[beverson]

Any thoughts on the prudence of switching a beige G3 server from OS 8.6 and ASIP 6.x to the NEW OS X Server when it comes out? Besides the obvious need to beef up the hardware on the beige box (more RAM and more HD space should do it, right?), here are my concerns/questions/uncertanties:

--The server currently serves a college newspaper Website with WebStar, SMTP and POP with the older freeware EIMS, and filesharing with ASIP...OS X out of the box should be able to do all of this better, right?
--The paper might want to move to dynamically-driven Web content soon, so OS X with built-in PHP and MySQL would be a good move, right?
--The server also is the production server for the print version of the paper, serving multiple server volumes to a network of about 20 workstation Macs ranging from G4s to a B&W G3 all running 9.x, down to a 9500, a 73xx, several 7200s, a Performa, a Centris, and an old Workgroup Server now just used as a workstation -- the older machines are nearly all running 8.x (maybe one System 7 box in there somewhere). Will ALL of these machines be able to connect to the new OS X server? If not, which ones?
--Does anyone have any truly educated guesses as to the price for OS X Server, or how much later than OS X consumer it will be released?

Thanks a bunch in advance for any help.

[John]

Honestly,
If you're running a server that already does a lot of the things that you need it to well with ASIP and the classic Mac OS, then I'd not recommend upgrading that machine to Mac OS X Server. "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

What'd I might recommend, if it's in the budget, and you want to start using Mac OS X Server, for the web and other Internet stuff, would be to get a used PowerMac G4 or G4 and use it for things like webserving, mail serving, etc... Keep the print server and other internal drives etc, on the internal machine.... Keep the public stuff on the new OS X machine, and the internal stuff on the older machine.

PHP and MySQL can really put a load on a machine if you don't "optimize" the code, and you wouldn't want to bring down your production server with web traffic.

It really depends on the amount of web traffic that you get....

again, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

Also, AASIP 6.3.3 is out to developers now, and might have some new fixes for your current needs.

sorry, no insight as to the future costs of the Server version of OS X.

[beverson]

Well unfortunately a new machine probably isn't in the budget any time soon, but the Web traffic on that server isn't terribly heavy at all. Then again, the whole PHP and MySQL stuff is far from a sure thing too. Thanks for your input though!

[This message has been edited by beverson (edited 02-26-2001).]

[dtriska]

I have to go with John on this, but if you must use Mac OS X Server, I suggest installing it on a new hard drive. If OS X Server doesn't do what you need, or blows up, you can always put the old hard drive back in the G3 and continue working.

You could pick up an older G4 for a good chunk less than a new one. John's got a good point on keeping the outside world separate from your internal work; but I'm not a stranger to budget constraints, so I can sympathize.

As for a release date and price; I would expect OS X Server to be priced anywhere between $499 US and $999 US. As OS X Server is picking up several of ASIP's functions, the price might go up from it's current $499 US (I think that's where it is now). I expect OS X Server to be released no later than the end of April, but it might stretch into the first couple of weeks of May.

[gorgonzola]

dtriska: On the other hand, Server 1 was based on Display PostScript, which is expensive to license. Server 2 is based on Quartz/Aqua so that drives prices down.

It won't be over $499 for sure. I'm betting on lower than that.

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