Apple has released a 10.1 upgrade to Mac OS X Server, keeping the industrial version of the OS in lockstep with the consumer version. The new version includes performance increases on both the user end and the server side. The company is also slipping in an update to QuickTime Streaming Server. According to Apple:
Apple® today announced the availability of Mac® OS X Server version 10.1, the first major upgrade to the companyis industrial-strength, UNIX-based server operating system. Mac OS X Server v10.1 delivers system-wide performance enhancements, increased reliability and substantially faster file transfer times.
The award-winning Mac OS X Server now delivers flexible storage options and data redundancy with software RAID support. Mac OS X Server provides educators with increased system reliability and responsiveness through enhancements to NetBoot and Macintosh Manager 2.1. Mac OS X Server v10.1 integrates the most recent and reliable Open Source components including Apache and Samba, as well as a new release of QuickTime® Streaming Server, version 3.0.2.
IT administrators in education, print publishing, design and Web publishing organizations will benefit from Mac OS X Server v10.1 enhancements including:
- system-wide performance enhancements that increase reliability, launch server-side applications faster, speed printing times, increase administration response and reduce file transfer times;
- the latest advancements from the Open Source community, with the most reliable releases of Apache, Samba, PHP, MySQL, Tomcat and OpenSSL;
- RAID support for disk striping (RAID-0) and disk mirroring (RAID-1) allowing flexible storage configuration, data redundancy and improved disk read performance;
- a new release of QuickTime Streaming Server, version 3.0.2 for streaming digital media over the Internet;
- improved reliability with enhancements to Apple file services, NetInfo and Directory Services; and
- Macintosh Manager 2.1 support for local administration from Mac OS X Server and support for the latest Apple Macintosh® systems with the inclusion of Mac OS 9.2.1 within NetBoot.
Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X Server v10.1 software and Macintosh Server G4 can be purchased now through the online Apple Store®, at Appleis retail stores and through Apple Authorized Resellers in the following configurations:
- Mac OS X Server v10.1 (10-Client Edition), designed for professional Web masters and small work groups with simultaneous file sharing to not more than 10 Macintosh clients, for a suggested retail price of $499 (US);
- Mac OS X Server v10.1(Unlimited-Client Edition), uniquely suited for classroom labs, creative professionals and medium-to-large work groups with high volume file sharing activity, for a suggested retail price of $999 (US);
- Mac OS X Server v10.1, 10-client to Unlimited-Client license upgrade for a suggested retail price of $499 (US); and
- Macintosh Server G4, with a 733MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 256K of L2 cache, 256MB SDRAM, 80GB Ultra ATA drive, CD-RW drive, Nvidia GeForce2 MX graphics, 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet, two USB ports, two FireWire® ports and Mac OS X Server Unlimited-Client Edition, for a suggested retail price of $2,799 (US).
The Mac OS X Server v10.1 software upgrade package is available for $19.95 (US) and includes the Mac OS X Server v10.1 upgrade CD, the Macintosh Manager 2.1 CD, the NetBoot CD and a Developer Tools CD. U.S. and Canadian education customers can receive the Mac OS X Server v10.1 upgrade free of charge by calling 1-800-800-2775.
Mac OS X Server is designed to run on Macintosh Server G4, Power Mac™ G4, Power Mac G4 Cube, iMac®, Macintosh Server G3 and Power Macintosh® G3 computers with 128MB RAM and 4GB of available disk space.
You can find more information on Mac OS X Server at Appleis Web site.