Here's the scenario: I'm working at a place that has an XServe, a business-class high-speed internet connection, an Airport Extreme router, and about 20 iMacs arriving soon. All computers support Wireless N networking.
I've never set up an OSX server before - how complex is it? I'm a fairly technical person, and right now I need to do the following things through the Xserve:
- Share the internet connection through N wireless
- Run a file server that all computers can connect to / store files on
- Run an iCal server (where multiple users can edit calendar entries)
- Run an iChat server
- Allow computers to access the stored files over a VPN
It's a pretty basic setup, but as I've never done it before I was hoping I could get some assistance from the more experienced members. Is there anything specific that I should do or not do when I install OSX server for the first time? Any tips / books or online tutorials that you recommend?
In order to share the internet connection, I assume that I just go into one of the server's gigabit ethernet ports, and run a cable from the second port to the Airport Extreme.
Based on your skill, you might find it laughably easy. If you've ever successfully set up a Windows server, you WILL find it laughably easy.
My best advice is to hire a network-certified Apple Consultant to come help. Setting it up right the first time will more than offset his or her cost. There IS some reason to use those folks from time to time.
In the past few months, I've set up a few Leopard servers and can confirm it's far less daunting than one might expect. Leopard Server's documentation is very good and setting up the services you've listed should be a breeze.
By the way, the aforementioned server setups were my first and I believe anyone with a grasp of computer logic can perform the process. I had early doubts, but after setting up a system at home, I proceeded with confidence to set up my clients' servers.
Thanks guys, I think I'm going to try it myself, but if I get into a jam I'll give you a call Mississauga
Here's a server question - the place I'm at right now has a local fileserver, and when I connect to it through the "go" menu, I connect to afp://drivename. www. domainname . ca (No spaces, I added them to stop the automatic hyperlink)
This is the domain of the company, but the server is not being used as a webserver. Is that something that I set up in the initial settings? I'm a bit confused as to why the domain name is in there, since it's all on a local network.
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