Simple plan?

**Whitehill** · January 2nd, 2006, 07:07 AM

I am the proud owner of a new G5 running Server. However, my network is pretty simple and I am overwhelmed by the documentation for the services I can enable. By pretty simple I mean: fewer than 10 machine, all Macs except for one old windows box. All the Macs except one run the latest Tiger. The one runs MacOS 9.2, just for old time's sake. I trust all the users and the whole thing is behind a router/firewall.

Can anyone point me at a high-level document that tells me what to do and in what order, to get my new server doing all the good things it's supposed to do for me? Thanks.

**nixgeek** · January 2nd, 2006, 08:10 AM

Well, the first thing you want to find out is what is it going to be used for? Will it host the website for your business (if this is what it's for)? Are you planning on doing any database stuff? Do you want to use it to store files for all the users? Once you have a plan set up for what you want done with this server, you can start taking steps on what server apps to use.

**Go3iverson** · January 2nd, 2006, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by nixgeek

Well, the first thing you want to find out is what is it going to be used for? Will it host the website for your business (if this is what it's for)? Are you planning on doing any database stuff? Do you want to use it to store files for all the users? Once you have a plan set up for what you want done with this server, you can start taking steps on what server apps to use.

Yeah, more info!

Schoun Regan has some good books published by Peach Pit Press. That might be a good place to start.

Michael

**Whitehill** · January 2nd, 2006, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Go3iverson

Yeah, more info!

OK, here goes.

host multiple web-sites
1 site is commercial driven by a MySQL database
allow SSH entry to a small group of trusted users - maybe VPN
host a CVS and/or Subversion repository
internally, provide mail / print / files services
keep everyone's software up-to-date
backup the whole mess periodically

Stuff like that.

**billbaloney** · January 2nd, 2006, 05:42 PM

Have you tried this yet? Like, the Quick Start Guide?

http://www.apple.com/server/documentation/

**Go3iverson** · January 3rd, 2006, 11:34 AM

There are some great resources for what you want to do. Apple's documentation, as was just pointed out, will help with a greater majority of your topics. There are the PeachPit books written by Schoun Regan, which will guide you through setup of services and such. There's the book by Michael Bartosh that has some more advanced configuration ideas. There's the AFP548.com site that has many contributing members that add in ideas on how to configure many services in OS X. For backup, I have a white paper on my site, www.district13computing.com, under the Projects tab.

I'd start with those resources and then bring back specific questions, like, "I've configured multiple sites in the Web service, by doing XYZ, but for some reason only one site responds" or such.