Mac OS X Server
So I took the plunge and decided to buy Mac OS X Leopard Server. Maybe it’s just my nature of being the Systems Administrator, or just that the pursuit of knowledge with the way that Mac OS X server works and operates. In addition, it could be the additional functionality that Mac OS X Server provides that I want.
Mac OS X Server furthers the OS X platform to create a system which would allow almost any user a simple and efficient way to bring a server online and maintain the know-how in order to maintain that server using a simple and elegant interface. Moreover, OS X Server has remote administration applications that can be run on a OS X Client in order to monitor and be able to react to a problem on the server remotely.
One of these functionalities is the ability to run a mysql server, which can be quite a pain in the ass under Leopard client. This comes already installed, all you need to do is setup a root password by clicking a button, then starting the service. From there you can connect to it using the mysql Administrator app if you’d like, or doing everything via command line.
The other major server application already compiled, installed and rearing to go is the simple way that you can install a Secure-Socket-Layer (SSL) certificate to work with your webserver. I went and bought a two-year SSL certificate for mine, I could’ve just used a self-signed one, but the $50 was well worth the trouble instead of having to acknowledge the SSL error every time you access the server.
There will be more updates about OS X Server as I have more time to really sit down and play with it. The ultimate beauty part is that it’s not a completely different setup. It’s still OS X under the hood and if you can navigate OS X Client you’ll be right at home in OS X Server.
