Panther Server

Posted by Pierre Igot in: Macintosh
November 3rd, 2003 • 6:24 am

We have just received our copy of Panther (Mac OS X 10.3) Server from Apple Canada Education through the Mac OS X Server Maintenance program that we enrolled in last month when we purchased a new Xserve machine.

Interestingly, I’m still waiting for my copy of the regular Mac OS X 10.3. So I might start exploring the server version before the client version… An interesting twist!

The update includes 2 install discs, 1 Admin Tools disk, and 1 Xcode Tools disk, as well as a “Getting Started” manual. I’ve barely had time to play with the Xserve yet, so I will effectively discover Mac OS X Server in its 10.3 incarnation. We might as well be up-to-date!

We want to use the Xserve for a number of things: as a replacement for our current server — which acts as a file server, web server, FTP server, and mail server — and as a “gateway” of sorts between our own network and the outside online world. We are currently part of the network of our host university, and want to have more control over our own network.

It sounds like a lot to ask of a single Xserve machine, but our needs are quite modest. Our web site doesn’t generate a huge amount of traffic, our mail server won’t be handling tons of mail, and our connection to the outside world is not that fast anyway. I think the Xserve will do just fine for the next few years.

It’s my first real experience with a “Server” system. Our current server (my old G4/450) is running Mac OS 9.2, and old software titles such as Quid Pro Quo (web server), NetPresenz (FTP server), SIMS (mail server), LetterRip Pro (mailing list server) and FileMaker Pro 4.1 (for dynamic contents in our web site). I am hoping to use Mac OS X Server’s built-in tools as a web server, mail server, and FTP server, and will be installing FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited on the Xserve. We will also try to experiment with the pMachine blogging tool for other people’s contributions to the site.

Interesting times ahead!


2 Responses to “Panther Server”

  1. Ponyboy Dan says:

    Did you have success with FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited on Panther? Just googling around, looking for success stories on the topic … hoping we don’t need to upgrade to FMPU6.

  2. Pierre Igot says:

    Afraid I can’t help you out. We DID upgrade to FMP 6 Unlimited after all. Had a problem with web security that was solved by installing the Web Companion update for 6.0. That’s it.

    But 5.5 is supposed to work fine as well… I just don’t have any experience to share.

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