Apple Servers

Mac OS X Server is an ideal platform for providing network services to Windows clients, whether in a Windows-only or a mixed-platform environment. Apple has integrated Samba 3, the latest version of the popular open source SMB/CIFS server, into Mac OS X Server to deliver high-performance, reliable file and printer sharing for Windows clients, as well as support for Primary Domain Controller and Domain Member services. New in Mac OS X Server v10.4 is support for the native access control list (ACL) file permissions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP clients — a capability unprecedented on any UNIX- or Linux-based platform.

Apple’s industry-leading administrative tools make these open source services extremely easy to set up and manage. And the Mac OS X Server Unlimited-Client Edition allows you to scale your network as your needs grow — without draining your IT budget. Mac OS X Server is the ideal replacement for aging Windows NT or Windows 2000 servers, without requiring your business to transition to a complex and expensive Active Directory infrastructure. Or, if you've already deployed Active Directory, Mac OS X Server can deliver cost-effective workgroup services while still integrating with Active Directory for user account information and authentication.

Open Source Reliability

Samba 3 delivers high-performance, reliable file and print services to Windows clients using the native SMB/CIFS file protocols. Mac OS X Server systems appear right in Windows users’ Network Neighborhood — just like a Windows server — so your users can browse folders and share files without having to install any additional software.

NT Domain Services

Apple has integrated Samba with Open Directory for user authentication. This means you don’t need to maintain a separate directory database for Windows systems. Better yet, your users can access their network files — including roaming profiles for network home directories — from both Windows and Mac systems with the same username and password. You can now access user, group and computer records stored in Microsoft’s proprietary directory server without requiring modifications to the Active Directory schema. Open Directory also supports Microsoft’s Kerberos implementation for accessing authenticated services hosted on Mac OS X Server.

Access Control Lists (ACLs)

Mac OS X Server v10.4 is the only UNIX-based operating system to implement file system access control lists (ACLs) that are fully compatible with Windows Server 2003 Active Directory environments and Windows XP clients. ACLs provide an extended set of permissions, giving you fine-grained control over share points and folder access privileges, as well as the ability to assign multiple users and groups as owners on a file

Active Directory Integration

Mac OS X Server is designed to fit into just about any managed network environment, including ones that use Microsoft’s Active Directory. You can configure Mac OS X Server to access basic user account information in Active Directory, without requiring any modifications to the Active Directory schema. That means departments or workgroups in enterprise environments can take advantage of the low-cost file, print, Internet and networking services in Mac OS X Server, while still integrating with their existing Active Directory infrastructure for permissions, user and group account information and authentication.