Using mac mini as a server?
I'm currently running Server 10.5 on an Xserve PPC, (yes I know, don't say it), and have finally decided to move over to Snow Leopard. With the Xserve no longer an option, I'm just wondering if anyone is using the Mac Mini with Snow Leopard Server. I'm using VPN, Mail, Printer, SMB, Domain Controller, AFP, FTP, MySQL and Web, (hosting my own + 4 virtuals). I have roughly 20 users and not a whole lot of traffic, mostly just me using VPN for remote admin work. Is there anything I should be aware of before I make the switch? I know there is only 1 ethernet port, which is a pain. I figured I should do it now, before we move up to Lion. I'd rather not be a guinea pig for the first generation of Lion, Snow Leopard seems to have a lot of support online at this point, which makes things easier for me.
A Mac Mini or Mac Mini Server should be able to deal with that load.
Of what you've listed, it tends to be (heavy) disk services (SMB or AFP) that can tend to consume the most resources (and network bandwidth), if you're pushing any of those specified protocols hard.
The Mac Mini Server configuration is specifically sold as a server, and with dual 500 GB spindles and internal (software) RAID-1.
Using an external gateway firewall easily resolves the NIC issues. A gateway with a VPN server and decent port-forwarding can be configured at the edge of your network, and can filter your inbound traffic per local policies.
And external connection via FireWire 800 can provide speedy external RAID storage.
Similar Messages
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I want to install Snow Leopard Server on our MacPro(2.66) using Mac Mini Snow Leopard Server disks? I kept getting an error for backwards compatibility. Is this possible or do I need topurchase another copy of Snow Leopard Server?
The OS disks that are shipped with a particular product
are set up so that tey will only install on that product.
It will install on any Mini of that exact vintage, but that
is all.
This is to prevent people from doing exactly what you
are trying to do. The license for OSX shipped with any
is only valid for that product. Also, Snow Leopard,
including Server, is only permitted to be run on one
computer at a time. Bottom line, unlike Lion, legally
you cannot install the same copy on multiple
computers unless some "family pack" or site license
is purchased.
Yes, you need to purchase another copy.
The copy of Snow Leopard license is here:
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macosx_snowleopard.pdf -
Using Mac Mini running OSX Server (10.8) to host web sites on LAN
I would like to know how to use a Mac Mini running OSX Server (10.8 ML) to host web sites on my home network (LAN).
I am developing web sites and previously (before ML) I used my Mac Pro to 'host' the sites I was developing to test them out before publishing them to my hosting package. That was when I was using 10.7 Lion and theer was an option in the System Preferences to turn web sharing on.
I have since upgraded my Mac client to 10.8 ML and have configured it to do the same - even though there is no System Preferences option for web sharing any more.
I also have a Mac Mini running on my LAN and its been upgraded to OSX Server 10.8.
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I thought it was just a matter of adding them as sites in the Server's Websites panel (see screen shot)
but so far Ive had no success.
On my Mac client I can simply add a folder in the Sites directory and then open the web site by putting http://myhost/~myuser/name-of-folder and it will load the default file in the folder e.g. index.html
How do I achieve the 'same thing' on OSX Server?Hi Johnfromglenver,
There are no Mac drivers for the HP Officejet K60 printer. Therefore it is not compatible with the Mac operating systems. Please call our technical support at 800-474-6836. If you live outside the US/Canada Region please click the link below to get the support number for your region. http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpsupport/index.pl. There may be other solutions that could work for you.
I hope this information helps.
Advance 23
I work on behalf of HP -
Mac Pro using Mac Mini as Print Server
Hi all,
Mac Pro is wired to my network, Mac Mini is Airport connected.
I'd like to use Mac Mini as a Print Server without keyboard and mouse. I've installed OSXvnc-server on Mac Mini and Chicken of the VNC (CVNC) Client on Mac Pro.
Mac Pro's keyboard is azerty as was Mac Mini, it's impossible to loggin with Chicken of the VNC, password is not accepted, I connect an azerty keyboard to Mac Mini and I can loggin.
Typing on Mac Pro in Mac Mini TextEdit through CVNC give weird keyboard layout, not only azerty qwerty different layout.
In between my two Mac Mini there wasn't any problem using CVNC and the same server but Azerty Qwerty layout.
Is there any other solution to use Mac Mini as a print server ? What about using Desktop remote connection ?
Thanks,
Peloche,
MacPro 2.66, 6GB, 1TB; Mini G4, 1.45, 1GB; iPod 60 GB; 30" & 20" ACD; Apple IIC Mac OS X (10.4.7)Ah… right! That explains it.
So what model printers are they?
Ned,
Printers are HP Color LaserJet 2550L, HP Photosmart 8250 and Epson EPL-5900L.
I've changed the VNC Client from "Chicken of the VNC" to "VNCThing".
Now I can log in from Mac Pro using its Azerty Keyboard as Qwerty Keyboard.
Once logged in I've set Mac Mini Keyboard to "Extended (or Expanded ?) American" keyboard within System Preferences, with this option Mac Mini see the Mac Pro Keyboard as an Azerty layout...
I've connected two printers through USB2 Hub connected to Mac Mini and the third one direct onto Mac Mini USB port.
Back to Mac Pro "System Preferences Fax & Printers", "+", immediatly the 3 printers have been proposed, I've selected them and tested all: it works perfectly.
Mac Mini is set to "restart after power cut" and is connected for power onto a remoted control power distribution sockets, that means Mac Mini is starting and stopped when printers are powered on and off.
The sole small issue is that I can't find how to display Mac Mini GUI on Mac Pro at a better resolution than 1024 x 768.
Thanks for your time,
Peloche,
MacPro 2.66, 6GB, 1TB; Mini G4, 1.45, 1GB; iPod 60 GB; 30" & 20" ACD; Apple IIC Mac OS X (10.4.7) -
Can I use Mac Mini as a "server" for a MacBook Pro and iMac?
I want to develop a simple system for accessing my files from multiple devices.
I heavily use iTunes (190 GB), iPhoto (120 GB) and iMovie (30 GB, but want to do more when I get time). Additionally, I store lots of old videos on circa 10 portable hard drives (1 TB each), which I access occasionally.
The family use all this content and we currently have a MacBook Pro and are considering buying a new computer - either a new MacBook Pro or an iMac. We also have iPads, iPhones etc and a Time Capsule. We use wireless fibre optic broadband.
I don't really want multiple iTunes and iPhoto libraries. We want all our music and pictures in single master libraries that we can all access and update.
As there is seemingly too much data to store on iCloud, we need to find an alternative solution.
My possible solution is:
(1) Load my master iTunes, iPhoto and iMovie libraries ("iTPM libs") on a Mac mini
(2) Buy a new MacBook Pro or iMac (probably doesnt matter which)
(3) Link the MacBook Pro(s) and iMac to the Mac mini to access iTunes, iPhoto and iMovie and the master iTPM libs
(4) Plug the portable hard drives into the Mac mini whenever I need to access the video content stored on the portable hard drives
(5) Add "users" to the system (i.e. family members), in the same way you would access a shared server at work
(6) Over time, buy more computers to access the system in the same way
My questions are:
(1) Is this system feasible?
(2) If so, can I edit the iTPM libs from the MacBook Pro or iMac?
(3) If so, what happens if both the MacBook Pro and iMac are accessing the libraries at the same time? Which takes precedent?
(4) Would this solution be significantly slower than having separate libraries on the different computers?
(5) Is there an alternative approach that might work better for my needs? (which are, after all, relatively straight forward). When I went to the Apple store they were unsure!
Many thanks.I heavily use iTunes (190 GB), iPhoto (120 GB) and iMovie (30 GB, but want to do more when I get time). Additionally, I store lots of old videos on circa 10 portable hard drives (1 TB each), which I access occasionally.
The family use all this content and we currently have a MacBook Pro and are considering buying a new computer - either a new MacBook Pro or an iMac. We also have iPads, iPhones etc and a Time Capsule.
[…] We want all our music and pictures in single master libraries that we can all access and update.
The "update" portion of this is where your problems will arise. You'd be better to consider your proposed system initially in terms of content "consumption", before getting into the nitty-gritty of editing shared content.
iTunes has the Home Sharing feature built-in, which solves the content consumption issue.
I don't know anything about sharing iPhoto libraries, but this KB article looks useful.
As for iMovie, I think there are two things you want to do: share the raw data (sound effects, music, photos etc.) that are used to create iMovie content; and share the finished results. Is that right? I'm not sure how you'd go about doing that, but if you clarify your aims in this regard, it'll help the next person who comes along.
When it comes to updating content, such as adding new music to iTunes or iPhoto, I'd suggest you do it through the Mac mini directly. This seems the least problematic solution. You wouldn't necessarily need a dedicated display for the Mac mini - you could use remote desktop or VNC or what-have-you.
As for speed: doing anything across a network is always going to be slower than doing it locally. But, it probably won't matter for content consumption (though if you're all watching different movies at the same time the drives on the server may struggle, and the wifi bandwidth might be tight).
I hope this represents a good initial response to your query. -
I am looking to switch out my old HTPC for a Mac Mini, but I would like to save as much money as possible and keep the options I have with my HTPC. Right now I have a 250GB system HDD and a 1TB data storage HDD. How does it work to use an external HDD as media storage that is served to another device (like a PS3) for viewing?
Charles:
You can have your iPhote or Aperture libraries on the Mac Mini, and you can sync them with ypur iPhone. Notice that pictures taken from the iPhone are not added to your iPhoto or Aperture libraries unless you import them inside iPhoto or Aperture (the iPhone appears as a camera).
In iTunes you can choose wich iPhoto or Apertures events you want to copy (not sync, it is just a copy) to your iPhone. When you do that, a new Album will be added to your iPhone. -
Using mac mini for windows server vpn
I'd like to use a Mac Mini with 16GB (might wait on the new one), to run a virtual Windows Server 2012 with Exchange and a virtual Windows Server 2012 with SQL Server.
Anyone doing that successfully?Yes, you can upgrade the ram, harddrive and optical drive yourself. There are several websites that show how to do it. I've done it twice, it is really no big deal. Flip the mini over, use the right size putty knife(s) and carefully lift the lid off...from there it's a matter of removing some screws, and then reversing the procedure.
I returned my mini 2.53 because I decided I really wanted to stick with laptop for this year. But for the 2 weeks I had it, I had Logic on it. Used a USB interface, and had some Firewire drives hooked up to it. It was excellent. It's so small that it can sit right on the desk where you can get at everything.
I left the 5400 drive in it, and had zero problems. It's a rare day when someone maxes out their harddrive speed. If you check your meters in Logic, the cpu has always been maxed long, long before the HD I/O has been. If you are running 96K 30+ track creations, a mini isn't even going to be on your radar. Yet, many people use nothing but a Macbook Pro to do some very complicated tracks...and a mini is really just a macbook pro without screen/keyboard/trackpad and jammed in a small box.
I think they are fantastic values. -
Question about using mac mini as a server
I run a small non-profit agency. Our server (A Mac G4 from about 4 years ago) recently died a somewhat painful death, and we need to get a new one. We're trying to be thrifty, but i don't want to get something that won't meet our needs. Our server needs are very basic. No more than 8 people will ever access the server at the same time, and generally it will be 2-4 people at once. We keep Word and Excel docs on it (It used to host our database, but we will have a separate server for our new database). Do you think a Mac Mini with the following specs would meet our needs:
80 GB Hard Drive
1 GB RAM
1.42 GHz PowerPC G4Frank:
Thanks so much for responding! One question about your post. When you say that the Mac Mini cannot boot in OS 9, does that mean that if I wanted it to hold Filemaker Pro 4 files (which runs on OS 9), that it cannot do this? We would not be running Filemaker on the Mini, just storing the files. We would run Filemaker off of our desktop computers. Sorry, I don't know a ton about computers, so sometimes I need clarification about the terms that people use.-Rob -
I want to use a mac mini as a server supporting storage. I have other devices such as an iMac and iPad that will access information from the server. I do not want to purchase a monitor and keyboard as the unit will sit in a cupboard out of sight. Can I pair my macair to it for when I need to perform updates and maintenance ?
I have a 2010 Mac Mini running Yosemite and Server which I use
as a headless home server.
I have is set up to allow screen sharing and can connect to it and
control it with my iMac, Macbook Pro, iPhone, and a 2011 Mini Server
that I use as an HTPC.
You can check this out for all the Yosemite Server capabilities:
https://help.apple.com/advancedserveradmin/mac/4.0/
I have iTunes Home Sharing set up on it and have my entire iTunes
library on it. I can then use any of my Macs to play Movies or Songs
from it and only keep locally a select subset of that on my individual
devices.
Rather than and update server, I utilize Server's Caching Service. The caching
server will duplicate any update download (system or MacApp Store purchases)
any time a device that is connected to my network down loads one. The update will
then be stored locally and all other devices will download the update from it which
can be faster than from Apple directly. This has the advantage of only having to download
once with limited bandwidth internet connections. There is also an Update Server service
available, but it is some what more involved in setting up. However, it will download
and store all available updates.
There is another thing as well if you do not care for syncing things like Contacts, Calendar, etc.
to iCloud, you can set Server up to sync these items across devices locally. -
How to use Mac Mini Server as NAT with only one port??
How to use Mac Mini Server as NAT with only one ethernet port??
But why did apple sell me this server that does NAT with one port? I don't get it.
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We're setting up our Mac Mini Snow Leopard Server, and in the process transferred files that had been stored and accessed from our Blackarmor NAS server over to the Mac. These files were all created on PC's and are Office Excel files, WordPerfect files or PDF's. When you look at the files on the Mac from the Mac and bring up Get Info for the affected file, it says that the file has Custom Access. The files that work properly don't have that configuration. I can access and open the files on some computers, but some users can't open the files from their computer even though they can see it. We're all using PC's and they get the Error: Access Denied-Contact your administrator--or something similar. I've seen on the web similar issues and it may have something to do with ACL permissions. I don't know enough about Mac OS to understand this, but what is baffling is that they can be opened from some PC's but not others, and all of the Users have the same accessibility to the files. Thanks for a solution!!
Oh, on the losing Internet, try this...
Make a New Location, Using network locations in Mac OS X ...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2712
10.7 & 10.8…
System Preferences>Network, top of window>Locations>Edit Locations, little plus icon, give it a name.
10.5.x/10.6.x/10.7.x instructions...
System Preferences>Network, click on the little gear at the bottom next to the + & - icons, (unlock lock first if locked), choose Set Service Order.
The interface that connects to the Internet should be dragged to the top of the list.
Instead of joining your Network from the list, click the WiFi icon at the top, and click join other network. Fill in everything as needed.
For 10.5/10.6, System Preferences>Network, unlock the lock if need be, highlight the Interface you use to connect to Internet, click on the advanced button, click on the DNS tab, click on the little plus icon, then add these numbers...
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
Click OK.
PS. Your English is quite good & completely understandable. -
How do I set up my Time Machine and Mac Mini with Lion Server so i have one wifi loop in the house?
HELP!
So I have had a Time Machine wifi loop at the house for approx. 6 years. I run two Macbooks, 2 iPhones, 2 iTouch and a Samsung Smart Blueray on the loop.
I just bought a Mac Mini with Lion Server. When setting it up I'm not sure what or how I managed to do, but I now have 2 wifi loops, one doesn't lock and niether will support the Samsung BlueRay. Also, each time I want to go online with one of the other Mac devices i have to relog into the wifi loop.
Can someone please walk me through the fix. The mac Mini is plugged straight into the Time Machine to recevie its internet connection.
Thanks!
JohnYou often see this limit of 10 clients in wireless hotspots but I have yet to see it in an adsl modem.. most strange way to pay for a service that is really irrelevant how many clients you use.
Have a go .. I recently setup a TC to help a guy run his Roku.. and this setup worked well.. I have no idea if it can work in your case.
Lets say the IP you get is 192.168.2.1-10 .. doesn't matter what it really is. And the adsl modem is 192.168.2.254
(Assuming they are private addresses.. if they are public IP you can just use the DHCP and NAT. )
But go to the airport utility.. I think you need to run v5 at least to change DNS.. but you can do the same thing in v6 using static but no dns changes.
Now you set the IP of the TC manually.. This address might need to be in the dhcp range of the modem to work. You can set the DNS to same IP as the router address.. ie home address of the modem. Or you can use another DNS.. whatever you like.
Then set DHCP for clients that will join.. this can then expand the scope of addresses..
It worked without a NAT error.. although I am not sure exactly how.. on paper it should not be able to work but did.. have a go.. otherwise there is perhaps another way.. but it is complicated.
Give us an example from a computer plugged into the modem of what IP .. subnet mask .. Gateway and DNS you get. Then I can fine tune the values for it. -
Thinking about using Mac Mini's as desktops for 20 employee business. Pro's Vs. Con's
Thinking about using Mac Mini's as desktops for 20 employee business. Pro's Vs. Con's
Your best bet would be to buy a single 2012 MacMini Server model that you can use to manage the balance of the other machines. Either that or upgrade one of the MM's to OS X Yosemite Server . You can find information about the Server edition at:
https://www.apple.com/osx/server/
However I would STRONGLY recommend visiting your local Apple Store and ask to speak to their business specialist, they are trained to manage customer needs such as yours.
The major advantage of using Macs over any PC is the stability of OS X itself and the overall quality of support that you will never get with HP. -
Mac Mini 10.6 Server startup disk size increase problem.
Mac Mini 10.6 Server shows system startup disk sized 50GB with 20GB free. Disk utility shows partition sized 500GB with 470GB free. How can I increase size of startup volume without complete reinstall?
Is the disk partitioned?
Boot the operating system DVD, use Disk Utility from the Utilities menu (second screen of the installation process, just before you start the actual install) to ake a complete backup to an external disk, make a second backup (in case there's a problem with the first), wipe and repartition the internal disk (using Disk Utility), and reload.
You'll want to consider whether you want to mirror the two disks within the box, too; to set up RAID-1 across both of the 500 GB drives in the box. That mirroring can be established when you're wiping and repartitioning the disks. -
As I have ordered myself one of the new 27" icore7 - 8gig 1TB systems (eagerly awaiting delivery), I have decided to convert my mac mini into a server, OSX servier is now quite reasonable for unlimited client licence. So I have purchased
4 gig to go into my mac mini Identifier:Macmini3,1 2ghz (8 gig just too expensive yet) and want to also upgrade the HD to a larger and faster unit.
I have been looking at the Seagate OEM 1.5TB Barracuda 7200.11 Internal Hard Disk Drive (7200RPM, 32MB Cache).
Question will the Mini support this size and speed. ?mmm 2.5"
I would rather not use the firewire 800 port for the OS drive.
how about a Seagate Momentus 7200.4 Laptop 2.5 inch Hard Disk Drive 500GB SATA 7200rpm 16MB (Internal)
I feel that the HD is slow in the mini and needs to be speed-ed up.
I suppose there is a possibility of bringing the sata cable out through the back and attaching a 3.5" drive in an external case... food for thought.
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