# Can macs run a server?



## Solaris17 (Dec 17, 2011)

This is a legitimate question. It just dawned on me today that the server world is dominated by unix and windows OSs, That got me to think. Can you run a server on a mac OS? Do they even have programs that let you run a server be it home or corporate?


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## cheesy999 (Dec 17, 2011)

http://www.apple.com/uk/macmini/server/


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## Deleted member 3 (Dec 17, 2011)

Yes, the product was called "osx server", now it's one product. Plus it's BSD, you can compile a lot for it.

Ask the people at extreme systems, they have experience with it. Then again, I doubt they still use it.


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## qubit (Dec 17, 2011)

Yes, you can indeed run Macs as servers. Also, wasn't there an announcement by Apple a couple of months ago that they were pulling out of the server market?

I'm curious why you're asking, Solaris. Do you have Macs that you wish to use as servers, perhaps?

btw your xmas babe avatar makes my mind go all un-innocent.


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## Solaris17 (Dec 18, 2011)

qubit said:


> Yes, you can indeed run Macs as servers. Also, wasn't there an announcement by Apple a couple of months ago that they were pulling out of the server market?
> 
> I'm curious why you're asking, Solaris. Do you have Macs that you wish to use as servers, perhaps?
> 
> btw your xmas babe avatar make my mind go all un-innocent.



haha i have a few macs but nothing server worthy simply systems that I like because their old. The same wiht my sun microsystem machines. Just old toys. No I was just curious when I was looking at server OSs doing some personal research and everything just screamed windows/linux.


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## Easy Rhino (Dec 18, 2011)

not sure how much of their server api MAC kept in OSX but i bet still better than windows server 2008 LO!L!


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## W1zzard (Dec 18, 2011)

Easy Rhino said:


> server api



what server api? give me a fast and stable os, with console only, text config files, internet connection -> server


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## Static~Charge (Dec 18, 2011)

I still have a couple Apple Xserves in my office. Unless you needed to run Mac-specific software, they were a waste of money.


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## Deleted member 3 (Dec 18, 2011)

Easy Rhino said:


> not sure how much of their server api MAC kept in OSX but i bet still better than windows server 2008 LO!L!



What's wrong with Server 2008?


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## LordJummy (Jan 3, 2012)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> What's wrong with Server 2008?



I second this. Server 2008 is actually excellent for clients who require native windows for their application.


Have you actually used it or deployed it for any clients? I've not had any problems with it. I even use a windows 2008 based machine as my DNS front end. Of course, it simply feeds the tables to my FreeBSD based DNS servers. I get a lot of requests for 2008 server for game servers, streaming stuff, and seed boxes. I'm not a fan of IIS myself, but a lot of people love that shit. 

Thank god I don't support HELM anymore though. Bleh.


(Most people just hate on Microsoft blindly, so anything they create will be total crap in their opinion.)


*side note: 95+% of our servers run *nix. Just wanted to jump in and say that server 2008 is not really bad.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jan 3, 2012)

Sure besides the actual enterprise OS X Server product any Mac OS X box, especially being UNIX under the hood, has a wide array of built-in support for various sharing protocols from File to Printer to Internet Connection to Bluetooth.











LordJummy said:


> (Most people just hate on Microsoft blindly, so anything they create will be total crap in their opinion.)



LOL, yes to a degree but pretty funny that you say it in this thread as such is definitely true about Apple especially on PC enthusiast forums like this place.


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## LordJummy (Jan 3, 2012)

Just to correct a couple people; it's not actually UNIX under the hood. It's a UNIX-like OS under the hood based on a custom BSD kernel. You could call it a *nix like variant.

BSD by nature is a networking OS, so at its' core it is really great for a server environment. The graphical OSX layer I can't speak about personally (it's been years since I've used it), but the core has excellent networking abilities.


The short answer to the OP question is "yes". However, does OSX make a good server environment? In my opinion "absolutely not", but some may disagree...

(IMO you're better off running pure FreeBSD or a *nix flavor. You will achieve the same goal with a much smaller footprint, and 0 cost to you.)





Wrigleyvillain said:


> LOL, yes to a degree but pretty funny that you say it in this thread as such is definitely true about Apple especially on PC enthusiast forums like this place.



I agree. People tend to blindly hate one or the other, or both. They both have their strengths & weaknesses, but neither is "utter shit" or worthless as many people like to say.

People tend to sensationalize things to get attention. The three major operating systems (Windows, Mac, *Nix) are all fairly mature. They can all basically achieve the same functionality (Mac to a lesser degree, unless customized heavily), so it really comes down to what you're comfortable with and what your application is.


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## BrooksyX (Jan 3, 2012)

I thought apple made industry level servers?


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## LordJummy (Jan 3, 2012)

BrooksyX said:


> I thought apple made industry level servers?



They used to. No one bought them, so they quit. They make some specialized stuff, but they don't make the general use servers anymore. The Xserve was an extremely overpriced and overestimated product. It really did nothing special for the insane price tag, and their OS is just not competitive with *nix and win server.

Their file storage servers were quite pretty though. They have lots of neat lights and look really cool.




digibucc said:


> if you automatically put ANYONE that doesn't agree with you in the category of "blind troll" no one ever learns anything.



Very true. There's a lot of knee jerk reaction shit going on now. It's difficult to have a sensible, rational discussion on a subject without people becoming enraged and defensive. Especially when it comes to a brand or company they are fiercely loyal to.


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## digibucc (Jan 3, 2012)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> LOL, yes to a degree but pretty funny that you say it in this thread as such is definitely true about Apple especially on PC enthusiast forums like this place.



what i find worse is blind defense.  not that being ignorant on a subject is good - but it's at least acceptable when you have never used said product. your opinion is near worthless, but there's an excuse.
but when you use something every day, and blindly defend if even though what others are saying are true ... to me that's the epitome of ignorance. 

if you automatically put ANYONE that doesn't agree with you in the category of "blind troll" no one ever learns anything.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jan 3, 2012)

Yeah...not so sure I agree.  And who is "blindly defending" what crap around here to the degree to which you infer? It sure isn't me re. Apple because my generally positive opinion is based on using and supporting many of their products on a daily basis. They make my job pretty predictable and easy (and we use plenty of third party hardware and software products as well in production so it isn't their "walled garden").


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## Bo$$ (Jan 4, 2012)

Yes macs have OSX server. Im not sure if you can bootcamp windows server onto one, as windows server is basically a built up version of windows 7


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