCal calendar software, but the server makes it easier to share calendars with others, similar to Google Calendar or Microsoft Exchange and Outlook. "Multiple people can access the same calendar to add events or update meeting details," Apple says. "You can also create a shared to-do or reminders list whose items can be prioritized and marked as completed by anyone with access to the shared calendar."
Mail Server 3
For Mac Server users who host email for employees, the new version of Mail Server includes attachment search capabilities that works with both Apple and Microsoft Office file formats, and a new webmail service that "supports rich text and HTML messages, multiple languages, drag-and-drop message management, and threaded message listings." Apple has also overhauled the Mail desktop client with a two- or three-column interface, and a Gmail-like conversation view.
The Mac Server file system: Xsan
The last feature we'll look at in this slideshow, the Xsan file system turns your Mac into a storage server for other computers to access data. "Lion Server," Apple says, "includes the Xsan Admin application for hosting and configuring Xsan volumes… [and] supports industry-standard multipathing and failover, so Xsan can be used with a variety of Fibre Channel RAID storage arrays."
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