Mini for Server?

[purelithium]

How well does OSX/Apple hardware do as a server environment?

I'm considering buying a Low-end or used Mini as a fileserver/webserver/FTP server for my own use. I currently run Mandrake Linux on an old P3, but I'm moving to a smaller apartment, and I need all the space I can get. The mini seems like it would fit my needs, but I need some feedback on what's out there for OSX to function as the server I want.

I will need Apache, MySQL, PHP5, an FTP server(I use ProFTP right now), and any other miscellaneous utilities I might need.

Does anyone out there use a Mac or Mini in particular for this use? If so, how well does it work, and would you recommend it?

Thanks a load!

 

[Dreadnought]

I use my G5 as an ftp server. Its very easy and Apache is already build in in os X. A mailserver is bit harder to do, haven't figured out how to sync my laptop with a my G5 which has all my email (in mail), nor for addresses and appointments. Apple wants you to use .mac for that and pay 99 USD per year. Maybe there are some ohter apps for that, haven't found them yet do.

 

[esaleris]

A friend couldn't take his G4 450Mhz Digital Audio after graduation, so gave it to me.

I slammed in a 60 GB Western Digital I had around, and bought 2 x 120 GB Seagates for $30 after rebate, each. The ethernet port is Gigabit, so I got a Netgear Gigabit switch for $20 after rebate and now I stream all my media off of it - everything from TV show recordings, to movies, to music to my Mac Mini, which is connected to my TV/stereo system. Transfer speeds are amazing, and I've not had a problem. Pretty cheap solution in my book and works very well.

 

[purelithium]

So that covers Fileserver/Media server. What about a website? I use Wordpress for my site. I post pictures for my friends and basically a blog. Has anyone tried using OSX in this manner? as a HTTP server?

 

[brianus]

So that covers Fileserver/Media server. What about a website? I use Wordpress for my site. I post pictures for my friends and basically a blog. Has anyone tried using OSX in this manner? as a HTTP server?

Of course. Apache is built in to OS X, even the regular, non-Server variant. The root is at /Library/WebServer. It can be toggled on or off in System Preferences. Go to it already.

 

[purelithium]

Of course. Apache is built in to OS X, even the regular, non-Server variant. The root is at /Library/WebServer. It can be toggled on or off in System Preferences. Go to it already.

OK. Thanks. No need to be short.

 

[brianus]

OK. Thanks. No need to be short.

Sorry. I'm always amazed by the number of Mac folk who still feel they need Linux or some other environment to use as a server. I can maybe see that if they're running some huge, commercial site or something, or if they have some specific Linux dependencies, but otherwise the Mac is a perfectly capable unix server platform.

I use a G4 Mac mini as an HTTP and FTP server at home and it's excellent. I also run the Server version of the OS on an XServe at work. OS X Server has some nice GUI-based administration tools built in (as well as a mail server and built in blogging software), but it's $1000, so probably not worth it in your case. Also, I'm not sure how PHP5 works, but if it requires recompiling Apache to use it, then OS X Server probably isn't for you, because the Apache that comes with Server is an Apple-modified version. The client version of OS X on the other hand uses (I think) a fairly vanilla version of Apache.

 

[purelithium]

Right on. Well since my Macbook is my first Apple PC, and I've only had it 3 weeks, I'm pretty uninformed on the capabilities of Apple products. I was simply asking because I'm pretty much retarded when it comes to Apple. I've been a Microsoft/Windows user all my life, and Linux for the past couple years or so for my website and fileserving.

I appreciate the input. I think I might get an older G4 Ibook instead of the Mini, so that I'll have a screen and input devices integrated into it already, so I don't have to attatch them when I need to administer it.

Does anyone know of any http interface admin software like Webmin for Linux? I love being able to administrate my server/Linux PC from anywhere. Is there anything like that for OSX?

Thanks again.

 

[brianus]

Does anyone know of any http interface admin software like Webmin for Linux? I love being able to administrate my server/Linux PC from anywhere. Is there anything like that for OSX?

Thanks again.

Actually, according to their site: http://www.webmin.com/support.html
Webmin will work on Mac OS X (scroll down almost to the bottom of the page).

You might want to try installing and testing out some of your web software on your MacBook, just to see how it goes. Should be the same on an iBook or whatever you wind up getting as your real server.