Advanced Services

El Capitan Server – Advanced Services is an exploration through the advanced and rarely documented services in OS X Server.  From NetInstall's ability to deliver packages and clone systems, to Xsan's ability to share 100s of TB of storage, to NFS remaining a venerable fallback for file sharing, OS X Server is a powerhouse hiding behind its low price and simple interface.  Need a backup server?  Need to host hundreds of web sites?  There is a lot to discover in El Capitan Server.  Come along for the journey and you'll be surprised at what you discover.


Apple barely documents these services.  Other books barely scratch the surface of these services.  If there is no information regarding these services, it is no wonder many system administrators avoid them.  Novice administrators are intimidated by them.  "What's an Xsan?"  Yet these services provide valuable and effective solutions to many common problems facing Mac environments of all sizes.  Get ready to dig in deep and learn the secrets of Apple's advanced services.  


NFS and NetInstall have roots that dig deep into OS X's past.  Xsan was once the key to Apple's push for the enterprise.  Time Machine Server remains simple and effective.  Today these services are overlooked by most administrators simply because they don't know where to start or how these services fit into their network and business.  El Capitan Server – Advanced Services delivers the documentation and practical experiences.  The book is filled with real world deployment examples and use philosophy.


This is the first edition of Advanced Services.  This is all new content on topics rarely covered.  The goal is to continue to expand the content through the life of El Capitan Server.  This is inline with the other books in the El Capitan Server series.


El Capitan Server – Advanced Services is targeted at system administrators responsible for OS X Server in enterprise, education, and small business.  However, you don't need to be a seasoned veteran to benefit from the book.  Examples and explanations can be followed by readers of all experience levels.  However, Advanced Services will push readers to explore advanced services, complex processes, and new workflows.  Not all services covered in this book are appropriate for all environments.  But a true Mac system administrator should know and understand all the service to ensure that their company or customer is using the product to its full potential.


Where El Capitan Server – Foundation Services set the cornerstone for your OS X Server deployment and El Capitan Server – Collaboration and Control allowed you to build a management structure, Advanced Services goes beyond the basics and provides a comprehensive understanding of Apple's advanced server tools.


El Capitan Server is Apple's latest evolution of OS X Server.  OS X Server is a collection of core networking services, collaboration tools, and groupware products.  It remains a Swiss Army Knife, packed with capable and useful tools for many different deployment targets.  There are no hidden costs, no add-on packages, and no exotic hardware requirements.  OS X Server is simply an un-carved block, waiting for a creative system administrator to achieve nearly anything imaginable.  Beneath its simple facade hides powerful tools for serious work.


Chapters include:


Introduction

Time Machine

NetInstall

NFS

Web & Wiki (Available in January)

FTP

Xsan (Available in late January)

Change Log


In addition to these chapters, Advanced Services also covers backup philosophy, data lifestyle management best practices, environment recommendations, and strong guidance to help all administrators properly manage their OS X Server.  Also includes how to hack the firmware installer and bypass some of System Integrity Protection's limitations.


This is the first book in the series released without all content complete.  Web & Wiki and Xsan need a little more time to be right.  These chapters will be added to the book in January 2016.


Updates and Additions


El Capitan Server – Advanced Services fully embraces the benefits of digital publishing and Apple's iBooks distribution model.  The book will evolve as Apple updates Server.app and El Capitan.  Buyers of the book can expect a consistent stream of updates throughout the life of El Capitan.  As a first edition, this book is an evolving work and remains in progress.  Additional chapters will be added to the book based on the published schedule.


Publishing With a Cause


In addition, $1 from each sale will be donated to the American Cancer Society in the hope that future generations will not know the suffering and loss of cancer.