Mac Server Mojave vs BigSur

[osxster]

Hello,

Going to be setting up a new home server to move things too. This will be an ESXi VM on my xServe, but my question is where should I be going? Installing Mojave as it's the last 32 bit supported server out there or go with BigSir? Given a lot of what Mac Server does has been pushed into the OS, what is really the last feature rich solution for a good home Mac Network? I haven't really been using any Server type features of Mac OS or even MDM stuff, but I'd kind of like to start playing with / deploying it. Not sure if the newer Mac Server versions provide anything new and be worth updating to for a new deployment. Anyone have any feedback? I know my HP printing and scanning stuff only works on my current MacMini server running High Sierra because it is 32 bit, so part of the reason for considering Mojave.

osxster

 

[glenthompson]

Apple has deprecated a lot of server features in recent years and incorporated the functions into the base OS. I'm running a 2012 Mac Mini on Mojave as a backup, archive, and media server. Didn't load the server software as it wasn't needed for my use case. Unless there's something you need in the server software, just turn on the sharing features you need in system preferences.

 

[panjandrum]

Apple really doesn't make anything most people would consider "server" software anymore. If you actually want to use most of Apple's server functions you have to go all the way back to Sierra. There isn't much point in server later than that. You certainly don't want to use Profile Manager, it's a fustercluck. A terrible MDM. Just turn on the features you need in the base MacOS if you need them, and if you need anything beyond that either go with a non-Apple solution or go all the way back to Sierra. I still run a few Sierra servers, and while I'm now only using them for File Serving, Time Machine destinations, Caching and the like at this point, it's nice to have the more feature-rich GUI for managing those services than you get if you turn those features on in later versions of the base MacOS.

 

[chrfr]

Hello,

Going to be setting up a new home server to move things too. This will be an ESXi VM on my xServe, but my question is where should I be going? Installing Mojave as it's the last 32 bit supported server out there or go with BigSir? Given a lot of what Mac Server does has been pushed into the OS, what is really the last feature rich solution for a good home Mac Network? I haven't really been using any Server type features of Mac OS or even MDM stuff, but I'd kind of like to start playing with / deploying it. Not sure if the newer Mac Server versions provide anything new and be worth updating to for a new deployment. Anyone have any feedback? I know my HP printing and scanning stuff only works on my current MacMini server running High Sierra because it is 32 bit, so part of the reason for considering Mojave.

osxster

The only thing that’s really left in the server app is Profile Manager, and that’s not a tool that’s worth learning.

 

[guzhogi]

I'm old enough to have worked on Mac OS 10.4 Tiger (I know, I'm old), and having Xserves, Workgroup Manager, etc. Pretty decent. Then, Apple took that all away and left only Profile Manager. My work is too big for it, so I never learned it. Now, my job doesn't even use Server app any more, but various cloud services like JAMF for Macs, Airwatch for iPads, and Mosyle for AppleTVs (don't ask me why, my bosses decided to do that).