Last summer, when I wrote about Apple's relationship with enterprise IT,
I talked about earlier Apple decisions to stop producing its
rack-mounted Xserve server and refocus its server platform, OS X Server,
on the small business market. Since then, Apple has largely focused on
making its consumer-oriented products -- the iPhone, iPad, and Mac --
as enterprise-friendly as possible. These devices ship with out-of-the-box support for key enterprise technologies like Active Directory, Exchange, ActiveSync, and a wide range of mobile device management (MDM) solutions that can manage both iOS devices and Macs.
That strategy makes a lot of sense because it removes the need for a
large investment in infrastructure or software dedicated specifically to
supporting Apple's products. The strategy also built on the BYOD trend
that has reshaped the very concept of how IT handles mobile technology.
It's a strategy that Apple should continue.
Recently, however, Apple seems to be falling back into some of its
old habits and it now looks like the company may be starting to inch its
way back to the data center.
- Apple edges back toward the data center
- iPad sales skew even more toward Mini
- Apple CEO Tim Cook boasts of record iPhone sales in China
- Mac sales estimates for Q4 are all over the map
- Microsoft trumps Apple in branding, takes top spot
- Apple rang up $10B in app sales in 2013
- OS X Mavericks adoption steps on the brakes
- Apple CEO Tim Cook could pocket $115M in 2014
- Apple strips CEO Cook of $4M in stock grants for poor share performance
- Apple to shareholders: Vote Icahn off Buyback Island
Key enterprise items in Mavericks Server
The latest installment of OS X Server maintains a very prosumer
appearance, one that makes it attractive to small businesses and users
that need key functionality but don't want to invest in heavy IT
infrastructure. Many underlying IT-oriented technologies like BIND for
managing DNS or Apache for hosting web services and complex web-based
applications still exist, but are either hidden from less experienced
users or delivered with a simple GUI that only delivers basic functions.
But Apple has delivered additional functionality that seems to go beyond the SMB market in Mavericks Server.
Caching Server in Mavericks, for instance, is designed to improve the
experience of downloading and installing iOS and Mac apps and updates.
As users who are connected to a business network access the iOS and Mac
app stores, Caching Server automatically stores a copy of each app or
update they download. As other users request the same app or update, the
service automatically delivers them from its local cache.
This has a couple of big benefits: It relieves network congestion and delivers the apps and updates much more quickly.
Although small businesses with a handful of devices can benefit from
this feature, they won't see a huge impact when they implement it. The
organizations that will see a benefit are those that have a large number of users with Apple devices -- mid-size companies and enterprises.
Another enterprise-oriented feature that debuted in Mavericks Server is Xcode Server.
Xcode is the primary development tool for creating iOS apps and Mac
software. Although Xcode's integrated development environment is
generally considered to be well-designed and quite functional, it has
never really been designed for heavy collaboration.
Xcode Server changes that in a couple of key ways. It creates a
central repository for code and support for versioning of that code.
This makes it much easier for project managers to get a clearer view of a
development effort and makes it easier for developers working on a team
to share works in progress. It also allows developers to run extensive
app testing by setting up bots that run on the server rather than on
individual Mac workstations. This streamlines and automates testing, and
because a more powerful machine can be used, these processes can occur
faster, freeing up resources on the developers' machines.
There are, of course, plenty of smaller app development companies or
teams that could benefit from Xcode Server. But as enterprise apps
become a more important part of enterprise mobility, it's easy to see
Xcode Server as a feature designed for development teams in larger
organizations.
The new Mac Pro
Apple's new Mac Pro may also signal a shift to providing more
enterprise-worthy hardware. After offering what amounted to a new Mac
Pro trailer at WWDC last summer, Apple finally launched the new machine in December, when demand immediately outstripped supply.
Now, a month after the Mac Pro's introduction, estimated ship times are
still listed at several weeks; order today and you're unlikely to see
your new computer before March.
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