Suds&Hops

Q: Pre set up questions

I'm pondering setting up a mini server.  What I want to do is:

 

Mail server (IMAP preferably, have my MX record)

DNS server

VPN (on the server, no cloud solutions)

ssh (on a different port #)

Possibly web server

Possibly firewall.

 

How easy to set it all up?  I know I can do it all without Server, but I understand Server offers the GUI/easy setup of the DNS and such.

How is the built in mail server or should I look for a 3rd party?

Is Appache the bear to set up as it looks like? (all the config files)

 

TIA

Posted on Apr 27, 2013 4:26 AM

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Q: Pre set up questions

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  • by infinite vortex,Helpful

    infinite vortex infinite vortex May 1, 2013 2:03 PM in response to Suds&Hops
    Level 7 (21,405 points)
    May 1, 2013 2:03 PM in response to Suds&Hops

    How easy to set it all up?

     

    Depends on where you're coming from. If you understand the underlying technologies that server/internet is based on then it should be pretty simple. If not that ranges from not so simple to near impossible.

     

    I know I can do it all without Server, but I understand Server offers the GUI/easy setup of the DNS and such.

     

    Most will find DNS the most difficult to deal with. I find OS X Server 10.6/10.7 far simpler to setup in Server Admin compared to 10.8 in Server.app. In 10.8 it's just not as obvious as it is in 10.6/10.7.

     

    How is the built in mail server or should I look for a 3rd party?

     

    It works well. There's not a lot to mail servers these days. Again, I find setting it up in Server Admin far better than in Server.app.

     

    Is Appache the bear to set up as it looks like? (all the config files)

     

    It's as difficult as any other Apache2 server config. Having said that, the 10.7 Server.app config is a bit of a pain when it comes to the shadow files for SSL/non-SSL as there's no clear and simple way to do them both for the same URI in the GUI. This is where 10.8 and 10.6 are better or simpler. That said there are not too difficult workarounds if you understand Apache config files.

  • by Suds&Hops,

    Suds&Hops Suds&Hops May 2, 2013 1:19 AM in response to infinite vortex
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 2, 2013 1:19 AM in response to infinite vortex

    Thans man.  i bit the bullet and got one.  DNS seemed easy enough to set up (though I think I need a little tweaking)  Can it serve as a forward looking DNS while behind the router?  I'd like to do my own internet DNS  (tin foil hat brigade reasons )

     

    Server Admin is in there too?  I gotta explore a bit (my laptop is still on snow leopard)

    Appahe is way down the list.  gotta get VPN fully working, its about 80%

    Hopefully I'll et some time to play with it more soon.

  • by infinite vortex,

    infinite vortex infinite vortex May 2, 2013 3:55 AM in response to Suds&Hops
    Level 7 (21,405 points)
    May 2, 2013 3:55 AM in response to Suds&Hops

    Thans man.  i bit the bullet and got one.  DNS seemed easy enough to set up (though I think I need a little tweaking)  Can it serve as a forward looking DNS while behind the router?  I'd like to do my own internet DNS  (tin foil hat brigade reasons )

     

    Yes it can and it's the way I do DNS as well. Most modems don't do DNS "properly" where they don't realise that if you're after a URI, such as server.example.com, that points to your modem but via the DMZ host really points to your server to give you your server IP rather than your modem's IP. Also, to happily do search domains you need your own DNS as well.

     

    Server Admin is in there too?

     

    Server Admins comes as part of a separate download in Server Admin Tools from…

     

    http://support.apple.com/downloads/#macosxserver

     

    Be aware that you should match the OS X Server version with the Admin Tools you install and use. OS X Server 10.8.x doesn't come with Server Admin Tools as it's "all" wrapped into Server.app.