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is OS X Server too much?

M

macsig

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 27, 2006
236
0
Marina del Rey, CA
Hello, I'm not sure this is the right place but since I would like to know what web developer think about I post here. (I apologize if it is the wrong place).

Soon I'm going to buy a Mac Pro that I'm going to use as a development web server (right now I don't think I will use it to publish anything): I will set my web server up, subversion server, and several DBMS (I will even install Windows Server + SQL Server to check out compatibility staff).


The question is: do you suggest me to buy Mac OS X Server or for my needs Mac OS X is enough ? I spent a bit of time reading about OS X Server features and looks it has a good web hosting administrative tool but do you think this an enough reason to buy it?


THANKS for ANY SUGGESTION. I appreciate it
 
Thanks but I will not use it only as a web server (even if those will be the primary purpose); for instance I will store all my projects documentation and so on. Because of that I want to use Mac OS. Now the choice is between Sever or not.

PS I don't like Linux
 
To all those saying Linux — what's Linux got that OS X hasn't?

The web server might be Apache, Tomcat, whatever… OS X will run them.

To the OP — OS X client will be fine for your needs.
 
Don't get me wrong i love Mac OSX, but for a web server it is Linux all the way, i like to run debian linux on my server, it is better for a web server
 
@elppa Thanks for you reply.

@italiano40 Since as elppa write the web server might be Apache, Tomcat or whatever and all of them can run both on OS X and Linux what do you like of linux? why should I use it? Thanks
 
If you were buying OS X Server purely for web services, I'd say don't bother.

If you are buying something to store your documents on a network, and serve websites, I'd say use the OS X Client.

Unless you need managed login, netboot, DNS, DHCP, etc etc, don't bother with Server.
 
the reason everyone loves linux as a web server is that when you install apps and run commands it is all done thru the kernel and it makes it more efficient and fast plus when you run mysql linux can handle it better then any other platform out their and plus it is very secure(Not really your probably)
 
italiano40 said:
the reason everyone loves linux as a web server is that when you install apps and run commands it is all done thru the kernel and it makes it more efficient and fast plus when you run mysql linux can handle it better then any other platform out their and plus it is very secure(Not really your probably)
Click to expand...

I'm typing this on Linux right now, been a long time Linux user going back to the days of the o.9 kernal version.

Mac OS X can do anything Linux can. It runs the same software. OK if I were setting up a production server I'd go with Solaris but you only need a test server so you are not going to push it very hard. So just use what you have. Remember Mac OS X is just BSD UNIX with a pretty desktop program running on it.

italiano40 said:
the reason everyone loves linux as a web server is that when you install apps and run commands it is all done thru the kernel and it makes it more efficient and fast plus when you run mysql linux can handle it better then any other platform out their and plus it is very secure(Not really your probably)
Click to expand...

"you install apps and run commands it is all done thru the kernel" That does not even make sense. Is it some kind of typo?

Mac OS X is UNIX, Linux is so "UNIX-like" it may as well be UNIX. The relationship between the a user-land program (Like Apache or Mysql) and the kernal is about the same in either sytem

elppa said:
To all those saying Linux — what's Linux got that OS X hasn't?
Click to expand...

You are not getting any answers are you? You won't. Linux and Mac OSX are pretty much the same beast when it comes to running server applications. I use Mac OS X at home because it can do anything Linux can plus It can run the Adobe suit and Apple's Pro applications. Pior to using thr Mac I had a Linux PC at home. Here at the Office it is strictly Linux and Solaris.

If this were a production server Linux has some advantages. Mostly that (1) It is faster on the same hardware and (2) It is a bit more stable.

But them if you compare Linux, BSD UNIX and Solaris how do you decide between those three?

macsig said:
Thanks but I will not use it only as a web server (even if those will be the primary purpose); for instance I will store all my projects documentation and so on. Because of that I want to use Mac OS. Now the choice is between Sever or not.

PS I don't like Linux
Click to expand...

You don't need Mac OS X Server. "Server does not include anything that yu can't do with just plain "Leopard".

Surprized you don't like Linux because once you get away rom iLife and Finder Linux and mac os x are very much alike.
 
there is no typo Mac OSX uses a virtual kernel and linux uses that real kernel and it can host securely coded PHP and Java web services that is why linux is a must for any web server and plus it saves you money
 
macsig said:
Hello, I'm not sure this is the right place but since I would like to know what web developer think about I post here. (I apologize if it is the wrong place).

Soon I'm going to buy a Mac Pro that I'm going to use as a development web server (right now I don't think I will use it to publish anything): I will set my web server up, subversion server, and several DBMS (I will even install Windows Server + SQL Server to check out compatibility staff).


The question is: do you suggest me to buy Mac OS X Server or for my needs Mac OS X is enough ? I spent a bit of time reading about OS X Server features and looks it has a good web hosting administrative tool but do you think this an enough reason to buy it?


THANKS for ANY SUGGESTION. I appreciate it
Click to expand...

well, it depends if you think you'll need OS X Server down the road. or if you would use some of the other services that it comes with. some of the wiki and blog stuff are nice. but isn't worth the price by themselves.

and i've had trouble getting OS X Server to work correctly. but if you buy a nice book, then you might get it working.

i don't know, i say get the server edition if you think you'll at least use the services that comes with it. if you're not even going to bother with half the stuff, then just use the client version
 
It's amazing how a thread can take a total left turn. :)

To answer your questions:

With your needs, it sounds like you'd be fine with Leopard. All the things that you are looking for can be done easily.

And later if you find you want more, it's no problem to upgrade to Leopard Server. It upgrades and then puts you into Server Assistant on startup. You may break a couple settings (depending on how you set things up now) but it shouldn't be drastic. In fact, it'd probably be things you want to tweak anyway.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for you reply but, as I said earlier, I don't like linux and I don't want to use it; the choice is between Leopard client and Leopard server.

have a good 1!
 
timmillwood said:
I would get a cheap PC box and put Ubuntu and Lighttpd on it as a Dev server.
Click to expand...

The guy is getting a Mac Pro to do development on. He needs to test his work.

What I'd do is get the "normal" version of Mac OS X and then get a copy of VMware. Then make a few "VMs" that run Windows and Linux and maybe even Solaris. He can tst his work on the VMs to make sure it runs in those environents. No need to actually buy a "cheap PC Box". VMware works much better as it can run a half dozen different test environments al at once if need be.

I think a Mac Pro is overkill for a web developer. My imac runs mac os X and Linux and I have a DBMS running on the Linux VM and it works well enough.

I would run do a production server inside Fusion but for tesing it works fine and is prety fast.
 
Thanks Chris,
I will definetelly use Fusion in order to test my apps on different environments.

Maybe a Mac Pro is overkill for a web developer, but I like it so ...


Have a good 1!
 
ChrisA said:
I think a Mac Pro is overkill for a web developer. My imac runs mac os X and Linux and I have a DBMS running on the Linux VM and it works well enough.
Click to expand...

Depends on what he's doing with it. The iMac is pretty much out of the question if it's pro level work, (and it sounds like it is) as the screen is glossy, and not as accurate as it could be needs to be for colors.

The mini's probably too underpowered, leaving nothing but a pro left. see how apple gets all your money?:D
 
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