On 6/15/04 9:30 PM, Dan Crutcher at dcrutcher at loumag.com wrote: > Schoun: > > Thanks for offering to answer my OS X Server questions. Let's keep this > on-list unless it gets too technical or lengthy, as others might find > it useful. Ok > > As I said in a previous message, up to now we've been using OS 9's > built-in file sharing capabilities to manage our rudimentary network > file sharing, which consists of little more than one computer with > file-sharing turned on that has "drop folders" set up for all staff > members, with privileges, log-ins and passwords defined in the "Users & > Groups" control panel. Ok so far. > > We are beginning to store files on that computer -- mainly Filemaker 6 > databases -- that are intended to be accessible to various defined > groups of users. All applications run on local computers; under our > current setup we don't even use Filemaker's file-sharing features -- if > one user has a particular file open, everyone else is locked out. Ok. > > Question #1: If I upgrade the "server" computer to OS X (non-server > version), will I be able to accomplish all of the same things that we > are doing now: drop folders, assigning of user and group privileges, > etc.? It is my understanding that those features are not built into OS > X regular version, but that I could accomplish much the same thing > using a shareware program called SharePoints. Is that accurate > (assuming you're familiar with SharePoints)? You have three options when sharing: One person can be the owner of the folder One group can be associated with the folder Guests can also be associated with the folder Each one of those categories can have different permissions. Each one of the categories can read only, write only, read/write, or have no access at all. You will have a folder with you as the owner, and you can read and write to the folder with the files inside. You will have a group associated with the folder. They can have read and write access to the folder with the files inside too. You can turn off guest access to keep others out. > > Question #2: I would like to have _somewhat_ more robust server > capabilities than we currently have -- thus my interest in exploring OS > X Server -- but first I want to make sure that I can do just the > simple things that we are doing now. Assuming I did install OS X Server > on one computer, would it then be able to serve local network computers > that are still running OS 9 or would all computers have to be upgraded > to X? We currently have about 15 computers on OS 9 and four or five on > OS X. Mac OS X Server can share folders with Macs running just about any version of the Macintosh operating system. > > Question #3: One of the Apple technotes I read seemed to imply that the > OS X Server software would have to be installed on all machines that > were on the network (that wanted to use the network's full features). > Is that the case? I think you misread it. One Mac OS X Server is all you need. > > Question #4: Is the license limit truly a limit? That is, if I bought > the 10-user OS X Server package, would that mean that only 10 users > could be connected to the server at any one time? If I have 20 > computers on the network, will I need to purchase two 10-user license > packs? Dan if a 10 user pack is $499, then purchasing two would be around $1000. The unlimited version is $999. Plus, you cannot get, as far as I know, a 20 user license. I understand the need for prudent spending, but in this case, get the unlimited version and that way you won't have to worry about it.
I can see your point where your needs are simple and therefore it should not cost much to accomplish this. However, Apple's Mac OS X Server product is built to very near enterprise levels in most respects. That is, it is a robust, scalable, professional grade Server system. What you want right now can be accomplished with a Mac OS X client with File Sharing turned on, but you are limited to 10 connected users at once. Schoun | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will | be June 22. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>
