Administrating a Mac Server

What's the best way to do it?

[Musicarl]

We recently moved to an Xserve and are trying to figure out the best way to maintain it. We use colocated hosting, so the hosting company will do any heavy lifting, but we'd like to monitor the machine and make sure it is running well.

We have one drive running MySQL and another running the web stuff. Another user suggested a tool for keeping an eye on the MySQL [mysql.com...] but what about the server in general? Should we get Timbuktu? Use Apple's remote server application?

Any tips on how we can keep our server healthy are appreciated.

[derekryan]

I am using Apple Remote Desktop and it works great. You can do pretty much everything with it. I even contol pc's (they have VNC installed - free). ARD2 is $299 (for 10 user) or $499 unlimited edition. Once you are in you can use Server Admin if you have a OS X Server installed on the XServe for some additional stuff. The only thing is to have an IP of your servers to access them and Firewall of your ISP have to have ARD ports open so you can get to your machine. They may also have some kind of VPN access. Ask them.

[lZakl]

I also am using Apple Remote Desktop for our X-Serve. This tool is pretty extreme. If you don't plan on updating software bundles on multiple computers, and monitoring the PC, there's not much that can't be done using the combo of VNC and Teminal, includng the remote installation of programs etc. But if you have the $$, Remote Desktop makes it a whole heck-of-a-lot easier. Just my 2¢. :0)

-- Zak

[whoisgregg]

I managed a server on our LAN exclusively using Server Admin and Terminal for over a year. It's easy to forget you can run Server Admin from your machine and add the IP of any OS X Server machine to the list of computers.