[Info-vax] Building for Customers, Revenue

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2014-09-13 18:38:22 +0000, JF Mezei said:

> On 14-09-13 14:29, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
> 
>> Interesting.  What's the difference between what Snow Leopard could do,
>> and what Mavericks Server can do?
> 
> Apple dumbed down the server admin tool, dumbed down the workgroup 
> admin tool (user database mkanegemeht),

What you might call dumbing down can make the product more acceptable 
to more folks, and easier to support.

As for Workgroup Manager, here <http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1698> is 
the Mavericks download if you want that, though I'm finding Server.app 
does pretty well.  (Once you light up Open Directory, Server.app is 
used to configure and manage directory users.   System Preferences is 
used to manage local users, as is traditional on OS X client.)

It's also easily possible to edit the directory directly without 
loading Workgroup Manager, through Directory Utility.  Not that I've 
had much need to do that with either DU or WGM.

Sure, MCX is deprecated, and the the configuration profiles haven't 
entirely caught up with what MCX from Active Directory or Open 
Directory could provide.  But profiles can and do cover most of that, 
and they're easier than dealing with MCX via AD or OD.

> and no longer updates the server moitor (GUI IPMI) since it no longer 
> makes IPMI enabled computers.

IPMI?  Sure.  That's gone.

There's some pretty good information around on setting up Nagios 
monitoring including thermals and other details, though.

Need IMPI or an MP?  Sure.  Go for some heavier-grade server.  Or roll 
your own server, as various end-users are doing.  Those running Linux, 
BSD or Windows Server.   Or deal with what WoL or (gag) remote power 
strips can provide, if you do go with OS X Server.

> It removed a number of middleware such as MySQL from default install,

Which was replaced by PostgreSQL.  Requiring the folks that need that — 
much like Java — to download that software directly from Oracle.

Other folks have been pondering replacing MySQL, and there was a 
discussion here in comp.os.vms around MariaDB as a replacement (on VMS).

> removed dovecot as POP/IMAP servers,

Odd.  I just checked, and — not only are there still POP and IMAP 
servers present — dovecot is installed.

> and I think changed squirrel mail as web client for mail access. (aka: 
> not upward compatible).

Yeah, you'll want to load RoundCube, and one of the folks around has a 
pre-built package to do that.

>> Sure, there's no dual power supply server Xserve model available now, 
>> but then swapping the whole Mac Mini box is pretty easy these days.
> 
> Not sure the MacMini was designed for 24/7 operations at load. (cooling 
> designs, component selection for server grade stuff as was done for 
> Xserve)

I ran a Mac Mini continuously for ~six years.  The disk finally did 
fail.  If you need a higher-end server, sure, OS X isn't your choice.  
For many reasons, OS X isn't your choice.  But for some reasons and 
some environments, OS X is a very good choice.   But getting back to my 
point about management and ease of use, it's the management that needs 
to get much easier with VMS — VMS management is comparatively difficult 
and arcane, as Phillip's many travails will testify — if you want to 
ship more systems and boxes, as VSI will want to do.




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