Mac Mini Server Benchmarks? Performance? vs. HP MediaSmart Server

Has anyone compiled the performance or speed of the Mac Mini Snow Leopard Server?? The one thing that worries me is the 5400 RPM hard drives in the server.
I'd like to know what the throughput is for this device and using it as central storage.
I'm coming from an HP MediaSmart Server and I am happy with it's speed but it's feature set doesn't match what I'd like from Snow Leopard Server.

The one thing that worries me is the 5400 RPM hard drives in the server.
Whether or not that might be a problem would depend on exactly what you intend to use it for and what kind of load you expect in terms of users.
I ordered a Mac mini server to evaluate as a potential replacement for our expensive leased servers. It appears to be a server in a box that's ready to configure and run. For individuals and small businesses who need a cost-effective general purpose server, it looks like a pretty good deal, at least based on the specs. Once I actually have my hands on one I'll know for certain.

Similar Messages

Is the mac mini server the same hardware as the other mac minis (except for the quad core i7 and dual hard drives) with different software or is it configured differently?

I have a mac mini with an i7 dual core processor. It is perceptably slower than my macbook pro with a quad core i7. Does the mac mini server have the same hardware configuation as the regular mac mini with server software or is the hardware different (aside from the i7 quad core and dual hard drives)? I want a mini with a quad core i7...

Your assumption is correct. The server does however only
have the Intel HD3000 graphics like the base model with
no option, at this time, for the discrete graphics chip. So,
depending on what you are using it for, that could be a deal
breaker. Remember that your MBP does have a discrete
graphics chip.
I have a 2011 Mini Server connected to a Thunderbolt display
that gets used as an engineering workstation and general
personal use (some photo editing, LP restoraton, general
internet browsing). You simply just not enable any of the
server services. I find the combination to work quite well
for my purposes. I also have a 13" 2.7 GHz i7 Macbook Pro
which is pretty much strictly for work. As far as CPU
power it is pretty much equivelent to your Mini. For the most
part I find the Mini does outperfom my MBP. I heavily use
Parallels and Windows7 virtual machines, so the more cores
the better.
So, If you do a lot of CPU intensive stuff that is multithreaded,
the Server may help. If it is graphics intensive and your software
heavily leaverages the GPU, you may actually take a hit on
performance.

Please help me decide on a Mac mini server or MacBook Pro i7 for Logic

Hi folks,
I've really taxed my brain trying to figure out what's the smartest way to go. I'd love to know what any of you think I should do.
My current setup:
2007 MacBook Pro 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo
2GB Ram
FSB 667 MHz
M-Audio ProFire 610
WD-Passport external drive for samples and audio files
Logic 8 (looking to upgrade to 9)
Record 1.5
Various AU plugins including Omnisphere, Miroslav Philharmonic, Amplitude 2, FM-8, BFD 2 and Korg Legacy Analogue
Final Cut Studio (latest version) for modest HD editing but sometimes multiclips as well
I tend to use lots of tracks - around 10 vocals, 4 guitars and lots of software instruments.
As you can imagine, Omnisphere runs like a dog past 2 instances and BFD practically makes everything grind to a halt.
Since going to Record 1.5, rewiring also seems to be unusably slow.
I'd love a new iMac or Mac Pro but I make several plane journeys to visit my Mum in another country. My solution has to be mobile, although I have got monitors, a keyboard and mouse that I can use at my Mum's.
As far as I can see, there are 2 options:
1
A new MacBook Pro 2.66 Ghz i7
2
A Mac Mini Server 2.66 Ghz Core 2 Duo
Physically, the Mac Mini is the better option:
- much lighter in my hand luggage so I could take it in addition to my existing MacBook Pro.
- more USB ports
My worries with getting a Mac Mini are:
- Is it powerful enough or at least significantly better than my MacBook Pro?
- Will it run the latest version of Final Cut Studio (a little off-topic, I know but I couldn't seem to find any straight answers elsewhere).
- Is it noisy when under a heavy workload?
- There is no Superdrive so can I use my MacBook Pro to install the software DVDs across a network?
Thanks for reading this. Let me know what you think.
Kind regards,
Steve

The mini will be about as powerful as your current MBP. You could have more RAM in the mini, 2 GB is certainly not enough for any serious work.
People on this list were initially(LP 9.0.0) underwhelmed by the MBP i7 dual core, it is a step up from your older MBP, but don't expect miracles. Get lots of RAM/a SSD for optimum performance.
9.1.3 may have improved performance, not sure,
Fast and relatively cheap: iMac i7 quad core. Not very portable, though.
Not ideal either is your M-audio interface, its drivers are below par making your Mac sweat more than necessary.
My 2c,
Zip

RAID on Mac mini Server (2011 i7)

I just purchased a new Mac mini Server today (the base configuration 2011 Quad Core i7 with 4GB RAM and 2x 500GB 7200RPM magnetic hard disks) and wanted to share what I've learned about setting up RAID on the system.
First, as you may have heard, the Mac mini Server does not include any installation/reinstallation media (I was hoping for a USB reinstall key, but it seems that the new systems don't include these or optical discs; last year's Mac mini Server included handy reinstall DVDs even though the system didn't have an optical drive). Out of the box, the new Mac mini Server has Mac OS X Lion, the iLife suite, and the Mac OS X Lion Server tools pre-installed on one of the two 500GB internal drives; the other disk is formatted as a separate, second drive.
If this is the configuration you're looking for, you're good to go right out of the box. As an aside, this shipping configuration is ideal for using the second disk as a Time Machine drive. I would argue that Time Machine would be a better use of the second volume than a RAID 1 configuration, as Time Machine provides versioned backups and you don't incur the write performance penalty RAID 1 requires every time data is saved to the disk. I would further caution that, while an internal Time Machine disk is a convenient safety measure, any critical data should be backed up outside of the system as well.
Now for those like me who were intrigued by the opportunity to mate the Quad Core i7 with a RAID 0/striped configuration for a performance boost (or if you want to use RAID 1), a RAID configuration is possible, but it there are a few caveats.
First, Apple has two recovery options for the new Macs: a small hidden recovery partition on the boot drive and their Internet Recovery system. While it's possible to boot other systems from a Lion installation DVD extracted from the App Store Lion installer, such bootable optical discs will not boot the Mac mini Server at this time (this may change if Apple modifies the App Store Lion installer). Therefore, as of right now, the recovery partition or the Internet Recovery system are the best options for installing/reinstalling on a RAID set.
Second, if you boot the system using Command+R to access the recovery partition, you can wipe the two drives and create a RAID set, but this process will remove the recovery partition and is incompatible with FileVault encryption (a warning to this effect comes up when you try to start an install/reinstalll on a RAID set, but at that point, you've likely already erased the recovery partition in Disk Utility). If the system boots after the recovery partition is deleted, the only install/reinstall option is Apple's Internet Recovery.
Third, as might be expected depending upon your internet bandwidth, the Internet Recovery system can take a while to boot the recovery tools (10-15 minutes to boot on a standard cable modem connection) and to reinstall the OS (50+ minutes on a standard cable modem connection). Internet Recovery currently reinstalls only Mac OS X Lion and the Server tools on the mini Server; there's no option to install iLife during the OS install (Apple could always change this by updating their servers, and there is a Customize button on the installer, but it is greyed out and cannot be clicked at the present).
Fourth, once the OS is reinstalled, it's possible to reinstall the iLife applications by launching the App Store from within Mac OS and selecting Purchased. The store will indicate that the system is eligible to download the iLife apps and you can do so by agreeing to upload system-identifying information to Apple and signing in with your Apple ID.
I hope all this helps. Here's a more concise step-by-step of how to set up the system with RAID:
THINGS YOU NEED
A fast Internet connection for the mini
Patience
Hold Command+R on the keyboard at start up to boot from the system's recovery partition (if the recovery partition has been deleted, the system should start from Apple's Internet Recovery system; you may need to connect to WiFi if wired ethernet isn't available)
Once you get into the recovery utility, select Disk Utility and for each of the two hard drives:
highlight the drive
select the Partition tab
select 1 Partition from the Partition Layout pulldown menu
select Free Space from the Format pulldown menu
click Apply
After you've wiped both of the drives, highlight one of the disks and click the RAID tab, then create a RAID set (striped or mirrored, as you prefer)
Quit Disk Utility and from the main recovery utility menu select Reinstall Lion (from this point on, if you have any trouble, you can restart the mini from the Internet Recovery system and return to this point, but the recovery partition will be gone as long as you keep the RAID set)
After you install and configure Mac OS X Lion Server (which can take well over an hour to download and install), you should be able to reinstall the iLife applications by launching the App Store App and selecting Purchased, then logging in with your Apple ID and agreeing to send your system info to Apple to download the iLife Applications
If you're using the mini as a production server, I highly suggest setting up some local, external recovery tool, as you don't want to have system downtime protracted by having to wait for an Internet Recovery boot/reinstall. I would also beg Apple to consider this sort of scenario and to provide more supported methods for recovering and reinstalling from local media.
Best of luck to you all.

I found the basic principle on another forum thanks to a guy called 'e-whizz' and this what I did to make RAID 1 work on a mac mini server with LION server.
You can easily configure the second drive on a mac mini server for a Mirrored RAID 1 set with Lion Server without either reinstalling or erasing your existing setup.
The initial setup process takes about 30 minutes, though the rebuilding of the mirror disk will take several hours, depending on the amount of data you have on the drive. It took around 3 hours on a new mac mini server with lion server installed, nothing else configured.
Before you start, please ensure you have a current backup of the server. Getting the following commands wrong can render you server unusable.
What you need to use is the command line version of Disk Utility, diskutil.
Before you start, clone the hard drive. You can use SuperDuper (or similar, I have used SuperDuper) with copying all files onto a USB memory stick. If Lion is freshly installed, 8Gb will do. SuperDuper will create a bootable copy on the USB.
Boot the mac mini from the external USB. To do that, reboot and hold down the option key while restarting. You will see a window, select the USB drive to boot from.
Launch the terminal and type the following command:
diskutil list
This gives you a list of all the drives and partitions your system knows about.
You need to find the Server HD partition (the first disk) and the HD2 partitions (the second disk). These are the two main ~500GB drives. You will be using the disk IDENTIFIERs when issuing the diskutil commands. For a stock standard Mac Mini Server, the commands below are correct, but if you have previously changed the volume names, or repartitioned at any stage the disk identifiers and volume names may differ.
First enable RAID mirroring on existing Server HD volume. This will create a single disk, unpaired mirror, without affecting your data.
Using this syntax:
diskutil appleRAID enable mirror disktomirror
where disktomirror is your disk identifier for Server HD
On my mac mini server, Server HD was disk0s2, so I used this command:
diskutil appleRAID enable mirror disk0s2
You now need to run diskutil list again to see the disk identifier for the new RAID volume. The new RAID volume will be listed as disk# on its own at the bottom of the list.
On my mac mini server this was disk3 (disk 2 was the USB I booted from, disk 0 the first disk and disk 1 the second disk)
Next add the disk HD2 to the Server HD raid mirror volume (on my mac, as I said before, this is disk3) as a new member.
This step will erase disk HD2 and begin an auto repair of the Server HD.
Using this syntax:
diskutil appleRAID add member newdisk raidvolume
replacing newdisk and raidvolume with your particular disk identifiers
On my server this was:
diskutil appleRAID add member disk1s2 disk3
To follow the progress of rebuilding the mirror set, type
diskutil list
It will show you the progress in % of the rebuilding under status
Once finished, reboot and your RAID 1 is up and running and you have also a working backup on your USB (coz' that's where you booted from ;-)
After reboot you can check the status of your RAID with
diskutil appleRAID list
Both drives should show ONLINE under status, interestingly, the device node for the RAID changed on my mac mini server from disk3 to disk2
That's it

Mac Mini Server auto commands

I use a mac mini server for FTP, the is put to sleep at night when i wake the server i need t
enter the following sudo commands to allow my clients to access
sudo ipfw l
password
sudo ipfw -q flush
i am looking for a solution to automate the entry of these commands on wakeup of the server
also i would like to be able to remotely wake up the server from my iphone or imac
and auto run the sudo commands
any help on how to achieve this would be greatle appreciated

You could simply create a cron task such as those that perform the nightly, weekly, and monthly maintenance tasks.
You could search here, CNet Downloads or MacUpdate, for an existing utility that enables you to perform an action based on a system event such as, Do Something When.

Mac Mini Server Hangs, Gets Sluggish

New 2012 Mac Mini Server (2Gig i7 with 8GB memory). Server App is off, and I'm using it as a standalone unit. Running iTunes on an external Thunderbolt RAID. Running Safari with several tabs open. The iMac generally gets irratic within an hour or so: iTunes may be sluggish, Safari slows or stalls, then eventually the whole system hangs with the fan running at full speed. I have re-set the contoller by removing power for a while and then re-initializing. No help. Seems for a loaded iMac something is very wrong. Any guesses.

1. This comment applies to malicious software ("malware") that's installed unwittingly by the victim of a network attack. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The recognition database is automatically updated once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets (see below.)
It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been another layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't actually been tested by Apple (unless it comes from the Mac App Store), but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. For most practical purposes, applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed can be considered safe.
Gatekeeper has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could find some other way to evade Apple's controls.
For more information about Gatekeeper, see this Apple Support article.
4. Beyond XProtect and Gatekeeper, there’s no benefit, in most cases, from any other automated protection against malware. The first and best line of defense is always your own intelligence. All known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore reduces to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.
That means, in practice, that you never use software that comes from an untrustworthy source. How do you know whether a source is trustworthy?
Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is untrustworthy.
A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn users who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
“Cracked” copies of commercial software downloaded from a bittorrent are likely to be infected.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. No intermediary is acceptable.
5. Java on the network (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related) is a weak point in the security of any operating system. If a Java web plugin is not installed, don't install one unless you really need it. If it is installed, you should disable it (not JavaScript) in your web browsers. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This setting is mandatory in OS X 10.5.8 or earlier, because Java in those obsolete versions has known security flaws that make it unsafe to use on the Internet. The flaws will never be fixed. Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java can never be fully trusted, even if no vulnerabilities are publicly known at the moment.
Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can reasonably be.
6. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use the free software ClamXav — nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?
Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
7. ClamXav doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so can corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
ClamXav is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. If you don't need to do that, avoid it. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.
8. The greatest danger posed by anti-virus software, in my opinion, is its effect on human behavior. When people install such software, which does little or nothing to protect them from emerging threats, they get a false sense of security from it, and then they may do things that make them more vulnerable. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use.

Mac Mini & Mac Mini Server

Hi
I would like to know the "suitability" of Mac Mini or Mac Mini Server for web hosting (multiple domain/site) purpose. Some basic assumptions include : budget less than USD$5, user base / concurrent access less than 500, hosted at data centre with average bandwidth (not sure at the moment though).
Basically, I am disappointed with the purchase experience with Windows server. I have ready cash but the reseller seems no so keen. Perhaps, I am not the big spender. I wanted Windows server is because my developer is "brained-wash" in Windows world. He uses the standard PHP, mySQL related stuff. So I am trying to "brain-wash" him to Mac but it's a challenging task for me with little knowledge on the subject matter.
I need to know if Mac Mini and or server is "powerful" as compared with Windows server. I know it is not a very "fair" question but if I know there is very few people use such, then I more or less know the answer.
HTH.

Some things to consider.
The mini server will consume low power, generate little heat, and can be packed densely into a data center, achieving high levels of clustering or redundancy. The flash storage is plenty fast but not spacious. They are also cheap enough to buy two to form a level of redundancy, especially if you are using a load balancer.
However, Mavericks Server no longer includes MySQL. This download you must do yourself. PHP and Apache are present but Apple is not always the fastest to patch these two products. You can replace the stack with a MAMP install which might serve you well. Server.app does not expose all the Apache features that a hosting service may want/need. However, you can edit the conf file manually. If you are planning on giving your customers remote access, FTP is hobbled in Mavericks and you need to do a ton of work (or buy something else) to get multi-tenant chroot.
Regarding "powerful"... If you are using the device for a single task, then the issue falls to the performance of the network card in comparison to your internet connection speed. If you are getting a 100 MB connection then the possible concurrent requests will never saturate the server. This assumes that your HTML and images are optimized and you are not sending out a bunch of 1 MB GIFs. Also, the consideration is Apache vs IIS. Apple provides Apache and a simple interface for "casual" web services, usually one site or to support its own services.
Keep in mind that there are many Linux solutions that exist in which the cost of hardware might be equal to or less than the mini. And in this case, you are getting the raw LAMP stack that you can more fully customize and patch.
Reid
Apple Consultants Network
Apple Professional Services
Author "Mavericks Server – Foundation Services" :: Exclusively available in Apple's iBooks Store

Cannot see Mac Mini Server from Internet: DynDNS alias gets thru cable modem to wireless router, not to the Mac Mini. How to configure?

I want to make my Mac Mini Server (Lion) visible to the Internet from my home LAN. I have followed the Lion server install wizards and also set up a dynamic DNS at DynDNS.com.
When I enter the Internet address with the proper alias from a web browser, I get dumped into the admin screen of the Linksys wireless router WRT300N. Hint: the WRT300N provides DHCP for the LAN, not the cable modem providing DHCP. The WRT300N has DDNS service set up. NAT and RIP are disabled. The Mac Mini DHCP is reserved.
Suggestions? I could use the Motorola Surfboard SB6121 to provide DHCP but have hesitations.
Point me to the right discussion/article and get me back on track, please.

This sounds like a simple port forwarding issue, but I don't understand your LAN setup.
The WRT300N has DDNS service set up. NAT and RIP are disabled.
The chances are, you're running NAT somewhere in your network. If not the WRT then what? If it's your cable modem then you must have port forwarding configured on the cable modem, and that's where you need to focus - change the port forwarding to point to your Mac Mini's address rather than the WRT.
HOWEVER, it is far more common to have the wireless router perform NAT and DHCP, which is why I question your setup.
Not directly related, but:
The Mac Mini DHCP is reserved
Nix this. Your server should be configured manually, with a static IP address, not DHCP, even with a reservation in the DHCP server. The only advantage of DHCP is for dynamic hosts (hence the 'D' in 'DHCP') or if you expect to change your entire local subnet on any kind of frequent basis. The reality is that you can't just change the IP address of Mac OS X Server like this - there are too many dependencies, so it's better to set it manually, knowing that there's a cost (and pain) to change the server's address.

How to install OSX 10.6 client in Mac Mini Server 10.7 Lion Server

I am ordering a Mac Mini Server with Lion Server 10.7, with 256GB SSD and 750GB HD. I want to use Snow Leopard (client/workstation) instead. Previously I have already purchased retailed version of 10.5 clients and 10.6 client upgrade. Please advise the best approach from the followings (or more suggestions from you guys...).
(A) The boot disk (likely to be the SSD) will be re-formatted and re-installed by "clean" installation of 10.6 client. But I am not sure whether all hardware drivers for the new Mac Mini (2011) are available in the 10.6 client disk. Also, it seems to me that installation disk of 10.7 server will not be provided. So I shall not be able to re-install server version again if I want to change this Mac to a server sometimes afterwards. Of course I would like to keep this server software for investment protection, no matter I use it or not. If 10.6 client can be installed, I shall use bootcamp to install Windows 7 also. So there will be 2 partitions to be usable aparently.
(B) The factory-installed OSX 10.7 server is kept, and one more partition is created (with Disk Utilties). Snow Leopard workstation 10.6 will be installed at this new partition. If 10.6 client can be installed, I shall use bootcamp to install Windows 7 also. So there will be 4 partitions, including 10.7 server, 10.6 client, 10.7 recovery drive and bootcamp for Windows 7. Since I want to put all OS software at the SSD (faster boot-up and better performance), the drawback is that each partition is with less space.
Do you guys have other ideas or suggestions?
[Background]
In fact I want to make use of its strongest computing power (amongst available Mac Mini computers in store), quad-core CPU & dual disks, to run music applications (DAWs). Operating systems are put at SSD, and data is put at traditional harddisk. As some music applications (e.g. Calkwalk Dimension) only support 10.6 currently, I need to down-grade from Lion server to Snow Leopard workstation. Also I think applications can run faster in a hardware with workstation OS (rather than server version). Please correct me if this belief is wrong.
Thanks / Howard.

If you completely wipe the original Mac mini boot drive you will wipe the Server.app software an dlose it. You should make a backup first, perhaps by saving the entire boot drive as a Disk Image file on to another drive.
In terms of install 10.6, the 10.6 DVD will not boot on the new Mac mini even if you connect a DVD drive. You need to put the Mac mini in to FireWire Target Disk Mode and connect it to an older Mac that will allow booting from that DVD, then install on to the Mac mini (over FireWire), you then need to upgrade it using the 10.6.8 Combo Updater this will add the drivers needed for the new Mac mini.

Mac Mini OSX 10.6.5 config w/ cable/modem-AEBS-mac mini server

I'm new to OSX server, and have recently had to change locations of a OSX 10.6.5 Mac Mini. I am setting it up now as a home server and need to access from outside the home. I have had a wonderfully operating AEBS for many years, but once I started trying to set-up the mac mini server, I started having problems configuring the server to play nicely with the AEBS.
Back to basics, because for what I need the AEBS is sufficient (and technically capable) of acting in concert with my mini server (from all I've read, anyway). I just cannot configure them correctly without causing problems.
Equipment:
AEBS w/ version 7.4.1
Mac Mini OSX 10.6.5
iMac OSX 10.6.5
(2) MacBook Pros 10.6.5
(2) iPhones IOS 4.2
I have a static (known) IP from my ISP. I have no problem with configuring the AEBS to work with everything, until I plug in the mac mini. I realize the older configuration for the prior server set-up is incorrect, but making minor adjustments for moving to a AEBS from the Cisco UC500 set-up has been greater than my technological experience.
I am versed in networking, but cannot seem to get the correct configuration, and the only thing the Apple manuals have is a 'possibility' this can be done, but no specifics I can find for controlling the AEBS settings from the mac mini when connected on the LAN port of the AEBS (that's when the problems start).
Here's where I've tried and cannot access the Serv Admin program when I connect the mac mini to the AEBS LAN port:
(1) changed AEBS Connection sharing to Share a public ip address
(which I understand makes "advanced" "port mapping" possible)
(2) set AEBS Internet connection to connect to router on 192.168 network
(3) set AEBS to offer DHCP in 10.0.1 range
(4) set AEBS capsule own address to be 10.0.1.1
PLUG in ethernet cable to Mac Mini and Time Capsule
Activate Ethernet and deactivate Airport
(5) set Mac Mini Server Manual ip address to 10.0.1.2
(6) set Mac Mini Server DNS addresses to 127.0.0.1, 10.0.1.1
(7) set Mac Mini Server / Server Admin / DNS / Zones / Machine name / IP Address = 10.0.1.2
Any advice on where to start trouble-shooting?

The AEBS gets your public static IP address, and otherwise performs NAT.
(The AEBS is a good home box, but not a server-grade firewall. I do run AEBS and Time Capsule boxes, but these are generally operated as WiFi Access Points (what Apple calls "bridging"), and not as WiFi routers, and definitely not as server gateways.)
The AEBS DHCP server configuration for DNS services is set with the IP address of your new server; that's your DNS server now. Caution: +There are no references to ISP DNS nor other DNS servers.+ You're running DNS (well, you will be soon), so your local network will be configured differently than a client network.
Your Mac Mini Server is configured in a /24 subnet in one of the private blocks (eg: 10.0.0.0/8) somewhere. This for future VPNs, as everything on the planet is crammed in a few 192.168.0.0/16 subnets.
The AEBS DHCP server can be used to pass out a pool of addresses in that private /24, but the server must have a static IP address.
[Get your DNS services going for your LAN now.|http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/1436] Don't skip this step. DNS is essential to servers, and you'll be serving DNS on your LAN. I'd suggest a real and registered domain here or a subdomain of a real and registered domain, as changing domain names on a network is an increasing pain in the rump as the network scales up.
For DNS services, your Mac Mini (and only your Mac Mini) will refer only to itself via the 127.0.01 on its network controller. (This is an odd case; the box is referring to itself, so it's the IP loopback address and not your LAN static IP address.) Everything else on your LAN will refer to the static IP address of your Mac Mini DNS server either via static configuration, or via the AEBS DHCP server's DNS setting referencing your Mac Mini server that are received from the DHCP server with a dynamic address.
Work your way up to configuring Open Directory (LDAP), and Kerberos, then configure the rest of the accouterments.

Is it possible to install Lion client on to a Mac mini server?

After seeing benchmark tests on the new Mac mini, the Mac mini server with the i7 processor is obviously much faster. But would there be any issue prohibiting the Lion client from installing on the Mac mini server instead of Lion server?

I'm afraid it's not possible. Or at least not easily. I've spent the last few days trying to do exactly that, as Lion Server doesn't seem to be able to sleep automatically unlike the client. I've followed all the Apple advice on how to 'remove' the Server components, but it's clear looking at a process list that there's still a huge amount of server stuff still there.
If you try to install a retail copy of Lion on the new hardware including 2011 Mini, it will refuse to boot from it - this is a deliberate and in my book completely unnecessary and unreasonable restriction by Apple.
And if you try to re-install Lion using Apple's internet recovery it gives you no choice which you get - it uses your machine details to decide unilaterally that it will reinstall Lion Server as that's what came with the machine.
The only final thing that MIGHT work - and I haven't tried yet - is to find a mate with a new 2011 Mini or Air, use that to do an internet recovery clean install to an external disk drive, then clone that clean install onto the Mini server. If that works, great, but why oh why did an otherwise excellent company like Apple make this so much harder than it was on ANY of their older hardware? It makes no sense at all. Someone should be fired for this nonsense.

What is "best practice" to set up and configure a Mac Mini server with dual 1 TB drives, using RAID 1?

I have been handed a new, out of the box, Mac Mini server. Has two 1 TB drives in it. Contractor suggested RAID 1 for the set up. I have done some research
and found out that in creating the software RAID, this takes away the recovery partition, so I have been reading up on how to create a recovery "disk" using a thumb drive. this part of the operation I am comfortable with, but there are other issues/concerns that I have.
Basically, what is the "best practice" to setup the Mini, configure the RAID and then start the server. I am assuming the steps would be something like this:
1) start up the Mini and run through the normal Maverick setup/config - keep it plain and vanilla
2) grab a copy of the Server app and store it offline in a safe place
3) perform the RAID configuration / reinstall of OS X Maverick using the recovery tools
4) copy down and start the server app
This might be considered a very simplified version of this article (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4886 - Mac mini server (Late 2012 and Mid 2011): How to install OS X Server on a software RAID volume), with the biggest difference being I grab a copy of the Server App off of the mini before I reinstall, since I did not purchase it from the App store, but rather it came with the mini.
Is there a best practice / how-to tutorial somewhere that I can follow/learn from? Am I on the right track or headed for a train wreck?
thanks in advance

I think this article will answer your question. Hope this helps: http://wisebyte.blogspot.com/2014/01/best-configuration-for-mac-mini-server.html

New Mac Mini Server, two Hard drives, Can I install an older Mac OS on the second drive and switch start up disks to run PowerPc applications?

New Mac Mini Server, has two Hard drives, could I install an older Mac OS on the second drive and switch start up disks to run PowerPc applications?

I haven't purchased a Mac Mini at this time and I may not if I can't use it as a non server. I need to update my system I would be better off buying a new Mac with Snow Leopard the last app that will run Rosetta. The Mac Mini Server has a quad 2.0 processor and 4 GB RAM and two internal hard drives and should out perform my dual 1.25 G4. I can run PPC apps on my G4 but it is 8+ years old and seems to be getting noisy. I don't want to tie myself to another old machine. I want a machine that will work with Intel Apps I was hoping that the two hard drives would allow me to boot from the second with Snow Leopard and use Lion on the first drive to be able to keep up to date with all my other universal apps and Mac OS up grades. The application I use the most is my CanvasX app with drawing & vector effects, text & typography, sprite technology, painting, image editing, and multimedia tools are all in this one app but will not be updated to run Intel apps. I am frozen in time because my most valuable Application won't be updated and Apple has cut me off by not supporting PPC in Lion and onward; Apple used to backward support but I guess that they are no longer as user friendly and concerned with a happy user. I have always been a loyal Mac user and I will not migrate to Windows under any circumstance; I hate windows!
Thanks for your prompt response,
Dick Deaton

Can I set up RAID 1 in Mac Mini Server?

Sorry if I am in the wrong forum, but would like to know if the new Mac Mini server can be set up as RAID 1 or 0 and does it require reinstalling OS after formatting, or it comes already in RAID?
thanks,

Officially, yes, you need to off-load to a backup, configure the RAID-1, and reload onto the mirrorset.
If you're feeling lucky, you can potentially [activate RAID-1 without the archive|http://www.afp548.com/article.php?story=20040827122302975]; on-line. Search for (other) discussions of using the DiskUtil tool and enabling disk mirroring for various of the previous discussions.
But if something goes wrong with the on-line conversion, a bug or a power drop-out or a disk glitch or or... ?
RAID-0 is striping; two disks together presented as one bigger disk; targets I/O performance.
RAID-1 is mirroring; two disks together presented as one; targets reliability.
RAID-0 and RAID-1 (and the other RAID levels) can be hardware-based or software based.
The Mac Mini Server uses software-based RAID.
And for completeness, neither RAID-0 nor RAID-1 is an archival strategy.
As for the other question, do you have one disk showing, or two? If two, you're not running RAID-1. All of the Mac Mini Server boxes I've seen have arrived not configured for RAID-1. They've arrived as two single disks; as what the RAID folks tend to call JBOD; Just a Bunch Of Disks.

2 x 1TB hard disk in mac mini server, possible?

Hi to all of you,
I see the Mac Mini comes with 2x 500GB hard disk. Since you can now find 1TB hard disk on the Internet I was wondering if the mac mini server would support replacing the 2x500GB HDD by 2 x 1TB HDD?
Anyone has tried it?
Would it support it?
Dag

I wonder the same thing. Power isn't the issue, though, all these drives should draw low enough power that the Mac Mini should be able to handle it, neither should cooling be an issue, since the Mac Mini is AFAIK not passively cooled.
However, most laptop 2.5" drives these days are 9.5mm high, the 1TB drives have the older, these days less common 12.5mm high form factor. So the real question is: does the Mac Mini provide the ability to mount 12.5mm high drives.
FW drives are NOT an option: less performance, and external cables are a recipe for disaster, particularly with any sort of server. Lose cables, corroded connectors, pulling on the wrong cable, separate power supplies that can independently fail, etc. etc.
I'd rather have a 1TB server with a RAID-1 configuration than with a RAID-0 setup...
...and while the thing is open, toss 8GB RAM in...

Mac Mini Server Benchmarks? Performance? vs. HP MediaSmart Server

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for