Os X server for small business

A single Mac server can provide all the services needed by computer and mobile device users in a small business.

In the following illustration of OS X Server in a small business, the server and the users’ computers are all connected to an intranet that shares a DSL or cable Internet connection. The Internet connection is shared through a router, which can be an AirPort Extreme Base Station (802.11n), a Time Capsule, or a router from your ISP or a computer retailer.

The router connects to the Internet through a DSL modem or cable modem and connects to the intranet to share the Internet connection with the server and the users’ computers. The server and some of the users’ computers have wired connections to the intranet, and other users’ computers connect to the intranet wirelessly through the Wi-Fi router. The server and the users’ computers get their network addresses from the router’s DHCP server. They get DNS name service from the ISP.

The router also protects the server and the users’ computers against malicious attacks from the Internet by blocking communications that originate outside the intranet. However, the router is configured to allow incoming communications for some services. For example, the router allows the server’s Mail service to receive email from outside the intranet, and Messages service can receive instant messaging invitations from Google Talk users via the Internet. All the wired and wireless computers and mobile devices on the intranet get services from the Mac server.

The server provides user and group accounts, shared folders, server-based contact lists, shared calendars, instant messaging, and wikis with web calendars and blogs. The ISP doesn’t provide enough email addresses for everyone in the organization, so the server provides email addresses and Mail service.

Users with OS X use Time Machine to back up their Mac computers to an external hard drive (not shown) attached to the server.

Some users have their portable computers, home computers, and mobile devices set up to connect to the server’s VPN via the Internet. This gives them secure remote access, while traveling or working at home, to all the services that the server provides on the intranet. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users can check wikis and blogs while roaming.

OS X Server for workgroups

A Mac server can provide services to a workgroup, such as a department in a large organization.

In the following illustration of OS X Server in a workgroup, the organization has an IT department that provides DHCP service for assigning network addresses, DNS name service, Mail service, Internet access, and a VPN.

Everyone in the department already has a user account provided by the organization’s network accounts server, so these user accounts have been imported to the department’s server. This means everyone simply uses the user name and password they already know in order to authenticate for services provided by the department’s server. Those services are set up to use single sign-on authentication with the network account server, allowing users to log in once per session for all departmental services.

The department’s server provides address book, calendar, and instant messaging services that work with the users’ OS X Contacts, Calendar, and Messages apps. The department’s server also provides shared folders and private wikis for groups and projects within the department. Some projects include participants from outside the department. Outside participants use their existing user accounts to authenticate for wiki or shared folder access.

The organization’s servers provide storage for backup, but most users have OS X and prefer to use Time Machine with the external hard drive (not shown) attached to the department’s server.

The department has some Windows users, who use Internet Explorer, Safari, and FireFox to access wikis, web calendars, and blogs. Shared folders appear as mapped drives in their Network Places. They have also set up their PCs to use the department server’s Jabber instant messaging.

Set up an administrator computer

You can use the Server app on an administrator computer to set up and manage your server over the network. You can install the Server app on a Mac that isn’t a server, making it an administrator computer. If you have OS X Server on multiple servers, they already have the Server app installed, and you can use them as administrator computers.

As illustrated below, you use the Server app on the administrator computer to check server status, manage accounts and services, and view or change server system settings. The remote server doesn’t need a display.

1. 
   Install the Server app on a Mac you want to be an administrator computer by doing either of the following:
   
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     Copy from your server.
     

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  Install from the Mac App Store.
  

2. 
   Open the Server app you installed in step 1, and then choose Manage > Connect to Server.
   

3. 
   You can now select another Mac to manage, and then click Continue.
   

Server tools

You use a few different tools to change service settings, check status, and perform other server administration tasks on Macs running OS X Server.

Server app is the primary tool you use to:

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  Manage users and groups.
  
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  Monitor server status.
  
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  Start, stop, and customize services.
  
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  View and change system, network, and storage settings.
  
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  Manage an AirPort device.
  

Many management and setup features of OS X Server are also from the command line via the /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/sbin/serveradmin tool. For more information about the serveradmin(8) tool, see it's man page. For more information about using command line tools, see About the command-line environment.

About the command-line environment

A command-line interface (CLI) is an alternative to graphical applications for interacting with and controlling your computer.

OS X Server provides graphical applications—primarily the Server app—to address common administration tasks. However, there are situations where using the CLI might be appropriate. These situations include:

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  Configuring advanced options that aren’t supported by graphical applications
  
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  Configuring remotely from a computer that doesn’t have the Server app installed—for example, a computer with Windows, Linux, or another UNIX-based operating system
  
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  Performing tasks that are repetitive or that must be run at predefined times
  
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  Editing text files, usually to change advanced configuration settings and preferences
  

The shell is an interactive programming language interpreter, with a specialized syntax for executing commands and writing structured programs (shell scripts). Different shells have slightly different capabilities and programming syntax. Although you can use any shell, the examples in OS X Server: Advanced Administration use bash, the startup shell for OS X and the default user shell.

OS X and OS X Server are built on the foundation of the UNIX operating system. UNIX-based operating systems include BSD, GNU/Linux, AIX, and Solaris. The shared heritage of these operating systems means that many programs are compatible across this larger family, with minimal changes.

The unique underpinnings of each brand of UNIX are what distinguish them from each other. To support programs and utilities that work across multiple flavors of UNIX, some specifications are set by regulatory bodies. One such specification is The Open Group’s Single UNIX Specification. Mac OS X v10.5 or later conform to v3 of this specification, which implies conformance to the SUSv3 and POSIX 1003.1 specifications for the C API, shell utilities, and threads. Code that complies with the UNIX-03 specification works on OS X Server and on other compliant systems.

For more information about the Single UNIX Specification v3, see www.unix.org/version3/.

In UNIX-based operating systems, the shell is the fundamental user interface. The shell is an environment that presents a text prompt to the user and accepts keyboard input from the user.

In OS X, the shell is easily accessed through Terminal, but there are other options. The shell can be invoked interactively, or by a text file with commands to the shell given in a standard format. There are several shells available in OS X, each with its own strengths and capabilities. Shells in OS X include bash, csh, ksh, sh, tcsh, and zsh.

For information about these shells, see their man pages.

Control remote computers with SSH

SSH (Secure Shell) lets you send secure, encrypted commands to a computer remotely, as if you were sitting at the computer.

You use the ssh tool in Terminal to open a command-line connection to a remote computer, and while the connection is open, you enter commands to be performed on the remote computer. You can also use any other application that supports SSH to connect to a computer with OS X Mountain Lion or OS X Server installed.

SSH works by setting up encrypted tunnels using public and private keys. Here’s a description of an SSH session:

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  The local and remote computers exchange public keys. If the local computer has never encountered a given public key, SSH and your web browser prompt you to accept the unknown key.
  
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  The two computers use the public keys to negotiate a session key used to encrypt subsequent session data.
  
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  The remote computer attempts to authenticate the local computer using RSA or DSA certificates. If this isn’t possible, the local computer is prompted for a local user name and password.
  
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  After successful authentication, the session begins. A remote shell, a secure file transfer, a remote command, or other action can take place through the encrypted tunnel.
  

Services

Services include:

	Calendar service provides shared calendars, so users can check each other’s availability, book conference rooms, and schedule meetings and events.
	Contacts service provides centralized contact information.
	DNS service provides domain names for other computers.
	File sharing service lets users store and share folders and files on the server.
	FTP service gives users a simple way to move files and folders to and from your server.
	Mail service lets users send and receive email on your local network and the Internet using any email app or, optionally, a web browser.
	Messages service lets users collaborate by chatting and sharing information.
	NetInstall lets you manage the installation of OS X onto multiple computers.
	Open Directory service helps you integrate your server with an existing directory services implemetation or provide advanced directory services in your organization for implementing technologies like RADIUS.
	Profile Manager service lets you manage mobile devices and distribute configuration profiles that set up users’ Mac computers and iOS devices to use your server.
	With Software Update service, you can host and manage which Apple-provided software updates are available to computers in your organization.
	Time Machine service lets users back up their Mac computers on your server’s disk.
	VPN service gives users secure remote access to your server and network via the Internet.
	Websites service lets you publish custom websites.
	Wiki service lets users share information using wikis, blogs, and web calendars.
	Xsan service lets you create a shared storage area network (SAN) on your local network.

Disk preparation

If you’re going to install OS X Server on an existing computer and want a clean installation rather than an upgrade, use the Disk Utility app to erase the disk you’ll install on. With Disk Utility, you can also partition the server’s disk into multiple volumes or set up a RAID set.

You can use Disk Utility when you begin installing OS X Server. For instructions, search Help Center for “Erase and reinstall OS X.”

You can also use Disk Utility after installing OS X Server.