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kamran1998

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2014
96
4
Irvine, CA
It seems that Server isn't available for Mojave. I am told to download the new version when I launch it - but their isn't a new one.
 

hobowankenobi

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2015
2,125
935
on the land line mr. smith.
Have not heard/ready any news about it....but it has lagged behind the general OS release in the past. As much as a few weeks as I recall.

Hopefully that is the case; running late to squash bugs.

That's a joke for old Mac Server admins. Never run the first version of Server. Hold out until at least .3 version, more if you can, at least for anything that is live/production.
 
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Sevenfeet

macrumors regular
Dec 9, 2008
166
171
Server is largely being deprecated for Mojave.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208312

When the new server app arrives, it will only support Profile Manager, Open Directory and Xsan. Otherwise, if you were using it for anything else, I would not upgrade to Mojave until you can figure out alternatives. My problem is that I used OS X Server for two things....internal DNS and VPN (access to my own network from the outside). I need to figure out what I can use as an alternative. I do keep a Windows 2012 R2 server in production and I may have to press it into service for these tasks (although I'd rather not since the hardware in question is old and I may ditch it).
 

kamran1998

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2014
96
4
Irvine, CA
Server is largely being deprecated for Mojave.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208312

When the new server app arrives, it will only support Profile Manager, Open Directory and Xsan. Otherwise, if you were using it for anything else, I would not upgrade to Mojave until you can figure out alternatives. My problem is that I used OS X Server for two things....internal DNS and VPN (access to my own network from the outside). I need to figure out what I can use as an alternative. I do keep a Windows 2012 R2 server in production and I may have to press it into service for these tasks (although I'd rather not since the hardware in question is old and I may ditch it).

Do you know if DNS enabler is needed with profile manager/open directory?
 

Gyroworld

macrumors member
Apr 19, 2016
45
122
Have not heard/ready any news about it....but it has lagged behind the general OS release in the past. As much as a few weeks as I recall.

Hopefully that is the case; running late to squash bugs.

That's a joke for old Mac Server admins. Never run the first version of Server. Hold out until at least .3 version, more if you can, at least for anything that is live/production.

It has not lagged behind in the past. It actually came out before Yosemite came out:

macOS Version Name Release Date Server Version Release Date
10.13 High Sierra 9/25/2017 5.4 9/25/2017
10.12 Sierra 9/20/2016 5.2 9/20/2016
10.11 El Capitan 9/30/2015 5 9/16/2015
10.10 Yosemite 10/16/2014 4 10/16/2014
10.9 Mavericks 10/22/2013 3? 10/22/2013
 
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hobowankenobi

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2015
2,125
935
on the land line mr. smith.
The release dates say one thing, but my experience has been the same as @hobowankenobi . Been unpleasantly surprised at least once to find that the server version was unavailable.

Maybe my memory is off, but I do have a strong recollection of lag between Server OS and Mac OS....but to be fair we are talking many years back; back when it was a stand-alone OS.

Regardless, it does not bode well that for (at least) a few years of the the Server App being available before the OS...and this time there is no sign of it.

I don't mind, as I don't have any boxes I am dying to update. My last Server box is actually running 10.12 (for software compatibility issues regarding print server tool: PaperCut).

Seems as though Server is getting slowly but steadily chopped down to Profile Manager....which may get retired as more and more MDM options mature, not to mention Apple's cloud based DEP continues to evolve.
 

oneMadRssn

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
6,087
14,194
Server is largely being deprecated for Mojave.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208312

When the new server app arrives, it will only support Profile Manager, Open Directory and Xsan. Otherwise, if you were using it for anything else, I would not upgrade to Mojave until you can figure out alternatives. My problem is that I used OS X Server for two things....internal DNS and VPN (access to my own network from the outside). I need to figure out what I can use as an alternative. I do keep a Windows 2012 R2 server in production and I may have to press it into service for these tasks (although I'd rather not since the hardware in question is old and I may ditch it).

Check out Synology - it easily does DNS and VPN and much more.
 

hobowankenobi

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2015
2,125
935
on the land line mr. smith.
Check out Synology - it easily does DNS and VPN and much more.

I have used the Synology 2600 router, and was very impressed. Would look at their VPN, though they do charge for client access licenses. $10 per user last time I checked. In a small org, it is a low price considering the ease of setup and maintenance.

To be clear, I have not used their VPN, but all the other services I have tried have been good and have met or exceeded expectations.

DNS package is free as I recall.
 

oneMadRssn

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
6,087
14,194
I have used the Synology 2600 router, and was very impressed. Would look at their VPN, though they do charge for client access licenses. $10 per user last time I checked. In a small org, it is a low price considering the ease of setup and maintenance.

To be clear, I have not used their VPN, but all the other services I have tried have been good and have met or exceeded expectations.

DNS package is free as I recall.

Nah, openVPN is totally free and what most people need anyway. See https://www.synology.com/en-us/products/Client_VPN_Access_License

VPN using OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP are free for as many users as your hardware will support. Those protocols are plenty for even very advanced uses.

If you want to go super fancy of have a particular need, then SSL VPN, webVPN, and
SSTP are free for one user at a time, but $10 per additional concurrent user. That's a one-time fee, not monthly. But on the synology forums, I see 99% of folks get by with the free protocols just fine.
 
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cyberblood

macrumors newbie
Aug 19, 2017
10
0
I'm wandering wether somebody found a good alternative of OS X server for OS X? We know that linux is an alternative, but I prefer to have an OS X with all services instead of Linux.
The services I use are:
- mail server ( I can't find a good app with GUI for this)
- VPN server
- Apache with PHP

All suggestions and ideas are apreciated
 

hobowankenobi

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2015
2,125
935
on the land line mr. smith.
I'm wandering wether somebody found a good alternative of OS X server for OS X? We know that linux is an alternative, but I prefer to have an OS X with all services instead of Linux.
The services I use are:
- mail server ( I can't find a good app with GUI for this)
- VPN server
- Apache with PHP

All suggestions and ideas are apreciated

Probably depends on hardware.

If starting fresh, I would suggest considering Synology. Robust file system, easily setup redundant drives, some models with redundant power supplies, multiple NICs. Checks almost all the boxes for me for hardware, including desktop and rack mount.

Software wise, probably one of the easiest, user-friendly Linux OSes that does not require CLI skills, yet allows full access and configuration options expected of Linux server.

Throw in lots of services options (packages) many of which are free, good logging, snap shot and multiple backup options, and hard to beat for SMB requirements.

Higher end units support VMs and Docker, as well as HA redundancy.

I am supporting several of them, primarily as file servers, and they have been great MacOS Server replacements. This unit is the most robust I am using. Zero issues or complaints, in service over a year.
 
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