Mac OS X Server is the server-oriented version of Apple's operating system, Mac OS X. Mac OS X, in both desktop and server versions, is a Unix operating system based on technology that Apple acquired from NeXT Computer.

The server version of Mac OS X includes applications that are intended to allow administrators to more easily manage features, such as internet-based services like E-mail or site hosting, or manage networks of Macs and Microsoft Windows PCs and provide services such as file and print sharing. Prior to Mac OS X, Apple's AppleShare software provided server applications such as file and printer sharing and user management.

Mac OS X Server leverages both open source technologies for provision of powerful standards-based services, and proprietary Apple applications for administration and for some extra services. Many services have aspects of both origins, such as Open Directory, which provides access to several open source (and external proprietary) technologies from one interface.

Versions

The first version of Mac OS X Server, Mac OS X Server 1.0, was based on Rhapsody 5.3, a hybrid of OPENSTEP from NeXT Computer and Mac OS 8.5.1. The GUI looked like a mixture of Mac OS 8's Platinum appearance with OPENSTEP's NeXT-based interface. It included a runtime layer called Blue Box for running legacy Mac OS-based applications within a separate window. There was discussion of implementing a 'transparent blue box' which would intermix Mac OS applications with those written for Rhapsody's Yellow Box environment, but this would not happen until Mac OS X's Classic environment. WebObjects and NetBoot was included with the server package.

On May 21, 2001, Apple released a version of their server operating system based on Mac OS X v10.0. This was proceeded by server releases based on the following

Mac OS X v10.1 (September 25, 2001)

Mac OS X v10.2 (August 24, 2002)

Mac OS X v10.3 (October 24, 2003)

Mac OS X v10.4 (April 29, 2005)

Mac OS X v10.5 (October 26, 2007)

Mac OS X Server 10.3 Panther

The 10.3 Mac OS X Server release includes updated Open Directory user and file management, which with this release is based on LDAP, beginning the deprecation of the NeXT-originated NetInfo architecture. The new Workgroup Manager interface improved configuration significantly. Many common network services are provided such as NTP, SNMP, web server (Apache), mail server (Postfix and Cyrus), LDAP (OpenLDAP), AFP, and print server. The inclusion of Samba version 3 allows tight integration with Windows clients and servers. MySQL v4.0.16 and PHP v4.3.7 are also included.Box artwork for Mac OS X Server versions 10.1-10.5.

Mac OS X Server 10.4 Tiger

The 10.4 release adds 64-bit application support, Access Control Lists, Xgrid, link aggregation, e-mail spam filtering (SpamAssassin), virus detection (ClamAV), Gateway Setup Assistant, and servers for Software Update, iChat Server using Jabber , and weblogs.

Version 10.4 also has new client capabilities, as user identities can be fully independent of the client machine. The server can provide various levels of user management scenarios, including having client machines boot directly from an operating system stored on the server (NetBoot), booting independently but storing all user information on the server (network home directory), and/or storing the users' files locally on the users' portable computers while episodically synchronizing all user information to a mirror identity on the server (portable home directory). The end result of these technologies is that users can access some or all of their complete computer identity from any location and/or from any computer on the internet. In typical Apple style, these services are all configured with a small number of graphical-interface configurators.

Apple announced immediate availability of the Mac Pro at the Worldwide Developers Conference on August 10, 2006 consequently announcing the first release of a Universal binary version of Mac OS X Server, supporting both PowerPC and Intel processors.

In versions 10.4 Tiger and later, Apple included the serialnumberd daemon to Mac OS X Server to validate license information over UDP port 626. This has caused some controversy among server administrators as serialnumberd overrides an explicit administrator firewall security setting to keep its copy protection functional.

Mac OS X Server 10.5 Leopard

Mac OS X Server v10.5 "Leopard" was announced at the 2005 Worldwide Developers Conference, and was first shown to the public at the World Wide Developer's Conference which began on August 7, 2006. Leopard Server was released on October 26, 2007.

Leopard Server includes: iCal Server, Wiki Server (a Wiki server), a Spotlight Server, and Podcast Producer for turn-key podcasting.

Leopard Server also introduces updates to many other services, such as Apache 2.2, MySQL 5, Apache Tomcat 6, QuickTime Streaming Server 6, iChat Server 2, Xgrid 2, and Open Directory 4.

Unlike previous versions of OS X Server, Leopard Server now includes three install configurations: Standard, Workgroup, and Advanced. The Standard server configuration is an ideal first server for small businesses or small workgroups. The Workgroup server configuration is similar to "Standard", but allows the server to connect to existing directory services (Open Directory, Active Directory, etc.). The Advanced server configuration allows for more granular and advanced installations.

Server tools

Mac OS X Server comes with a variety of configuration tools that can be installed on non-server Macs as well:

Gateway Setup Assistant

Macintosh Manager

Network Image Utility

QTSS Publisher

Server Admin

Server Assistant

Server Monitor

System Image Utility

Workgroup Manager

Xgrid Admin

Several tools are only usable on the local server itself:

AppleShare IP Migration

Fibre Channel Utility

MySQL Manager