Easy solution to MacOS server changes

Isn't the easy answer to Apple deprecating services in future releases of MacOS server, is simply just dont Upgrade the APP?

That's correct! Don't upgrade past version 5.4 if you're running High Sierra. Or if you're running an earlier OS version (e.g. Sierra) like me, don't upgrade to High Sierra because you'll get the most current version of Server which could have deprecated services.

This is a really bad idea for any internet facing device—especially a server. This reality should go without saying for any organization running a server.

It may be possible to upgrade Server.app’s underlying opensource packages, and hope they continue to operate within the existing GUI and serveradmin framework. But at some point this will all break (e.g. as it already has with spamassassin and APFS in v5.4–5.5).

A reasonable approach is to start charting options away from Server.app and perhaps away from macOS to OpenBSD or Linux, but this comes with its own set of costs, like adopting a parallel set of tools: FDE, incremental backup, and the like.

We don’t know enough yet about the future of fundamentals like APNS and Open Directory to make hard decisions yet.

A third party may step into the void and offer Server.app functionality. Or not. Personally I plan to slow roll upgrades and weigh my options before jumping on a new path forward.

No one is telling you you have to upgrade to High Sierra and Server 5.5 or above. If the operating system you currently run with a version of Server that is supported is serving your needs, then I see no reason to upgrade.

I'm running Sierra 10.12.6 with Server 5.2 and I have no plans to upgrade the OS or Server long term. Even when Apple stops providing Security Updates to 10.12.6, I'll continue to run it.

I agree. I do not know if it will be like in the windows world, where 50% of the server in operation are WS2003 and 2008!, we can still run Sierra and Server 5.3.1 for a couple of years.. Looking at how apple handles the OS updating process, I think they give us 5+ years maintaining a system...

You have to remember, that Apple is just supporting Sierra for max. two more years! So after coming of macOS 10.15 we will not get security-updates for Sierra, I guess...

No concern for me. I'll run Sierra and macOS Server 5.2 well past the support date. I have no need to upgrade to the "latest and greatest". I'm sure there are people who still run Lion, through Yosemite. And even some who still run Server for those OS's.

Yes, and where does that leave the long term answer. It seems like every new release of MacOS Server cripples another management feature used by admins. I'dlove to know how dropping DHCP and DNS will accomplish:

"macOS Server is changing to focus more on management of computers, devices, and storage on your network."

After switching all our labs 10 years ago from MS Windows with Active Directory to Mac and Open Directory, I've been very disappointed by every upgrade and the resulting loss of performance since then. This latest one might be the last straw.

Agreed, servers should be kept up-to-date, so I’m curious to see what will be in the next Sever/Profile Manager iteration that makes Apple say that they want to focus more on management (and how they will do it without DNS). I have a feeling they want to centralize control through company servers so that they can charge annual renewal fees.

I’ve been looking into third party proprietary solutions, but have been turned off by high up-front costs (to cover migration by onsite techs), and annual renewal fees. If I can’t do it myself, then I really don’t want it because I want to know how it works before I go live with it. I’ve also been looking into open source solutions, but it looks like a steep learning curve to integrate authentication and group management. Linux for all the systems is out of the question because we need to interface with multiple data collection devices.

Apple was always the solution for simple elegant systems. I used to praise the company after I switched from horrible Windows Vista to OS x Snow Leopard.
In my view, Snow Leopard was Apple at its best; fast, reliable, and easy to configure. (Vista was also Microsoft at it’s worse). Since then, the OS has bloated with services that are difficult to disable, and when management moved from LDAP control wth Workgroup Manager to a separate PostgreSQL with Profile Manager, the system has become slow, unreliable, and hard to configure with the ridiculously limited set of tools. Worse is their solution for failure; complete system reinstall, which had to be performed after hours because Profile Manager does not replicate to a backup server.

I’ve invested so much time and effort in Apple systems, so my last hope for them is to give us a decent management server as touted in the above support release to “focus on management...on your network". Then I might reconsider to reequip the labs with new iMacs, but since I’m familiar with Windows and Active Directory and have no idea where Apple is going, it looks like Microsoft, I hate to say, is my most probable recourse at this point.

Wiil try it. I am still on Sierra and would require to upgrade to High Sierra to get Server 5.5. Apple only offers 5.5 now.... then try to download transfer back to my Sierra machine to get 5.3.1 version.

I run Sierra and want to keep all the server 5.3.1 features. Need to figure out how to get 5.3.1 since I don't have it and cannot down load via App Store (5.5 is all they have). found a way to get it but it is lengthy.😐