Apple Macintosh Web servers are the ultimate in ease-of-use,
security and flexibility. So secure in fact, that the United
States Army Web servers were all converted to Mac OS-based
systems from Windows NT upon the recommendations in a report
published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Building
a Mac OS Web server is easy. Follow these simple steps:
Step
1
BTO an Apple
G4 tower from the Apple Store with this following configuration:
1
- choose default processor speed or another option,
2
- Choose 256 MB RAM min, but we suggest 384 MB Min. for
optimal performance, 3
- Choose any size Ultra 160 SCSI
hard drive option, 4 And lastly, add ZIP drive
if you like.
To
see a standard Apple
Server machine specs with features
click here.
Step
2
Next you will need Web server software. There are
a number of options here. One basic option is to utilize
the industry leading Apache
Web Server inside of Mac OS X or Mac
OS X Server. The other option is to utilize the Web
server inside of AppleShare
IP 6.3, a general, multipurpose server software from
Apple for both Mac and Windows clients. In both cases you
will get more than just a Web server.
You
can buy Mac
OS X Server from the Apple Store for $499US.
And you can buy AppleShare
IP 6.3 from Amazon.com for a low price of $434.US.
If a Web server is just what you want then WebSTAR,
by 4D Inc., is the industry leading choice on the Mac platform,
and the preferred choice for security by the US
Army. Another excellent Web server for Macintosh is
Tenon's WebTen, based
on the open-source Apache Web server.
For
more options and support software for Macintosh Web servers
go to the Apple
Macintosh Products Guide - Networking & Internet
section.
Building an Apple Macintosh Intranet server to provide TCP/IP
services to both Macintosh and Windows clients is easy, and
it will save you lots of money, time and headaches over choosing
a Windows NT/2000 or Unix/Linux solution. Click
here if you don't know what an Intranet is?
Step
1
BTO an Apple
G4 tower or iMac from the Apple Store. If you will be
serving a busy workgroup of more than 50 users consider
a G4 tower with the following configuration: 1 -
Choose any processor option you wish, 2 - Choose
any size Ultra 160 SCSI hard drive for optimal access performance,
3 - determine your required RAM for applications and
times it by 1.5 - 2.0x for flexibility and unforeseen loads.
For a less busy Intranet or small workgroup (-10 users)
the default ATA/66 hard drive will be adequate but it is
not recommended.
To
see a standard Apple
Server machine specs with features
click here.
Step
2
For a full service and dedicated Intranet product
FirstClass
Intranet Server is a fantastic choice. It even includes
a Web server and Palm Sync support. And it has a RAD environment
to boot!
Given that an Intranet is technically just a private
Internet behind a company FireWall, you can build one simply
with the most basic of Internet servicesPersonal Web
Sharing. IPNetRouter
and Vicomsoft's Internet Gateway and SoftRouter are just
some products with Internet gateways with built-in firewalls,
from which behind you can construct a basic Intranet using
the Mac OS's Web Sharing control panel with basic Web server.
Basic
Personal Web Sharing under Mac OS X offers users the famous
Apache Web Server.
For
more options and support software for Macintosh Intranet
servers go to the Apple
Macintosh Products Guide - Networking & Internet
section.
Nothing simplifies an organization's file, email and print
server needs like Apple's new Mac OS X Server. Combining the
sophisticated ease-of-use of Apple's AppleShare IP 6.3 server
software with all of the benefits of an advanced UNIX-based
Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server provides a cutting edge Apache-based
Web server solution with multi-platform networking support.
Step
1
Apple has three (3) hardware Apple Server solutions
with BTO options available from the Apple Store. Featuring
Mac OS X Server running on a 933MHz - Dual 1000Mhz PowerPC
processors with 256 MB of RAM starting. This server starts
at $2,799US.
To
see a standard Apple
Server machine specs with features
click here.
While a G4 tower is the obvious best solution,
if you have an older G3 Power Mac or G4 Power Mac and want
to create a general purpose file/mail/print server solution
than go to Step 2.
Step
2
You can build a powerful Mac OS X-based File/Mail/Print
server on older hardware as long as it meets the minimum
recommended system requirements: iMac G4 Cube, Power Mac
G3 or G4 with at least 256 MB of RAM and a 4 GB hard drive.
To
learn more about Mac OS X Server visit the OS
X Server page.
Or acquire AppleShare IP (version 6.3 is the latest).
AppleShare
IP is a powerful but extremely easy to use file, print,
mail and Web services server application. AppleShare IP
is the perfect low-cost, low-maintenance, and low-headache
"cross-platform" file, mail and print server.
AppleShare IP brings fast
TCP/IP -based networking functions to both Mac and Windows
clients.
Additionally,
there is a wealth of third-party
software products and services to extend AppleShare
IP easily into areas beyond its built-in features. Server
Management & Admin, AppleShare File Services (AFP),
Web Server, and Mail Server.
Closing Comments
The above three guides will help you get started with building
an Apple Macintosh Server Solution, pointing you in the right
direction for more information.
If you have any questions or comments please
email them to us.
Purchasing Decisions
As part of these guides we would sincerely appreciate it
if you would help support Architosh by making your AppleStore
and Amazon.com purchases via our affiliate store links below
(and above). Thank you.
Apple
Macintosh Server Applications
|
AppleShare
IP | Mac
OS X Server | Mac
OS 9 | Mac
OS X |
AppleStore
Links to Server Hardware
|
Power
Macintosh G4 | iMac
| PowerBook
G4 | iBook
|
|