SINGAPORE, 22 DECEMBER 2009—Trying to move into a new territory, Apple is now pitching its Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore.
The premium computing company’s USP? Its powerful, cost effective and easy to deploy server operating system—Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard. Apple has been producing its OS X server platform since 2001 and the latest is the seventh iteration.
“In the latest version, which is our Snow Leopard server, we have made a lot of improvements, mainly in terms of performance and new features,” says Justin Zhang, OS X product marketing manager, Asia Pacific. “It’s a major upgrade for us and for our users.”
The server is so easy to deploy that anyone can set up and manage its powerful services with just a few clicks. During a demo, Zhang set up a new server in less than 15 minutes.
According to Zhang, the ease of deploying a server like Mac OS X also does away with the need of a dedicated resource in the organisation—something that should appeal to cost-conscious SMEs. These days the trend is to multitask, so a Mac server can help SMEs save time, resource and money, says Zhang.
“A lot of other servers provide only particular solutions,” he says. “For example, they provide only email solutions or calendaring solutions or just database solutions. The OS X server has all these solutions built in. For instance, it has a MySQL database optimised in the server itself. So, you don’t have to worry that one day you will have to run a database that you have to install and optimize by yourself. It has a VPN built in, a firewall built in, all the solutions that you generally need in an organisation are already there in the Mac server.”
Powerful new features
Snow Leopard Server is a full 64-bit UNIX server operating system based on open standards that runs up to twice as fast as its predecessor. It is armoured with several innovative new features such as Wiki Servers, Podcast Producer 2 (for automating the creation and publishing of podcasts), private video chats, and Mobile Access Server with secure access to firewall-protected network services for iPhone and Mac.
Owing to its full 64-bit operating system, Snow Leopard Server takes advantage of multi-core processors and is up to twice as fast as its predecessor.
According to Zhang, in terms of email performance, OS X Server is 1.7 times more powerful than the Sun Java messaging server (both with similar hardware configuration), which is a dedicated email solution used by lots of enterprises. Still, Mac’s cost is only one third (including hardware and software) of the Sun Java server.
One of its most attractive features is the Podcast Producer 2 that includes the new Podcast Composer application, which automates the entire production process, making it easy to create podcasts with a customised, consistent look and feel. Its Podcast Composer creates a workflow to add titles, transitions and effects, save to a desired format and share to wikis, blogs, iTunes, iTunes U, Final Cut Server or the new Podcast Library.
“The Podcast Producer provides not only the tools but the entire workflow to produce, manage and distribute podcasts,” says Zhang. “So for people who produce podcasts regularly it will be helpful.”
The new Mobile Access Server is a convenient, easy way for iPhone and Mac users to access secured network services, including corporate websites, online business applications, email, calendars and contacts. Without requiring additional software, Mobile Access Server provides strong encryption and authentication between the user’s iPhone or Mac and a private network.
Another useful feature is Wiki Server 2, which improves its online collaboration with the ability to view wiki content on iPhone and preview attachments with Quick Look on any modern browser. “Wiki Server is useful for organisations for collaboration in terms of documentation, project management and so on,” says Zhang. “The beauty part of the Wiki is that it is easy to use.”
Similarly, its new Address Book Server, based on the CardDAV open standard, provides a central location for users to store and access personal contacts across multiple Macs and synchronised iPhones. Its iCal Server 2, based on the CalDAV open standard, includes web-based calendar access and the ability to view meeting invitations and details on iPhone using iPhone OS 3.0. Other important features include a new Mail Server engine, QuickTime X HTTP Live Streaming, NetRestore, a new feature in System Image Utility and iPhone Configuration Utility.
Easy management of clients
“When you have a server, there is also the client side of the story,” says Zhang. “So, how do you manage these clients? In Snow Leopard servers, we have powerful tools such as system imaging, which allows you to create consistent image for all the systems you use. You can also have managed preferences, which means that you can control what individual users can do and cannot do. Last but not the least is the issue of software updates. You have software updates all the time so how do you manage these? How do you ensure that all the clients get latest updates? Software update server built into the Snow Leopard server updates all clients easily.”
Zhang points out that some people might assume that a Mac server only works with Macs and not PCs. But that is not the case. “Mac OS X server is probably one of the most open server systems out there. It supports the majority of open standards. That means it not only works for a Mac but it also works with a PC and mobile clients that use open standards.”
In terms of security, Zhang says that the Mac OS X server is as secure as possible. “By default it is already set up as a secure server,” he says. “A lot of security problems come from emails. The Mac email server comes with built in antivirus and anti-spam. So it also does real time updates. When email comes in, it automatically does the filtering for you, so you don’t have to worry about emails getting virus infected and so on. Another beautiful thing is that Mac is not affected by a PC virus.”
Snow Leopard Server is priced affordably at S$788 (US$560) with unlimited client licences. Along with Mac mini, the price comes to S$1,588 (US$1129), way cheaper than the options available in the market with limited licences.
Zhang says that Apple also offers Applecare, a service for its clients at US$149 (S$209) for 3 years, which should be attractive for SMEs.
