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 Channel Futures

Mobility


Mac Mini with OS X Server Targets Small Business

  • Written by Dave Courbanou 1
  • October 21, 2009
The latest fruit from the Apple tree is branching into the small business world: The new Mac Mini Server. It's being advertised for home, office, retail, and small business use and includes Snow Leopard Server Unlimited Client version pre-installed. Apple sells that particular server OS stand-alone for $499, and the regular Mac Mini for $599.

macminiserverThe latest fruit from the Apple tree is branching into the small business world: The new Mac Mini Server. It’s being advertised for home, office, retail, and small business use and includes Snow Leopard Server Unlimited Client version pre-installed. Apple sells that particular server OS stand-alone for $499, and the regular Mac Mini for $599. Translation: There’s a bit of a deal here for VARs and their end-customers, considering the entry-level XServe starts at $2999.

The Mac Mini Server comes equipped with dual 500GB drives, but lacks an optical drive. Apple says the MacBook Air’s Super-Drive (or any external drive) can be used to install additional software but the company is pushing the idea that the aluminum box is ready to go when you take it out of the cardboard one.

Personally, I think this little server solution has the potential to change the small business game. At the time, there is no unlimited client Microsoft solution so cheap and easy to setup. OS X Server includes enterprise level features to get small business collaborating including a push Mail server, iCal server, Wiki server and an advanced Mobile Access Server that works with the iPhone.

Apple always tends to sneak something in right before a big Microsoft launch, and with Windows 7 and the Windows Server 2008 R2 launch coming October 22, this could very well be Apple’s ploy to sneak into small business settings.

Your thoughts? Any takers for the Mac Mini Server?

Follow The VAR Guy via RSS; Facebook; Identi.ca; Twitter; and via his Newsletter; Webcasts and Resource Center. Plus, check out more channel voices at www.vartweet.com.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Mobility

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7 comments

  1. Avatar Prometheus October 21, 2009 @ 5:42 pm
    Reply

    There’s an interesting little sub-market opening up for SMB OSX-based servers in Radiology departments – driven by an increasingly popular OSS image viewer/visualisation tool (Osirix) which alas is Mac only. As Mac users look to expand towards a server – they go for a platform they are familiar with – up to now – an XServe

    I’m sure there are radiology departments have one on order as we speak (they might even tell the IT department about it when they want to plug it into the network!)

  2. Avatar Victor October 21, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
    Reply

    Ok, I have been around too long because I remember the computer news headlines of problems VARS had with Apple.
    So I am not sure I want to partner with them.
    For low cost, I can buy or put together a server with OpenBSD/SAMBA and other open source for mail and calendar. Or look at the Novell options which are decently priced. And we should not forget MS Foundation server, max 15 users but that should be enough for this market.

    Thank you VAR guy for your work and the info you provide.

  3. Avatar The VAR Guy October 21, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
    Reply

    Victor: Long live competition and customer choice. No need to thank The VAR Guy for this particular blog entry. The credit goes entirely to contributing associate blogger Dave Courbanou.

  4. Avatar The VAR Guy October 21, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
    Reply

    Prometheus: The VAR Guy isn’t familiar with the radiology application you mention. But our resident blogger is pleased to see readers offering up new opportunities to peer VARs. Thanks for taking the time to point out that little-known Mac niche…

  5. Avatar Neighborly IT Guy October 22, 2009 @ 12:36 pm
    Reply

    At last!! I’ve long wanted an Apple Server for the home to serve up Web, Photos, Music and other media, but as you pointed out, the cost of an Apple Server “was” quite steep, so I’ve been using consumer grade NAS solutions which work but are limited in functionality. As an IT professional the last thing I wanted to do was install some fussy Server OS (made in the state that also brings us coffee) and spend my time-off working. So here comes Apple giving “me” the consumer exactly what I wanted.

    Okay, enough on my selfish reasons for liking this move, now let me put my IT hat on. I don’t see your typical SMB’s running out and purchasing these units. Let’s face it, most of the IT support talent that’s out there is skilled in Microsoft (MS) products. Whether your SMB uses professional services or a small internal IT staff, MS skills are pound-for-pound the least expensive and most abundant skill sets. Therefore, I don’t see a huge market in the traditional SMB space. Where these will work well are homes and 1-3 person offices of creative types who are already using OS-X macines from Apple for their superior creative edge. Graphics Designers, Artists, Photographers, Schools, Clubs, etc. should flock to the Apple store as their business grows to need a small server. All in all it’s a good move for Apple and for $999 it’s within reach of everyone. (written from my iPhone while on the train)

    I don

  6. Avatar Ben Greiner November 9, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
    Reply

    It is exciting to see Apple put their “stamp of approval” on the Mac mini for server use. However we caution workgroups larger than 10 users to not get too exited over the Mac mini as a server.

    It’s NOT “server-grade.” Other than replacing the optical drive with a second 500GB hard drive for Software RAID 1 mirroring (the only redundant component), the new Mac mini is not much different from the old mini. It still only supports up to 4GB of RAM and the hard drives are 5400-RPM.

    That said, the mini is a great inexpensive server for testing, or to host basic services for small workgroups, or to connect to external storage solutions such as the Drobo or the PromiseStor DS4600 RAID subsystem that Apple sells. (We love the Drobo, but have not tested the PromiseStor.)

  7. Avatar The VAR Guy November 10, 2009 @ 8:59 am
    Reply

    Hey Ben: The VAR Guy spotted your thoughts on both MSPmentor and TheVARguy.com. Are you a real person or comment spam?

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