X server or Mac Pro

[Bill-R]

My boss thinks I am a super Mac hero!  We use only Mac's and we are looking to build a network.  Two of the Mac's are 1.83 core duo iMacs  one is an older iMac and there is a new Macbook Pro coming in the next week or so.  We want to have a central "server" that can be seen by all and have network apps on it (with proper licensing) and be able to connect some firewire drives to it.  Would it be best to go with an X server or can this be done with a Mac Pro?  Also am I going to be able to be the admin on this thing without having to go back to school?


Thanks!

Bill

[sandbox]

What sort of network apps Bill?
I have 4 computers on a network using file sharing.
If your using OS10.4 have a look at MacFuse

[Bill-R]

Well to be honest I am not sure which apps he is talking about.  The only one I know for sure is Quickbooks,  So that brings me to another question.  I know he is talking about using the PC version of Quickbooks so is the PC side of the Mac world going to network at the same time?  I am not really all that smart when it comes to networking so I guess I better learn some stuff about it.

[sandbox]

You can exchange quickbooks files

[Bill-R]

Yes that is a good tip on the Quickbooks.  We are planning to use the PC version of Quickbooks because we are being told that there are functions on the PC side that are not on the Mac version.  I am not sure what they are but that is what the boss is telling me.  


One of the things he hopes to accomplish on the network to have a central location for file access such as Word, Excel, Appleworks, and Quickbooks.  There is also a need for access to photo's from different workstations.  We do pro audio for both live events and installs and when we go out to job sites we take pictures of the rooms or existing equipment so it is very important for us to be able to view the pics for doing bids or other reasons.  Right now our bids and invoicing is done in Appleworks and there is a need for one workstation to access the file and then maybe later on another workstation may need to access it. Not to mention multiple access for customer files and things like this.  The hope is that by putting up a central server, whether it is a MacPro or an X Server, we can all gain access to all the files and also save them to one place and not have to deal with filesharing.  My question is still out there - Can we do this with a MacPro and "call it a server" or do we need a real server to do this.  


I know that I am not very clear on what I am trying to do but that is mostly because I do not understand networking the way I should and I have been out of this type of experience since OS 9 days.  I might need to post this question at a different forum but I an not sure where so if anybody has a suggestion please point me in the right direction.  I would also love to hear some recommendations for some books as well.

Thanks!

Bill

[Xairbusdriver]

Although a quick search at Apple's site turned up nothing, I couldn't help remembering your questions when I saw the following from Small Dog today:

QUOTE

Xserve and Xserve RAID "Try Before You Buy" Program: 60 Days Risk-Free!
By Kali, kali@smalldog.com

If you're the owner of a small business (or maybe not-so-small), you may have the need for an Xserve.  Many businesses are getting by with setups that are not designed to grow with them; you'd be surprised at how integral (and ultimately cost-effective) an Xserve could be for your company!  If you're curious, and you're not sure whether or not this would be the right solution for you, Apple has announced an Xserve "Try Before You Buy" program.

Qualifying customers can order a customized Xserve or select one of our standard configurations.  Once the product ships, the evaluation period begins.  Should you choose not to continue with a purchase after the 60 Day risk-free evaluation period concludes, you may return the hardware.  We would love to talk with you about the Try Before You Buy program; please give us a call at 800-511-MACS for all of the details!

As for whether you need Xserve or could use a less expensive(?) MacPro, you'd need to talk with someone who knows more than I do. However, I'd think what your wanting to do could be done one almost any Mac desktop machine, doesn't sound too taxing to me. However, an Xserve will be much more scalable for the future growth of your company and is designed specifically for the distributed tasks that you want. I think you should contact almost anyone you can find who might be using Xserve/Xserve OS and find out why they are using them.

File Sharing is only part of the process of using a 'server'. Macs and PCs can quite easily 'share' files on an Ethernet network. But you may want to investigate how many people will be wanting to access the same files at the same time. That may be more important than the hardware they will be running on. As you've probably noticed, all newer Macs come with Apache already available, so you could probably set that up right now and 'teach' yourself most of what you might need to know, regardless of what hardware you end up with.

Secondarily, I'd also recommend finding an alternative to AppleWorks. It has not been officially supported or updated by Apple for the past 5+ years. I don't think there is anything in the suite that can't be done better by either Apple or third-party apps which are being actively supported and maintained. There are very few apps that can even read AW files and I doubt the list will grow as the years go by.

[Bill-R]

Well we decided to go with an Xserve.  We are placing the order in the morning for the Xserve, a 17" Macbook pro and a bunch of software.  Spending about 7K total!  Too bad the Macbook is not for me.

I will have plenty to learn though.

Bill