OS X software on OS X Server?

[bartszyszka]

Hello, I'm completely new to OS X Server and am having a little trouble understanding how the OS is structured (note: I'm in the process of buying the hardware to run it on, so I'm not using it yet). I used to run a Linux desktop which was easily turned into a server by installing additional software like Apache. Is "OS X Server" similarly just a package of server components running on top of a regular "OS X" or is it a separate OS that won't run regular OS X programs? Can OS X Server be run as a headful (rather than headless...) computer?

I ask because I'd like to buy backup software that will backup all the data off a PowerMac running OS X Server onto an external harddrive, but when I look at Retrospect's product comparison page, they make it sound like I can only get the expensive Server edition, which would just be overkill:
http://www.dantz.com/en/products/mac_business/compare.dtml

All I need is something that will backup that one computer onto an external device (with Retrospect's nice feature of keeping multiple backup sets). Can I really not just use the Desktop (or even the Express) edition?

- Bart

 

[snarke]

Boy, the Dantz page does make it sound as if only Workgroup or better would back up OSX 10.n Server. Unfortunately, I am running Retrospect Workgroup on my XServe, so I don't know if it'll work with something less or not, but have you tried asking Dantz? I've found their tech support to be generally quite good.

Most of the "DNA" of OSX Server is the same as OSX. Most of the difference is in the admin tools provided, and the configuration of the server-y bits is a bit different.

 

[Go3iverson]

Ahhhh, backup....

How much data are you looking at moving? Only to external disks? You could just use rsync or ditto in a script form to do that. If you want to look at a small, workgroup solution, especially with your Linux background, look at BRU by Tolis Group. That'll handle tape devices as well.

Pretty much the OS X platform is similar to what you describe. Server specific packages are simply added to the 'client' software to produce a finished server. Then add in admin tools and all that jazz.

If you want to read up more about backup, go to my site, www.district13computing.com and under the Projects tab you'll find a whitepaper on backup for the OS X platform.