Looking for File Server with Spotlight for Apple clients

Question

Level 1

14 points

Looking for File Server with Spotlight for Apple clients

Dear community,

we are looking for a solution how to replace our old classic Mac Pro (cMP) as File Server. Now I hope you can help here.

We have about 10 - 15 TB of heterogeneous files (videos, high res. pictues, thousands of small text files and so on) and 10-15 clients on different Macs.

The cMP is doing a good job with ElCapitan, Server App and AFP sharing.

One of our most important needs is the Spotlight server function. Everything else we need I've already transfered to some Linux servers runnig as VMs.

Now the cMP is getting older and older and I am getting more afraid when it will break and what to do then.

I am looking for professional replacement solutions now for years and I could only find some of Acronis and Helios with supposedly reliable file serving for Apple clients with spotlight server function.

My questions:

Do you have experience with Acronis and/or Helios and can you recommend it?
Does anyone have experience with a proffesional Synology NAS?
- Is it reliable and does Spotlight work like they advertise it?
Do you know something else (other best practices) you can recommend?
- I know with QNAP the Spotlight functionality is pretty buggy – already tested it myself.

Thank you in advance for every information you can share with us.

Current Pro Desktops

Posted on Jan 8, 2020 3:36 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jan 10, 2020 9:29 AM in response to DB_yousign

I just found this on Synology's site...

https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/help/DSM/AdminCenter/file_winmacnfs_mac

Not sure if Promise has the same possibilities. Seems as though they want you to index it first with their software and then you can only user the Finder search for network drives and Spotlight for local drives.

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 10, 2020 9:19 AM in response to DB_yousign

If you ever find that dream company, shoot me a message!! I've been waiting for something like that forever myself.

Not sure on the spotlight compatibility. I searched a bit myself and didn't have much luck either. In our case, when we had problems with Spotlight not working correctly, we went with this app. It helped our users fulfill all of their searching needs. YMMV Best of luck.

https://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.php

Reply

Answer 3

Jan 8, 2020 2:03 PM in response to DB_yousign

In the same boat since the update to 10.13 and on with messed up permissions/acl's etc. We are still gimping along with 10.12.6 and Server.app with a trashcan Mac Pro which is out of warranty. Thinking of the Promise Atlas S8+ or the equivalent NAS from Synology that can handle cloud backups and just be a standalone file share on a Mac network with mostly Mac clients using Adobe and Office type apps primarily. Have been feeling left out in the cold by Apple since the end of Xserves and then the EOL of Server's file sharing and VPN capabilities. I have no idea what Apple is doing to their business customers at this point. Go Hello Kitty watchbands though... Grrrr!

Reply

Answer 4

DB_yousign Author

Level 1

14 points

Jan 13, 2020 2:23 AM in response to James Hayward

Again thanks for your input.

As soon I hear something I will propagate it all over the internet ;-)

Regarding FAF:

I already know them, but they don't have a client/server solution. For private use it's good, but business – does not sound very convincing to me. But maybe I read some of their information wrong.

You are using it with big AFP shares on a server too? How many clients do you have using it?

Regarding Synology:

This is exactly what I meant in my initial post:

" - Does anyone have experience with a proffesional Synology NAS?

- Is it reliable and does Spotlight work like they advertise it?"

QNAP is advertising almost the same with their Qsirch. I've tested it and yeah, maybe for private use ok, but business – definately no (it's just not reliable with many files and clients using it).

Now before spending and in worst case burning thousands of Euros just for a testing, I hope to find someone with some experience.

Think at Synology the biggest problem is this Finder and Spotlight search difference.

Deamn it Apple, I'd love to buy a Snow Leopard Server for 1.000 € even without gui but with updated drivers and security.

Reply

Answer 5

DB_yousign Author

Level 1

14 points

Jan 9, 2020 5:01 AM in response to James Hayward

Thank you for your answer James.

I know exactly how you're feeling. My fear started with the change of the great server system (Snow Leopard Server) to … an App.

Since then it's just getting worse, but the new Mac Pro gives me hope, that there still are some "old school" people around in Cupertino who know that you can't make business only with iPads / glossy and shiny displays / "Hello Kitty watchbands" :-) and so on.

My dream is a subsidiary company of Apple with don't care which name and what kind of design and what price, as long they start to deliver the quality we're used to and cover our needs which Apple already did some time ago with Xserves, cMPs, matt displays, no glued batterys and no soldered RAM and drives in their computers.

However … I took a look at the Promise (manuals, website, google), but couldn't find any information about spotlight indexing. Do you know if it's implemented and/or where I could find more information about it?

Best regards,

Darko

Reply

Looking for File Server with Spotlight for Apple clients

Similar questions