mshot
Level 1 (4 points)
Servers Enterprise

Q: OS X Server - Separate iTunes Accounts For Each User

I am thinking of adding a Mac Mini with OS X Server to my home network. The goals, among others, are to serve media files, including iTunes, to the various devices in my home network and simplify backups, etc. for the laptops and iMac.

 

The intent is to have separate iTunes media for myself and my wife. Each of us came to the relationship with our own music and want to maintain that separation. Each of us has a separate iTunes account.

 

I am wondering if the actual music files can be stored on the OS X server, and it’s hard disks, while the libraries are on the iMac and Laptops. The ideal is that when I log in to my laptop or my account on the iMac I would use iTunes with my media files, she would use hers when she logged in from a laptop or the iMac. We both have accounts on the iMac. We then could each update the music on our iPhones from separate media files, add new music to separate media files, separate playlists, etc., etc. Airplay to the AppleTV 4 could come from either of the two media files/accounts.

 

We would want to backup the various devices via TimeMachine and the OS X server. The OS X server and AppleTV 4 would be hardwired via Ethernet to our Internet router, all other devices have WiFi access.

 

Is this possible with OS X server? Tips?

 

Existing Hardware:

 

One iMac

Two MacPro Laptops

Two iPhones

One iPad Mini

One Apple TV 4

 

 

Proposed Add-Ons:

 

Mac Mini

Two 1TB+ Hard Disks

Mac OS X server

 

 

Thanks.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), null

Posted on Sep 6, 2016 7:58 AM

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Q: OS X Server - Separate iTunes Accounts For Each User

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  • by Side_Step_Society,

    Side_Step_Society Side_Step_Society Sep 6, 2016 4:27 PM in response to mshot
    Level 2 (378 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 6, 2016 4:27 PM in response to mshot

    This is certainly possible, though there is no explicit iTunes sharing service in Server.app.

     

    1) Create file share on Mac mini server with your media files.

    2) Map file share in user account on the client iMac.

    3) Hold option on your keyboard, open iTunes and "Create a new library" in the file share you just created.

    4) Ensure iTunes is set to "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" in Preferences on the client iMac.

    5) Ensure iTunes is set to "Keep iTunes Media folder organized".

    6) Ensure iTunes Media Folder location is set to file share on server.

     

    After those 6 steps are completed, your entire iTunes Library will be kept on the server and you will access it through simple file sharing.

     

    I recommend using AFP instead of SMB for this type of sharing. Obviously, keep in mind, any time you're away from your home network or your connection to the server is unavailable, you will not be able to access any of your music.