Rollout: Mac OS X Server 10.5 (Leopard)

Posted by Joe Hernick on October 31, 2007

Tags: Apple,  Joe Hernick,  Leopard,  Network Infrastructure,  OS X,  Storage and Servers,  mail server,  server OS,  small and medium enterprise,  Enterprise Applications,  Mac,  Operating Systems and Platforms,  Other,  Server Software,  Servers,  Servers & Storage,  Software

Channel: Other, Servers & Storage

If you don't belong to the cult of Mac, you might ignore the release of Apple's new OS X Server 10.5, codenamed Leopard. That would be a shame, particularly for small and midsize enterprises, including those with mixed Apple and Windows clients, or even all-Microsoft shops.

Stop snickering. Apple produces a pretty decent server operating system and server hardware. We chased Leopard around our Real-World lab and came away pleased on most fronts.
This new server OS is ready for work. The e-mail platform connects to Active Directory and bundles AV and anti-spam software without pesky client access licenses. A spiffed-up calendar application can serve as a group scheduler. VPN services can host 500 users per Intel Xserve. In a first for Apple, IP failover provides high availability, and TimeMachine enables easily deployed server-based client backup. Leopard Server can even mimic an NT domain controller.

The Upshot Apple positions its new Leopard server OS as a viable option for small and midsize enterprises. It sports a beefed-up mail server, offers integration with Active Directory and provides Web hosting. As expected, it's also a slick platform for serving multimedia content. Excepting Mac-only shops or departments, Apple long ago ceded the server market to Windows and Linux. With Leopard it aims to reclaim some ground by offering a stable, easy-to-deploy server platform at an attractive price. Apple makes a strong case for getting on the shortlist for new server deployments, even in mixed-client environments. It's as simple to set up as advertised—assuming a one-server deployment. More complex setups will likely force administrators to seek help from the Apple community. They won't find it in existing documentation. Mac OS X Server 10.5

Everyone knows Mac is great for creating multimedia. Leopard maintains that reputation, and also makes it easier to distribute content online, including audio, video and photos.

On the downside, Leopard sometimes keeps things too simple. For instance, the calendar service and Web hosting are easy to set up and configure for one-server shops, but may require serious tweaking to function in more complex environments. When hiccups occur during setup or management, experienced administrators may find the built-in help and product documentation lacking. Apple also stumbles with a RADIUS deployment that's only checked out for Apple Airport.

Get To Work