Mac OS X Server is a robust, scalable, and secure operating system that permits the server administrator to share files; run services; protect networks; and store user, group, and computer data. Mac OS X Server is also an integral part of many multiplatform networks, connecting to PCs and Linux boxes with ease. You achieve all this functionality by using a few major applications built right into Mac OS X Server—and, of course, this book!

Why use Mac OS X Server? Why not just share files from another Mac OS X computer or a Windows server?

You’ll want to use Mac OS X Server because it was built to help you manage very difficult tasks easily. It works well with other operating systems and can be a file server for older Mac operating systems, such as Mac 8.6 and Mac 9.2, Mac OS X, all versions of Windows, Linux, and Unix systems—all of which makes it very versatile. You’ll also want to use Mac OS X Server as a Web server. Since it runs Apache, you’ll be running one of the most secure and widely used Web servers on the Internet. You’ll want to store all your users and groups on your Mac OS X Server so those users can take advantage of the single sign-on features afforded a Kerberos KDC. Mostly, you’ll want to use Mac OS X Server because it was built to be secure, and this above all else is the reason to switch from other server operating systems, which may not be as secure. This book will help you understand how Mac OS X Server can work for you.

Once you’ve decided that Mac OS X Server will take its place in your network, you’ll be happy to know that Mac OS X Server is based on Mac OS X, which is based on Unix—allowing Apple to leverage all the power of Unix for you. Mac OS X Server works by allocating various processes to do the work, and these processes know how to act because they read from their configuration files before they start. To manage these processes, you can use Apple’s GUI server administration tools to make changes to the configuration files, or you can directly edit the configuration files via the command line.

Mac OS X Server can do so much that describing it in one book is a challenge.

While this books discusses Web, mail, NetBoot, file sharing, virtual private networking, DNS, network address translation, QuickTime streaming, and a few other services, there is much more under the hood of Mac OS X—and thus, Mac OS X Server—that is not specifically server related but is important to understand nonetheless.

First, Apple has generously sprinkled open source software throughout Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server. You can consider Apache for Web services, Samba for Windows file sharing, CUPS for printing, FreeBSD for the underlying substructure, BIND for DNS, Postfix and Cyrus for e-mail, Jabber for an iChat server, and so on.

Second, these applications are versatile and expandable, and when a GUI is placed on top of them, they become easier for those attempting to harness the power within them to understand.

Add the server pieces to Mac OS X, and Mac OS X Server shines as a well-balanced collection of open source software controlled primarily by buttons, frames, pop-up menus, and check boxes.

Mac OS X Server also makes use of LDAP, DNS, KDC, ipfw, QTSS, IMAP, SSL, and other technologies commonly known by their acronyms (though maybe not, if you’re new to Mac OS X Server, commonly known to you).

Added to the mix are Xserve and Xserve RAID, Apple’s entries in the ever-expanding storage market. Xserve provides the first Apple computer designed to be managed without the administrator having to sit directly in front of the server—an approach totally foreign to most long-time Mac users. In fact, Xserve doesn’t even come with a video card! (If you want one, you must add it as an option.) The remote administration aspect of Xserve is often what introduces many users to Unix. Powerful, expandable, customizable, dangerous, wonderful, old school—take your pick. If you really want to learn about Mac OS X Server, you need to know a little about Unix.

This book sheds light on these and other technologies to help you make your entry into the Mac OS X Server world. The knowledge you gain from this book is but a starting point for further exploration of a well-designed, solid, secure operating system.

In this book, you will learn what Mac OS X Server is, what it can do, and how it works. You will learn the basics of installing, setting up, and managing various services of Mac OS X Server. Novice users of Mac OS X Server will get the most out of this book, while veterans of Mac OS X Server will pick up valuable tips and tricks. No matter what your experience with Mac OS X Server, this book will provide answers to questions you may have about Mac OS X Server.

This book is written as a guide to the basic setup and management of Mac OS X Server. Before you start working with Mac OS X Server, you’ll want to install the Mac OS X Server Administration tools on your Mac OS X computer and run Software Update so you can manage your server remotely (these tools can be found on Apple’s support Web site, at www.apple.com/support). You’ll also want to have the Terminal application handy, possibly placing it in your Dock, and you’ll want to know a little about the network on which you’re installing Mac OS X Server, such as what IP addresses are used on that network and whether that network is totally off or is connected to the Internet.

You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with three main tools: Server Assistant, Server Admin, and Workgroup Manager. Learn how to stop and start services and to change directories in Workgroup Manager, and quickly run through the process of setting up a server.

When you’re ready to go, you can use this book in a variety of ways. You can leaf through the chapters and tasks, locating just the tasks that interest you and following them from beginning to end. You can also read the book from beginning to end, following all the tasks along the way. As you will see, Mac OS X Server uses many services, and many of them are interrelated.

Chapters 1 and 2 describe the components of Mac OS X Server and how to install Mac OS X Server on your Mac. Chapter 3 discusses Open Directory, explaining in clear and concise language what Open Directory is and its potential uses with Mac OS X Server; if you are totally new to Mac OS X Server, you may want to read the DNS section of Chapter 6 in conjunction with Chapter 3. Chapter 4 focuses on user and group management, though users of Mac OS X Server in the educational field will appreciate the user, group, and computer management discussions in Chapter 13. Chapter 5 discusses file sharing and access to share points. Chapters 6 through 12 describe the services Mac OS X has to offer. Chapter 6 explores services such as DNS, DHCP, and network address translation. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 discuss, respectively, printing, mail, and Web services. Chapters 10 and 11 describe security and NetBoot. Chapter 12 explains how to set up a QuickTime streaming server.

Note that this book includes some Unix commands, which, in most cases, should be typed on one line. Because some lines are very long, however, they cannot appear on a single line in this book but instead wrap onto subsequent lines. Where this happens, the subsequent lines will be indented and a gray arrow will be used to indicate the line is wrapped.

While you are using Mac OS X Server, you’ll want to keep track of current updates and tips and tricks as Apple updates its software. Here are some resources:

As for updates, once you have a major version of server software installed and working, you generally won’t want to implement the next major version immediately upon release, because issues may arise that make the server unusable—something not acceptable in an environment where the server must be running smoothly 24/7/365. Apple has plans to release its next major update to Mac OS X (Leopard) sometime in late 2006 or early 2007. When Tiger Server comes out, careful evaluation of the initial release will likely reveal incredible additions as well as minor annoyances that will be attended to in updates to come. This is the game we play with all software updates, but in the server market, it’s especially important that careful evaluation and prudence rule the day. This book incorporates updates that occurred during its writing and is as correct as it can be up to version 10.4.6.