Using Apple OS X Lion Server as a Home Server (Part 3 – Features)

In the last part of the series, we took a look at the hardware options available to Mac owners thinking of using Apple OS X Lion Server as a home server. Before we jump into the pool, however, I want to take a little time to talk through some of the features we’ll be looking for in our OS X-based home server – figuring these out up front will allow us to objectively evaluate how well Lion Server meets the needs of the average home server user.

For those of you (like me) brought up on a blend of Windows Home Server v1, Windows Home Server 2011 or the dizzying array of Linux NAS boxes out there, you’ll already have an idea of the types of features you’re looking for – and of course, we’ll note those here. That said, there are a number of features present in OS X Lion Server that Microsoft locked out from their home server platform – some which have a lot of saliency for family use. As we’ll discover, there are also features present in Lion Server (particularly with regard to mobile device management) that are missing entirely from the core platforms of its competitors.

So, we’ll chunk up our list into three parts, to allow a clear comparison between Redmond and Cupertino later in the series. The first set we’ll describe as “Core Features” – the real “must-have” basics that we’d expect any viable home server platform to deliver. The second group will be “Added Value” features – ones which exist in both Windows Server and OS X Server platforms, but that Microsoft have prevented use of in Windows Home Server (you may be able to unlock them with some hacking, but they’re off limits to most users). Finally we’ll have the “Differentiators” – features unique to OS X Server which do not exist in Microsoft’s home server platform.

Of course, there are a host of under the hood features that will be of interest to the more advanced or technically minded administrator (for example, advanced networking services such as RADIUS, DNS, DHCP and so on) but they’re of limited appeal to the average home server user. If there are specific features missing from the selection below that you want the skinny on, then drop me a note in the comment section below.

All make sense? Okay, let’s get started.

1. Core Features

Any half decent home server platform must include support for basic functionality such as centralised file storage and sharing (including media streaming), user account controls, client and server backup, remote access and storage management features. Let’s take a look at the features in turn.

• Centralised File Storage and Sharing

Probably the most important requirement for a home server platform is to serve as a centralised hub for your important data. The number of work documents, music, videos, photos and other types of data is exploding in the home. The home server is a perfect place to be able to store, protect and organise those files for use with various devices.Whether it’s on a mobile device such as a smartphone or notebook, tablet, desktop computer or media receiver, we’d expect to be able to access those files with ease on multiple devices running a variety of operating systems, stream entertainment around the home, read, write and copy data to and from the server.

Included here is the ability to create shared folders on the server, and in conjunction with the server’s user account controls (see below) quickly and easily configure secure access for family members and guests (if required). A bit obvious to mention (we will anyway) but let’s also ensure we have full file management features for data stored on the server from connected clients.

• User Account Controls

With multiple family members and guests wishing to access the data stored on the server, we need to ensure that can be achieved with the appropriate levels of security. So, we need to be able to create and manage user accounts for server access as well as to open and restrict access to shared resources.

• Client and Server Backup

What may have once been classed as an added value feature for a home server is most definitely core here in 2011. That centralised resource is perfect for supporting the backup and protection of data and system files on our clients, as well as the data stored on the server itself.

Here we’re looking for powerful, yet easily managed client and server backup, granular filters on the data we would like backing up or not and simple, fast file or full system recovery in case of disaster. The ability to back up  data stored on varying operating systems is a definite value add.

• Remote Access

We lead increasingly mobile lives, and as a result it’s useful for our data to be just a click or a tap away. Remote Access is an area of growing importance for the home server platform, and as a result, we’re seeking a variety of features in this area. Connection to cloud backup services as a secondary layer of data protection is important to many and useful to most. We also require easy configuration of remote access to the server through automated router configuration tools (port forwarding). Easy access to the server via a nominated URL/home server website is now common, with dynamic DNS services connecting the pipes to your server’s IP address in the background.

When you’ve connected remotely, it’s important to have quick and easy access to your files, and the ability to access other computers on the network is also desired. Of course, in today’s mobile world, we’re not just talking about access via a computer either – we want the same ability to access the server remotely from a mobile handset and tablet computer.

• Storage Management

As the hub for the family’s data, it’s likely that a home server is going to pack a fair amount of storage across multiple drives. Managing that storage is vital, and as such, we’ll be looking for robust monitoring features and drive management tools including standard reporting of storage capacity and free space, simple ways to add and remove storage as well as the more advanced ability to create storage pools/arrays from multiple disks. Ideally, we’d want to see support for a wide variety of disk types and capacities including the newer 3TB and advanced format drives on the market.

• System Alerts

Should things go awry with the server for any reason, we want to know about it pronto. So we’re interested in seeing what system alerts are available on the platform, and the channels used for notification. Email is a requirement, alerts on the client is desired, social network and text message alerts possibly a pipedream.

2. Added Value Features

Moving on from our foundation features, we come to a list of extended features that could well be very useful for a home server, but are currently blocked or limited in some way in Windows Home Server 2011. They may well be able to be accessed by technical experts with the necessary degree of hacking, but for the rest of us, they’re out of reach.

• Single Sign-on (Directory Services)
  

Whilst extensive use of directory services (for example, Active Directory on Windows or OS X’s equivalent, Open Directory) may well be overkill in the home context, the ability to create a single user account which can be used across multiple devices on the network can be very useful. Active Directory support is not available in Windows Home Server, and you’ll need to take a look at Windows Small Business Server Essentials 2011 if this feature is desired.Whilst Open Directory is available in OS X Lion Server today, we’ll be taking a look at how easy it is to configure and manage user accounts, and whether it has real relevance in the home.

• Client Profile Management

Of course,  once we have client account management set up, we can then begin to configure the features and controls that are available to individual family members on the computers around the home. Positioned differently, this broadly equates to Parental Controls, but it’s just as useful for ensuring the other adults in the household aren’t able to get into too much trouble by accessing advanced settings.It’s a feature known as Group Policy in Windows, and again, it isn’t available in WHS.

• Software Update Services

With multiple computers on the network, you’ve probably wondered at times why it is you have to update each of them individually with regular operating system and application updates. Surely that hammers the available bandwidth in the home – especially if you have an ISP that imposes download quotas. Wouldn’t it be great if you could download updates once on the server, and then push them out locally to your computers?

That’ll be the feature known as Windows Software Update Services (WSUS to its friends) and it only comes out to play if you’re running a business or Enterprise version of Windows Server. The truly dedicated can get it going in Windows Home Server v1 and 2011 but it’s hard work for the novice.

The good news is that such a service ships in box in OS X Lion Server, so we’ll definitely take a look.

3. Differentiators

At the top of the tree, OS X Lion Server is packaged with a number of additional features that may or may not be of interest to individual home users. We’ve classed them as differentiators here as whilst they ship in box in Lion Server, you’d require additional software to get the equivalent features up and running in Windows Home Server.

• Shared Contacts

With a centralised hub storing all of the family’s data, the lack of a shared contacts resource in Windows Home Server is a big oversight. But OS X Lion Server provides the ability to build a central database of contacts that are then available to be searched on any client on the network.

• Shared Calendar

In various conversations with Microsoft over the years, I have lost count of the number of times a shared family calendar resource was pitched and rejected. The ability to track what’s going on at home with a shared resources, accessible on all computers, by all members of the household seems such an obvious feature, I’m baffled why it was never realised.

It’s there in OS X Lion Server, so again, we’ll dive in.

• Chat Server

Useful to some maybe (especially the kids) – Lion Server is equipped with a Chat Server allowing iChat messages to be pinged between computers in the home.

• Mail Server

More for advanced users, but you’ll also find an integrated mail server on board, allowing you to manage your own email system, including a basic webmail client for when you’re out and about.

• iOS Device Management

If you’re collecting iPhone and iPads for fun, then we’ll be taking a look at ways in which those devices can be configured and managed remotely using OS X Lion Server.

• Wiki & Web Server 

Another feature that will be of interest to some users, maybe not others, is a Wiki Server which allows the creation, publishing and hosting of a Wiki. Whether it’s scrapbooking your family holidays, or ensuring that the baby sitter has instructions for switching on your crazily complicated home entertainment rig, you can publish the family documents you need to keep the home running.

• Podcast Tools

I have to admit,  I’m often confused by Apple’s obsession with podcasting – it seems like they embed podcasting features everywhere – but again, if you wish to record and publish a podcast for family and friends, then OS X Lion Server ships with the tools to make it happen.