What is Mac OS X Server?

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 Serverand, 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 systemsall 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 Unixallowing 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.