Apple Updates OS X Server, Adds Caching to Speed Distribution of Mac App Store Updates

Apple has updated OS X Server, the application that runs on top of OS X Mountain Lion to expand the system's server feature set.

The most notable change in this update appears to be a new caching server for Mac App Store updates. Presumably, the server now downloads updates for things like iPhoto and OS X itself to prevent an organization from needing to download large updates multiple times for one workgroup.

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What's New in Version 2.2

• Caching Server to speed up download of software distributed by Apple through the Mac App Store.
• Time Machine service monitoring of which computers have backed up, when they last backed up and size of backup.
• Wiki Server support for MacBook Pro with Retina display.
• Fix for deleting apps uploaded to Profile Manager.
• Ability to use Active Directory groups within Profile Manager.
• Centralized Certificate management interface.

OS X Server is available for $19.99 on the Mac App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

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MagnusVonMagnum

80 months ago

How about restoring things like NFS shares with a simple click instead of having to use the freaking Shell to set it up?

WTF is the point of the Mac as "It just works" if they keep making it more difficult to use instead of easier? (i.e. NFS used to be just a button click). And my WebDav sharing setting hasn't worked right yet when I tried it with XBMC (I had to install Samba3 to get SMB to work properly with it since XBMC doesn't work right with AFP, tending to crash after about a half hour of watching something and NFS is a PITA to set up via script).

Rating: 6 Votes

Dirtfarmer

80 months ago

THIS IS WHY BUSINESS IGNORES APPLE.

A server is not an "app". Try bolting something on to your Caravan to make it into a Ferrari.

Rating: 5 Votes

Dainin

80 months ago

Same thing with FTP and other services. I'm having to go to the command line now instead of just ticking a box. Very annoying.

Rating: 2 Votes

Dirtfarmer

80 months ago

Ignoring the enterprise means that their market share remains a rounding error.

Yes it can blip during a consumer fad, but like iOS it will wax and wane depending on the fickle herd mentality of the average dummy in the street.

To really take hold they need to get the enterprise, and therefore get enterprise apps. So far their strategy has been to tell the enterprise to pound sand.

An interesting tactic.

Rating: 2 Votes

Truffy

80 months ago

I don't understand why this is such a big deal. OS X Server has had a Software Update service forever. Now it caches stuff through the app store, too? Neat, I guess.

SUS on ML caches App store apps, but doesn't cover non-OSX apps (even FCP and iLife). It looks like this will cover all apps from MAS. Hmmmm.

For my home setup, though, the advantage will be that large packages will download 'in the background' so that the wait time on the clients will be vastly reduced.

But I's still have preferred a better RADIUS implementation in the GUI.

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To really take hold they need to get the enterprise, and therefore get enterprise apps. So far their strategy has been to tell the enterprise to pound sand.

More than just software, they need enterprise hardware to run it. While mini might be appropriate for SOHO (although barely IME), their solutions for the enterprise are ... pitiful.

It's quite sad, but Apple seem to be retrenching to itoys and iOS.

Rating: 1 Votes

ChristianVirtual

80 months ago

THIS IS WHY BUSINESS IGNORES APPLE.

It's more the other way around ... Apple ignores business. For big business a server is rack mounted in a DC; not in cluster a Minis sitting in a shelf.

But I'm fine with it ... A company need to choose which market they want to serve. The the cash pile Apple sits on prove they made the right choice for them.

Get a server somewhere else.

Rating: 1 Votes

Capt Crunch

80 months ago

I agree. Rolex's watch marketshare is incredibly tiny because they insist on not making a digital watch! What a bunch of morons.

Rating: 1 Votes

ConCat

80 months ago

THIS IS WHY BUSINESS IGNORES APPLE.

A server is not an "app". Try bolting something on to your Caravan to make it into a Ferrari.

Well, actually, every Mac is a nearly full-functioning server. This isn't a self-contained app as it seems to be. It piggybacks on the many server technologies built into every Mac. It pretty much is like your average Linux server. They too have easily accessible server tools in the client version. The difference is the GUI for interacting with these features.

Rating: 1 Votes

Johnny Vegas

80 months ago

What Apple doesn't understand is how much IT professionals influence the purchase of computers. I get asked daily by family and co-workers for advice and I used to tell people that paying the little extra for Macs was justified, and their overall experience would be better. (Not to mention fewer calls to me for help...) But my current frustrations over the lock-down style of OSX and iOS have been pushing me away. I have 800+ computers running 10.4 - 10.8, and it is nightmare to manage these using Apple's server software, unless I use a dedicated server for each OS. Well that's just one example, that and the ticking time bomb of your computer after the 3 year warranty if something breaks be prepared to shell out at a minimum the price of a new PC tower.

I dont know... now with the Windows 8 disaster, maybe I'll suggest Linux, or Chrome??

Rating: 1 Votes

guzhogi

80 months ago

You can't just woo the enterprise overnight or half-heartedly.

I agree. Enterprise & Apple seem to have views that polar opposites. Example: Apple likes keeping everything a secret. Enterprise, on the other hand, likes roadmaps and knowing what a software/hardware vendor is going to do a few months/years down the road so they can plan how to roll things out.

Rating: 1 Votes

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