iCloud is coming up whether we like it or not.
Right now I have mobileme. I use it for email, cross-mac/idevice syncing, BTMM, and iDisk file hosting.
I have 3 devices: mac mini 2011 server (Lion Server). 2009 MBP (Snow Leopard), 3rd gen ipod touch (iOS 4.x)
So far I have stayed on mobileme and iOS4 style services, because over the past 4-5 months I was operating in "mission critical" mode and did not want to risk any major changes to my workflow operations. Now that phase has passed and I can/need to start addressing this. My iPod will get upgraded to iOS5, but I don't know if it is worth it to upgrade my laptop to Lion.
As I understand it, me.com email will continue to work in iCloud and all OSX mail (SL included) so long as you put in the right server settings. However during this changeover I want to get my own domain and email address, and AFAIK iCloud does not support using external domains for email.
Cross mac/device syncing of bookmarks, contacts, etc. will work so long as everyone's on Lion or iOS5 and above. Okay, except for my laptop is still on SL.
If I understand correctly, BTMM still works on iCloud but I probably lose that too with my SL laptop. I don't particularly feel like upgrading it to Lion, not just because I prefer SL over Lion but also because ML is coming up right around the corner. Maybe it's okay for me to lose these services until ML comes out.
iDisk file hosting is going byebye. I need a replacement for this. I am wary of solutions like dropbox/google drive, etc. and have want a better solution.
Can you guys give me ideas/advice on how to address the functions that I will be losing when mobileme goes down?
For domain and email: there are places to get your own domain and email address. One problem is that I like the mobileme webmail interface. Is my understanding correct in that I can requisition my mac mini server (running Lion server) to host my own email services? Lion Server's webmail feature looks/acts like mobileme/icloud's webmail yes? What are the risks involved with hosting your own mail server, or
For syncing: again is it possible to just "roll my own cloud" using Lion server? I'd keep contact/bookmark/calendar syncing across my devices, but does this require all clients to be on Lion too, just like iCloud does?
BTMM: iCloud can/will handle this, but again the Lion requirement. I actually use this feature quite a bit, accessing files from my various computers over the internet and also screen sharing, which I do relatively often as well. I like the simple, integrated, and secure implementation of screen sharing from BTMM. There's no real alternative for this is there?
File hosting: not sure what to do here. Again it's possible that if I register my own domain, I can host my own file server off my mac mini, but I don't get that really convenient mobileme-style sharing of files. Although I do like the security of controlling and owning my own files, what are some alternative for this?
Basically I'm looking for ways I can replace functionality I'm going to lose as a result of the upcoming iCloud transition. As well, I want to take advantage of this opportunity to start experimenting with reducing my dependency on 3rd party online services and trend towards hosting my own solutions, in order to start taking control of my information and presence on the web.
A note about hosting my own services: I do not run a business. This is all for personal pursuits only. As such, I don't believe the limited bandwidth coming out of my house is going to be as big an issue as people will bring up. I do not need a high powered, 99.999% uptime, high bandwidth service. My residential internet connection has been reliable enough over the past couple of years to serve me well enough for this kind of thing.
Right now I have mobileme. I use it for email, cross-mac/idevice syncing, BTMM, and iDisk file hosting.
I have 3 devices: mac mini 2011 server (Lion Server). 2009 MBP (Snow Leopard), 3rd gen ipod touch (iOS 4.x)
So far I have stayed on mobileme and iOS4 style services, because over the past 4-5 months I was operating in "mission critical" mode and did not want to risk any major changes to my workflow operations. Now that phase has passed and I can/need to start addressing this. My iPod will get upgraded to iOS5, but I don't know if it is worth it to upgrade my laptop to Lion.
As I understand it, me.com email will continue to work in iCloud and all OSX mail (SL included) so long as you put in the right server settings. However during this changeover I want to get my own domain and email address, and AFAIK iCloud does not support using external domains for email.
Cross mac/device syncing of bookmarks, contacts, etc. will work so long as everyone's on Lion or iOS5 and above. Okay, except for my laptop is still on SL.
If I understand correctly, BTMM still works on iCloud but I probably lose that too with my SL laptop. I don't particularly feel like upgrading it to Lion, not just because I prefer SL over Lion but also because ML is coming up right around the corner. Maybe it's okay for me to lose these services until ML comes out.
iDisk file hosting is going byebye. I need a replacement for this. I am wary of solutions like dropbox/google drive, etc. and have want a better solution.
Can you guys give me ideas/advice on how to address the functions that I will be losing when mobileme goes down?
For domain and email: there are places to get your own domain and email address. One problem is that I like the mobileme webmail interface. Is my understanding correct in that I can requisition my mac mini server (running Lion server) to host my own email services? Lion Server's webmail feature looks/acts like mobileme/icloud's webmail yes? What are the risks involved with hosting your own mail server, or
For syncing: again is it possible to just "roll my own cloud" using Lion server? I'd keep contact/bookmark/calendar syncing across my devices, but does this require all clients to be on Lion too, just like iCloud does?
BTMM: iCloud can/will handle this, but again the Lion requirement. I actually use this feature quite a bit, accessing files from my various computers over the internet and also screen sharing, which I do relatively often as well. I like the simple, integrated, and secure implementation of screen sharing from BTMM. There's no real alternative for this is there?
File hosting: not sure what to do here. Again it's possible that if I register my own domain, I can host my own file server off my mac mini, but I don't get that really convenient mobileme-style sharing of files. Although I do like the security of controlling and owning my own files, what are some alternative for this?
Basically I'm looking for ways I can replace functionality I'm going to lose as a result of the upcoming iCloud transition. As well, I want to take advantage of this opportunity to start experimenting with reducing my dependency on 3rd party online services and trend towards hosting my own solutions, in order to start taking control of my information and presence on the web.
A note about hosting my own services: I do not run a business. This is all for personal pursuits only. As such, I don't believe the limited bandwidth coming out of my house is going to be as big an issue as people will bring up. I do not need a high powered, 99.999% uptime, high bandwidth service. My residential internet connection has been reliable enough over the past couple of years to serve me well enough for this kind of thing.
