OS X Server

Product Overview
October 2013
2 Product Overview
OS X Server
Contents
Page 4 OS X Server
Page 6 Server App
Setup
Stats
Alerts
Logs
Page 8 File Sharing
File Sharing for Mac, PC, and iPad
Flexible File Permissions
Connection Monitoring
Spotlight Searching
Page 10 Caching Server
Fault-Tolerant Design
High Availability
Multiserver Cache Replication
Page 11 Profle Manager
Confguration Profles
Mobile Device Management
Web-Based Administration
Self-Service Portal
Institution-Licensed Apps and Books
Volume Purchasing
Page 14 Xcode Server
Continuous Integration and Testing
Team Development
Page 15 Wiki Server
Simplifed Content Creation
Optimized for iPad
WebDAV Access
Quick Look
Page 17 Time Machine Backups
Server Backup
Page 18 Mail Server
Standards-Based SMTP, IMAP, and POP Server
Push Notifcations
Junk Mail Filtering
Virus Detection and Quarantine
Optimized for Mobile
3 Product Overview
OS X Server
Page 20 Contacts Server
Sharing Contacts
Standards-Based CardDAV Server
Global Address Books
Push Notifcations
Page 22 Calendar Server
Standards-Based CalDAV Server
Email Invites
Push Notifcations
Page 23 Messages Server
Standards-Based Jabber Server
Store and Forward
Persistent Chat Rooms
Page 24 Websites
Access Controls
Virtual Hosting
Encrypted Data Transport Using SSL
Dynamic Web Content
Page 25 VPN Server
Standards-Based Protocols
On Demand
Page 26 NetInstall
Page 27 Xsan
Volume Management
Metadata Controller Failover
Journaling
Real-Time Monitoring, Graphs, and Event Notifcation
Page 28 Server Fundamentals
High-Performance Networking
Advanced Server Features
Security and Access Controls
Page 29 Additional Information
System Requirements
Languages
Pricing
Resources
4 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server brings more power to your business, home ofce, or school. Designed to
support Mac and iOS devices, OS X Server makes it easy to share fles, schedule meetings,
synchronize contacts, host your own websites, publish wikis, develop software as a
team, remotely access your network, mass-confgure Mac computers, iPhone, iPad,
and iPod touch devices, and more.
The key features of OS X Server are as follows:
File Sharing. Share documents and folders, and exchange fles between multiple
computersMac or PC. And with WebDAV fle sharing for iPad, users can access,
copy, and share documents on the server from within applications such as Keynote,
Numbers, and Pages.
Caching Server. Speed up the download of apps, books, software updates, iTunes U
course material, and OS X Recovery images delivered by Apple. Caching Server reduces
Internet bandwidth usage and speeds up software installs on your network.
Profle Manager. Simplify the deployment, confguration, and management of Mac
computers and iOS devices in your organization. Profle Manager acts as a Mobile
Device Management (MDM) server for confguration of user accounts, system settings,
security policies, and distribution of institution-licensed apps and books.
Xcode Server. Its easier than ever for Mac and iOS development teams to create
robust, reliable software, thanks to continuous integration, testing, and repository
hosting services.
Wiki Server. Improve group collaboration using wikis. Users can create new wikis;
add content and formatting; tag and cross-reference material; upload fles and images;
add comments; view revision history; and share documents.
OS X Server
OS X Server is available for $19.99 as an
easy download from the Mac App Store.
5 Product Overview
OS X Server
Time Machine Backups. Use your server as a Time Machine backup destination for
all the Mac computers on your network. You can also use Time Machine to make a
complete backup of all fles and server confguration data on your server.
Mail Server. Standards-based mail services allow OS X Server to work with email clients
on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC. Push notifcations ensure that iPhone and iPad users
are immediately notifed when they receive new mail messages.
Contacts Server. Be more productive by syncing and sharing contactssuch as a list
of customers or supplierswith other iPhone, iPad, and Mac users in your organization.
Calendar Server. Easily share calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate events
within your organization. OS X Server provides real-time access to your calendar from
your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or web browser.
Messages Server. Transfer fles securely, share a persistent chat room, conduct an audio
conference, or even broadcast a presentation, movie, or photo slideshow to others
using Messages with OS X.
Websites. Your complete, easy-to-use web hosting solution. You dont need to be an
experienced webmaster to set up websites and host them on OS X Server.
VPN Server. Allow users to securely connect to your organizations network services
and confdential information from home or away from the ofce.
NetInstall. Save time by automating the deployment of OS X software installs and
upgrades across your network.
Xsan. Built into OS X, the Xsan fle system allows any Mac with appropriate connectivity
to access an Xsan volume. OS X Server includes the Xsan Admin application for hosting
and confguring Xsan volumes.
6 Product Overview
OS X Server
The Server application is a powerful tool for managing OS X Server. In one place, it
gives you control over managing users and groups, and setting up key services such
as fle sharing, calendaring, messaging, mail, wikis, secure remote access, and backup
settings for network clients.
Setup
Confguring OS X Server is almost as easy as confguring your Mac for the frst time.
Simply launch the Server app and choose to set up your Mac as a server.
An assistant walks you through the setup of your Mac as a server, verifes network
settings, and helps defne your administrator account.
An Overview screen displays the host name, the computer name, the amount of time
since the last system restart, the system version, the server version, and the Ethernet
ports with assigned IP addresses.
Server App
7 Product Overview
OS X Server
Stats
Picture your server activity over time. Stats show when your server is the most busy,
nearing capacity, and least used. Stats include the following:
Processor Usage. Monitor the workload of the servers processor or processors.
Memory Usage. See how much memory the server has been using.
Network Trafc. Track how much incoming and outgoing data the server transfers
over the network.
Alerts
Its easy to receive notifcation of alerts and other important events on your server. In
addition to email, OS X Server can send push notifcations to alert you about low disk
space, software updates, expiring SSL certifcates, email viruses, and network confguration
changes. Each alert message notes when the event occurred, briefy describes the event,
outlines available recovery options for resulting problems, and may assist you in recovery.
Logs
OS X Server maintains standard UNIX log fles and Apple-specifc process logs. These
logs include the messages you see in alert dialogs, and messages you wont see
anywhere else about routine actions, warnings, and errors. If you receive an error
message in a dialog, a log may show additional detail about the issue.
8 Product Overview
OS X Server
Whether youre supporting a creative team, a distributed sales force, a class of students,
or just about any small business or workgroup, you know your users need to share
information to work efectively. OS X Server makes it easy to share fles between Mac
computers, iPad devices, and PCs, as if they were using the fles locally.
OS X Server is the easiest and most cost-efective way to share fles locally or over the
Internet. Once youve created a group on your network, the group gets a shared folder
on the server, as well as a guest folder and a drop box. Whether theyre on Mac or PC
systems, all group members can read and write to fles in the shared folder as if they
were using their own hard drives. Built-in fle-level locking keeps any Mac or PC from
overwriting changes when a fle is opened by more than one user at a time; only the
user who unlocked the fle can make changes.
Productivity is greatly enhanced when users store work in centralized folders rather
than on individual computers. With centralized fle storage, all users have access to the
same up-to-the-minute fle. Since a single version resides on the server, there wont be
any confusion about multiple versions of the same document. And users wont need
to worry about losing important data in the event of a system failure or a lost or stolen
laptop. The fle is safe on the server.
File Sharing
9 Product Overview
OS X Server
File Sharing for Mac, PC, and iPad
OS X Server makes it easy for you to set up central network storage thats accessible
to clients throughout your organization. Using native protocolsincluding SMB2, AFP,
SMB/CIFS, NFS, and WebDAVOS X Server delivers fle services to all the clients on
your network.
iPad users can access fles from a Mac or PC. And with WebDAV fle sharing, they can
access, copy, and share documents on the server from within applications such as
Keynote, Numbers, and Pages.
SMB2 is the new default protocol for sharing fles in OS X Server. It is superfast, increases
security, and improves Windows compatibility:
Efcient. SMB2 features Resource Compounding, allowing multiple requests to be
sent in a single request. In addition, SMB2 can use large reads and writes to make
better use of faster networks and also provides large MTU support for blazing speeds on
10Gb Ethernet. It aggressively caches fle and folder properties, and uses opportunistic
locking to enable better caching of data. Its even more reliable, thanks to the ability
to transparently reconnect to servers in the event of a temporary disconnect.
Secure. SMB2 supports Extended Authentication Security using Kerberos and
NTLMv2.
Compatible. SMB2 is automatically used to share fles between two Macs running
OS X Mavericks, or when a Windows client running Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8
connects to your Mac server. OS X Server can share fles with other Mac computers
and PCs using the SMB2, AFP, or SMB network fle-sharing protocols, automatically
selecting the appropriate protocol as needed.
Flexible File Permissions
OS X Server supports both traditional UNIX fle permissions and access control lists
(ACLs), ofering administrators an unprecedented level of control over fle and folder
permissions. With fle system ACLs, any fle object can be assigned multiple users and
groups, including groups within groups. Each fle object can also be assigned both
allow and deny permissions, as well as a granular set of permissions for administrative
control, read, write, and delete operations.
Connection Monitoring
See who is accessing your server. File-sharing connection monitoring gives you status
of who is connected, how long they have been connected, and if they are idle or not.
In addition, you can send users notifcation messages, and warn them if the server is
going ofine.
Spotlight Searching
Designed for workgroups with shared documents, projects, and fles, the built-in
Spotlight searching delivers lightning-fast search results for content stored on the
server. Powerful search options, such as Boolean logic, quoted phrase searching,
category labels, and range support, make it easy to locate content in a fash. Content
indexing occurs on the serverautomatically and transparentlykeeping search
results up-to-the-moment accurate.
To safeguard your organizations data, Spotlight searching works with access controls
in OS X Server, so users see only the search results they have permission to view. This
makes it easy for everyone in a group to store fles in a single shared location, while
protecting confdential information from unauthorized access.
10 Product Overview
OS X Server
iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks
Caching Server supports iPhone, iPad and
iPod touch devices running iOS 7, and
Mac computers running OS X Mavericks
or OS X Mountain Lion.
Speed up the download and delivery of software from Apple. Caching Server locally
caches content from App Store, Mac App Store, iBooks Store, Software Update, and
iTunes U to reduce Internet bandwidth usage and speed up software installs on
your network.
When a user on your network downloads new software from Apple, a copy is auto-
matically stored on the Caching Server. The next time other users on your network
update or download that same software, theyre actually accessing it from inside
the network.
Using Caching Server requires no client confguration. Computers and devices on
your network automatically take advantage of the Caching Server when available.
Caching Server is easy to use; no complex setup or network confguration is required.
Simply turn the Caching Server on to begin enjoying the benefts.
Fault-Tolerant Design
The service has a built-in failover mechanism. When the client cannot reach the local
Caching Server, or if the connection is disrupted, it automatically fails over to the public
content distribution network used by Apple. The failover is automatic and instantaneous.
High Availability
Caching Server is designed for high availability with automatic load balancing
of incoming connections, and scalability that supports up to 750 simultaneous
connections on a single Mac mini server.
Multiserver Cache Replication
For improved performance on large networks, Caching Server automatically replicates
cached content between multiple servers.
Caching Server
11 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server is ideal for schools and businesses that need to simplify the deployment,
confguration, and management of computers and devices in the organization. Profle
Manager is a web-based admin console for the creation of confguration profles and
can act as a Mobile Device Management server for both Mac and iOS devices.
Confguration Profles
Profle Manager simplifes the creation and deployment of confguration profles for
Mac and iOS devices. Confguration proflesessentially XML data flescan easily
be created using Profle Manager, then distributed through the self-service portal or
emailed to users for installation on their computer or device.
Profle Manager
12 Product Overview
OS X Server
Mobile Device Management
Apple has built Mobile Device Management (MDM) into both OS X and iOS, giving
businesses and schools the ability to remotely manage devices in an enterprise
environment. With MDM, IT departments can wirelessly confgure and update accounts,
settings, restrictions, and password and PIN code policies; monitor compliance with
corporate policies; remotely wipe or lock managed devices; distribute institution-
licensed apps and books; and more.
Management of OS X and iOS devices takes place via a connection to an MDM server
such as Profle Manager. The device communicates with the server to see if there are
tasks pending and responds with the appropriate actions. These tasks can include
updating policies, providing requested device or network information, or removing
settings and data.
Most management functions are completed behind the scenes with no user interaction
required. For example, if an IT department updates its VPN infrastructure, Profle Manager
can confgure a Mac or iOS device with new account information over the air. The next
time VPN is used by an employee, the appropriate confguration is already in place, so
the employee doesnt need to call the help desk or manually modify settings.
Web-Based Administration
Featuring a web-based console, Profle Manager enables administration from web
browsers such as Safari on Mac or iPad. Admins can defne profle settings for individual
users, groups, devices, and groups of devices. For group-based management, Profle
Manager easily integrates with directory services such as Open Directory, Active
Directory, and LDAP.
Self-Service Portal
To simplify profle deployment, Profle Manager includes a web portal where users can
download and install new confguration profles for their Mac or iOS device. Users can
access this portal in Safari to manage their passcode, set the boot password for their
Mac, or remotely lock and/or wipe devices that have been lost or stolen.
13 Product Overview
OS X Server
Institution-Licensed Apps and Books
Apple is making it easier than ever for businesses and schools to get apps into the
hands of those who need them, whether employees, students, or faculty.
The App Store Volume Purchase Program allows your business or institution to purchase
apps, books, and textbooks individually or in bulk; pay using purchase orders or other
means; and distribute them to users directly within the App Store or iBooks Store.
Best of all, your organization maintains control and ownership of app licenses, allowing
them to be reassigned. If an employee leaves your company or a student moves on,
the app license can be revoked and allocated to another employee or student. (The
prior user receives a notifcation and can purchase a personal copy of the app during
the expiration grace period.)
Volume Purchasing
The App Store and iBooks Store feature thousands of great apps, books, and textbooks
ideal for businesses and educators. With the App Store Volume Purchase Program,
you can harness the power of the App Store for distributing institution-owned apps
and books.
Once enrolled in the App Store Volume Purchase Program, your business or educational
institution has access to a dedicated portal for software purchasing, license management,
and distribution.
App Store download. Accessing new apps couldnt be simpler. Within the App Store,
users install institutionally purchased apps directly on their Mac or iOS device using
their own personal Apple ID.
App purchasing. The App Store Volume Purchase Program website allows your business
or school to purchase apps, books, and textbooks individually or in bulk for all of your
Apple products.
Institutional payment methods. Apps and books can be purchased individually or
in bulk using purchase orders, credit cards, procurement cards (pCards), or PayPal.
Payment methods vary by country.
Mac and iOS. The App Store Volume Purchase Program supports purchasing and
distributing apps and books to Mac systems running OS X Mavericks and devices
running iOS 7.
User privacy. Users install institutionally purchased apps directly within the App Store
using their own personal Apple ID, which remains private and is never known by the
business or education institution.
Distribution. Apps can easily be assigned to users via email, or be delivered over the
air from within Profle Manager.
The same App Store used to distribute over
50 billion apps is available for businesses and
schools to provide licensed software to their
employees, students, and faculty.
14 Product Overview
OS X Server
Xcode Server makes it easier than ever for a Mac or iOS development team to create
robust, reliable software, thanks to continuous integration, testing, and repository
hosting services.
Software developers can use OS X Server directly from within Xcode to automatically
integrate and archive their projects, automatically run tests on multiple iOS devices, host
Git repositories, and view a history of build and test results.
Continuous Integration and Testing
With Xcode Server, developers can create continuous integration bots that build,
analyze, and test your software running on OS X Server. Bots can be confgured to
run at specifc times, or continually as code is committed to the repository. Automation
tests can be run for OS X and iOS apps, including the execution of tests on multiple
iOS devices.
Xcode Server includes a Big Screen web interface with active bots showing success/failure
status, perfect for display on a high-defnition TV.
Team Development
Development teams can host their own Git repositories, and remotely access detailed
integration summaries and nightly builds from a web interface. Xcode Server also
provides easy downloading of product archives or executable apps, ideal for internal
testing by the QA team, and a web interface that details integration history.
Xcode Server
Bots
Xcode can confgure a continuous integration
bot on any Mac in your network running
OS X Server. The Xcode bot on the remote
Mac will perform an integrationbuild,
analyze, test, and archive your appwhen
anyone on your team commits to source
control, or at a defned interval.
15 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server makes it simple for people to collaborate and communicate using wikis.
With wikis, users can add content and formatting; tag and cross-reference material;
upload fles and images; add comments; view revision history; and share documents.
And because the wiki content is web based, it is easily accessible from your iPad,
iPhone, Mac, or PC.
Simplifed Content Creation
Editing a wiki is easy. The intuitive edit toolbar lets users customize fonts; add text,
tables, charts; and attach fles, including audio and video. No syntax or HTML or markup
required. You can even customize your wiki look and feel with your own icon, color
scheme, banner, and background image.
Optimized for iPad
Wiki Server has an elegant touch-based design, giving iPad users faster, more powerful
ways to create, edit, and share information. In Safari on iPad, wikis appear as tidy stacks
just tap to take a peek inside. Or tap to reveal recent activity, view change history, or
add comments.
Wiki Server
16 Product Overview
OS X Server
WebDAV Access
iPad users can open and save attachments from wikis directly within applications such
as Keynote, Numbers, and Pages.
Quick Look
One of the most useful features of the Wiki Server is Quick Look. By clicking the Quick
Look icon next to a fle attachment on the wiki, users can view the document without
downloading it. Quick Look supports all standard fle formats, including Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, QuickTime, PDF, and text documents.
17 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server can act as a designated Time Machine backup for all the Macs on
your network. Centralizing your backup storage helps protect valuable data, free
up disk space on individual drivesand eliminate the need for separate backup
drives altogether.
Time Machine automatically makes a complete backup of all fles on the computer
to a locally attached external hard drive, an available internal hard disk, or a remote
network fle system. It also keeps track as fles are created, updated, or deleted over
time. Time Machine backs up the changes and creates a history of the fle system
that you can navigate by date. You can use its intuitive time-based visual browser to
search back through time to fnd and restore any fles that were backed up.
Server Backup
You can also use Time Machine to make a complete backup of all fles and server
confguration data on your server. Time Machine automatically backs up data and
settings for Contacts, File Sharing, Calendar, Messages, Mail, Profle Manager, VPN,
websites, wikis, and Xcode Server.
OS X Server takes advantage of Time Machine to back up all fles and confguration
data on your server. Once they are backed up, you can easily restore your server to a
previous state or restore just a service.
Time Machine Backups
18 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server is the ideal solution for companies that need email access in the ofce
or while on the go. With OS X Server, you can bring email in-house and use your own
domain name rather than rely upon your ISP to host your email.
Standards-Based SMTP, IMAP, and POP Server
Based entirely on open Internet standards, OS X Server provides mail services that work
with email clients on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC. OS X Server uses SSL to encrypt
your email transfers on your network.
Push Notifcations
With integration into the Apple Push Notifcation service, OS X Server can immediately
notify iPhone and iPad users when they receive new mail messages.
Junk Mail Filtering
Mail Server features adaptive fltering to protect your network from unwanted junk
mail. OS X Server analyzes the content of each mail message and trains itself to
recognizeand flter outmarginal mail.
Mail Server
19 Product Overview
OS X Server
Virus Detection and Quarantine
To prevent destructive viruses, Mail Server scans email messages and attachmentsif
a virus is found, Mail Server quarantines and deletes email before it can make its way
into your organization.
Optimized for Mobile
OS X Server improves the speed and responsiveness when accessing mail from a
mobile device. It features advanced IMAP protocol support that enables server-side
document searching of text and attachments, attachment compression, and
attachment forwarding without requiring a download.
20 Product Overview
OS X Server
Accessing an up-to-date list of contacts is critical to the operation of any business.
OS X Server keeps your business and employees productive by enabling contacts to
be shared and kept in sync on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Sharing Contacts
With OS X Server, you can share and synchronize contactssuch as a list of customers,
suppliers, or employeeswith other users, devices, and computers in your organization.
Contact information updated by one user is immediately accessible by everyone
accessing the shared CardDAV account.
Standards-Based CardDAV Server
Contacts Server uses the CardDAV protocol standard supported in iOS and OS X for
exchange of contact data. Users manage their contacts directly within Contacts on
their iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The information is then stored on OS X Server, allowing users
immediate access to the new and modifed contacts within applications such as Mail,
Messages, and FaceTime.
Contacts Server
21 Product Overview
OS X Server
Global Address Books
Contacts Server delivers real-time search results from individually managed contacts,
in addition to contacts stored in your companys existing LDAP directory.
Push Notifcations
With integration into the Apple Push Notifcation service, OS X Server can immediately
notify users when contacts are added or modifed.
22 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server makes it easy to share calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate events
within your organization. OS X Server provides real-time access to your calendar from
your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or web browser. You or your colleagues can propose meetings,
book conference rooms, reserve resources, and add comments quickly and easily.
You can even attach flessuch as agendas, to-do lists, presentations, or movies
to the invitation.
Standards-Based CalDAV Server
Calendar Server uses the industry-standard CalDAV protocol for calendar scheduling
and sharing. Users access their calendar information directly within the Calendar
application on their Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
Email Invites
Need to invite someone who is not in your organization? No problem. Just enter their
email address in the meeting proposal, and OS X Server sends them an email invitation,
then shares their response with the rest of the meeting attendees.
Push Notifcations
Calendar Server is integrated with the Apple Push Notifcation service, so you and your
colleagues fnd out immediately when theres a new meeting invitation or a change to
an upcoming event.
Calendar Server
23 Product Overview
OS X Server
Bring the power of collaborative instant messaging to your organization. With Messages
Server, users can transfer fles securely, share a persistent chat room, conduct an audio
conference, or even broadcast a presentation, movie, or photo slideshow to others
using Messages with OS X.
Standards-Based Jabber Server
Messages Server uses the Jabber instant messaging protocol. Also known as XMPP,
the Jabber protocol enables support for Mac computers using Messages, as well as
for other Jabber clients on iPhone, iPad, and PCs.
Store and Forward
Thanks to store-and-forward functionality, Messages Server allows users to send
messages to buddies who are online, combining the advantages of instant messaging
and email.
Persistent Chat Rooms
Messages users can request Messages Server to create and host a persistent chat room.
Perfect for virtual-team scenarios, project-specifc discussions, and real-time, blow-by-blow
updates, the chat room allows individuals to join at any time, leave when they need to
even log out and shut downand still come back to review all communications from
the time the chat room opened.
Messages Server
24 Product Overview
OS X Server
You dont need to be an experienced webmaster to set up websites and host them on
OS X Server. Use OS X Server to publish custom websites that you created (or someone
has created for you) using website development software.
Access Controls
You can restrict access to each website to a specifc group, or restrict parts of the
website to specifc groups. Authentication using name and password can be required
to access restricted content.
Virtual Hosting
OS X Server takes the complexity out of confguring, hosting, and managing websites.
You can confgure individual security options, index fles, and access controls, and host
dynamic web applications on a per-site basis.
Encrypted Data Transport Using SSL
OS X Server features integrated support for strong encryption and authentication
using SSL digital certifcates.
Dynamic Web Content
OS X Server is extremely fexible, so you can add dynamic content for more interactive
websites and applications. The Web Server supports dynamic content generated by
Server-Side Includes, PHP, Apache modules, and CGIs.
Websites
25 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server allows users to securely connect to your organizations network services
and confdential information from home or away from the ofce. Virtual private network
(VPN) access enables your ofsite users to securely access network services while
preventing access by unauthorized individuals.
Standards-Based Protocols
OS X Server supports the standards-based L2TP/IPSec and PPTP tunneling protocols to
provide encrypted VPN connections for iPad, iPhone, Mac, and PCs. These VPN services
use strong authentication methods, including MS-CHAP and network-layer IPSec.
On Demand
When using Profle Manager, administrators can now defne VPN on-demand profles to
provide seamless, secure access to your organizations network. VPN on demand allows
your Mac to establish a secure connection to the VPN server without requiring the user
to bring up the connection manually.
VPN Server
26 Product Overview
OS X Server
Automate OS X installations and upgrades across your network. Designed for admin-
istrators who manage operating system installations and software updates for their
organizations, NetInstall performs automated software installations, whether its a
new version of the operating system, a specifc suite of applications for a workgroup,
or both. NetInstall saves time and eliminates the expense of distributing software on
disk or the need for administrators to confgure each system in person.
Instead of going from computer to computer to install an operating system and app
software, you can prepare an installation image that installs on each computer when
it starts up. You can also choose to not install software and have client computers start
up (or boot) from an image stored on the server. In some cases, clients dont even need
their own hard disk. Using NetInstall, your client computers can start from a standardized
OS X confguration image suited to specifc tasks. Because the client computers start
from the same image, you can quickly update the operating system for users by updating
a single boot image.
NetInstall
27 Product Overview
OS X Server
Xsan is a 64-bit cluster fle system specifcally designed for small and large computing
environments that demand the highest level of data availability. This specialized tech-
nology enables multiple Macs to share RAID storage volumes over a high-speed Fibre
Channel network. Each client can read and write directly to the centralized fle system,
accelerating user productivity while improving workgroup collaboration. Because
everyone can be working with the same fles on the network, Xsan dramatically
improves the efciency of post-production and other data-intensive workfows.
The Xsan fle system is built into OS X, allowing any Mac with appropriate connectivity
to access an Xsan volume. OS X Server includes the Xsan Admin application for hosting
and confguring Xsan volumes.
Volume Management
Xsan allows you to create storage pools made of identical sets of LUNs, and stripe
them together for the fastest-possible performance. Diferent pools ofering special
storage characteristics can be combined into volumes; and data placement settings,
or afnities, enable you to direct data to specifc volumes depending on performance
and protection requirements.
Metadata Controller Failover
Xsan has a high-availability design that allows users to access mission-critical data even
in the event of a system or Fibre Channel network failure. Metadata controller failover
protects storage availability from server hardware failure.
Journaling
File system journaling tracks modifcations to metadata, enabling quick recovery of the
fle system in case of unexpected interruptions in service. And Fibre Channel multipathing
allows fle system clients to automatically use an alternate data path should a failure occur.
Real-Time Monitoring, Graphs, and Event Notifcation
For day-to-day SAN management, OS X Server includes the Xsan Admin application.
Xsan Admin makes it easy to manage and monitor your SAN and notifes you of
impending issues.
Xsan
28 Product Overview
OS X Server
OS X Server takes advantage of the UNIX-compliant foundation of OS X. This rock-solid
core provides the stability, performance, and security that organizations requireand
full UNIX conformance ensures compatibility with existing server and application
software.
High-Performance Networking
Incorporating the latest industry-standard networking and security protocols, OS X
uses the time-tested BSD sockets and TCP/IP stack to provide compatibility and
integration with IP-based networks.
A fully multithreaded IP stack and advanced process- and thread-scheduling algorithms
enable OS X to efciently service requestseven when hundreds of users are simul-
taneously connected to the server. From the lowest levels of the kernel to everyday
applications, performance gains are especially noticeable on the latest Intel multicore
systems.
Advanced Server Features
OS X features an industrial-strength design required for business-critical server
deployments. Headless operation allows administrators to install and confgure
services without needing to connect a display to the server. Powerful remote adminis-
tration tools permit secure service management from anywhere on the network
or over the Internet, and support for SSH provides secure access from the UNIX
command line.
To keep critical services up and running, OS X has built-in tools for monitoring systems,
preventing accidental shutdown, and recovering services quickly in case of network or
power failure.
Security and Access Controls
OS X is designed to be secure right out of the boxno security expertise is required.
Included are features that keep your systems secure, such as advanced security archi-
tectures, a built-in frewall, and strong encryption and authentication technologies.
Server Fundamentals
29 Product Overview
OS X Server
2013 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, FaceTime, iBooks, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iTunes, iTunes U, Keynote,
Mac, Numbers, OS X, Pages, QuickTime, Safari, Spotlight, Time Machine, Xcode, and Xsan are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered
in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Intel is a trademark of Intel Corp. in the U.S. and other
countries. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be
trademarks of their respective companies. October 2013 L516499A
System Requirements
Mac computer running OS X Mavericks.
10GB of available space; some features require additional disk space.
Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.
Some features require program enrollment.
Some features are not available in all countries.
Languages
English
Chinese
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
Pricing
Anyone can quickly and easily turn a Mac running OS X Mavericks into a server thats
perfect for home ofces, businesses, schools, and hobbyists alike. OS X Server is an
application you can add to OS X Mavericks right from the Mac App Store for $19.99.
Resources
Documentation: www.apple.com/osx/server/documentation
Training and certifcation: training.apple.com
Product support: www.apple.com/support
Additional Information