Virtual OS X Server Screenshots
Apple now allow you to virtualize OS X Server instances. While your virtualization options are limited, it’s very easy to set up on your existing OS X Server.
This is an virtualized OS X Leopard Server guest running in Parallels Server on a host OS X Leopard Server. You can see that the guest system is treated similarly to other Windows and Linux VMs in the Parallels Management Console.
Note that a distinct serial number/license seems to be required. The serial number for the host machine will not validate (I thought Apple was going to allow one VM instance???), so to use the sweet service configuration tools available in Server Admin, it appears you’ll need a separate license for now.
Tags: apple, leopard, mac, osx, parallels, virtualization
. 09 Jul 08 | Computer | Comments (0)
Parallels Server Pricing: Redux
After a few grumpy emails between myself and our Account Manager, I’m happy to report that we have purchased the GA release and it’s working well. If you are using Parallels Server for internal development purposes and not for hosting, they will extend a more reasonable price per machine: $200 + $50/year maintenance. I think that’s a very reasonable price point for our usage, and am happy to pay it.
This likely has more to do with meeting end-of-Q2 sales quotas than attracting my dinky business, but regardless, a win is a win! Thanks!
Tags: deal, development, leopard, parallels, virtualization
. 25 Jun 08 | Computer | Comments (0)
Redmine w/OS X OpenLDAP, Parallels Server and JumpBox
OpenRain used a slew of crappy Trac sites for issue tracking until we switched to Redmine several days ago. The decision came because..
- Redmine can authenticate off LDAP with trivial configuration.
- Redmine has multi-project support out-of-the-box.
- Redmine has some nifty Gantt chart and calendaring schwag and is generally better.
- Parallels Server (for OS X) is finally available.
- JumpBox has a beta Redmine VM image available.
If you’ve got an existing LDAP infrastructure, the whole shebang shouldn’t take more than an hour or two to set up.
- Install Parallels Server on your OS X Leopard server.
- Download the Redmine JumpBox. Generate a new MAC address and boot it. Do the one-page configuration thingy in your browser.
- Log into Redmine and create a new “Authentication Mode” set to LDAP. If you’re using the default OpenLDAP schema that ships with Leopard server, enter the attributes like so..
- All your users should now be able to log into your Redmine JumpBox using their LDAP credentials! You’ll have to set up your projects, ACLs etc. within Redmine, but that’s some pretty hot shizzle to get running in such a small timeframe.
Mad props to Redmine, Parallels, JumpBox and Apple for further simplifying my business.
Tags: apple, jumpbox, leopard, linux, openldap, osx, parallels, redmine, virtualization
. 11 Mar 08 | Computer | Comment (1)
Xserve w/Leopard Server (Mac OS X 10.5), First Impressions
We just picked up a refurbished 2.66GHz quad-core Xeon from Apple, which we’ll be using for internal infrastructure. (We’re in the process of migrating from a mix of Solaris and Linux). After about 8 hours of learning the ins and outs of Leopard Server over the weekend, we had the box running Open Directory (Kerberos and OpenLDAP), DNS, AFP, SMB, FTP, domain account and machine management, mobile home directories, MySQL, Software Update, Xgrid controller, Wikis, Blogs, iCal and VPN services, all tightly integrated with single sign-on (via Kerberos) into a sexy 1U package.
- Xserve (refurbished discount, direct from Apple): ~$3K
- 3 x 750GB Disks (Newegg): ~$450
- 2 x Apple Drive Module (direct from Apple): ~$380
- 2 x 2GB FB-DIMM RAM (Crucial): ~$300
- Infrastructural sanity: priceless. (…or ~$4.5K after tax and random small stuff)
That’s some serious value considering how much of a PITA setting all this up can be in Linux (or whatever) without vendor support, and far cheaper than paying a Systems Administrator in the long run. The Server Admin and Workgroup Manager tools are pretty freakin’ usable, too, relative to the internal complexity of the system. I’m a happy camper for now… let’s see if it lasts.
Tags: apple, expensive, leopard, mac, openldap, openrain, opinion, review, server, solaris, xserve
. 10 Dec 07 | Computer | Comments (0)