HostMyApple is the Ultimate provider of dedicated Mac mini cloud servers and the fastest! With Solid State Drives and up to 32GB of RAM, HostMyApple offers the most powerful and economical dedicated Mac cloud computing experience for Professionals, Students and Enterprise users. With no hardware to purchase, running your own dedicated macOS cloud server is an easy choice for anyone looking to. If you don't require macOS, but still prefer to run your server on Mac hardware, MacStadium's genuine Apple Mac servers are the perfect solution. Use a Mac mini to host your company's website. Setup a backup server in the cloud with terabytes of attached USB or NAS storage. Manage your own email or DNS server.
I've been working with Mac hosting for about thirteen years. I tell people about using a Mac mini as a server and they just love the idea of it. There are a lot of great hosting options out there these days, but it's nice to work with a server where the OS is familiar and you know you control the whole stack of hardware and software. Our base Mac mini subscription starts at just $79/mo (that includes the server) so it's much easier to get started.
Five years ago today, I wrote a post about ways you might use a Mac server. I've decided to update that list and add some new ones that have come along in the last little while. It's a mix of Mac apps, open source projects, and iOS tools. Now when you say to yourself 'I'd love to try a Mac server but I just don't know what I'd do with it' then you can take a look at this list. (Have more suggestions? Add them here.)
Ways to use your Mac Server
macOS server is in the middle of a big transition, but I'm still including it here. You'll want to be sure to read up on the future roadmap. It's a first party way to run a Profile Manager and Open Directory. Cannot format usb drive mac.
There are a number of ways to use your Mac as a build server. It's easily the most popular use here at MacStadium. You might look at Jenkins, Buildkite, Teamcity, Veertu, or Gitlab.
Xcode now includes Xcode Server. We have a guide for setting up Xcode 9 Server that may be helpful.
Resilio is a file sync server built on bit torrent technology. It's very good for large files. https://soft-reg.mystrikingly.com/blog/no-deposit-bonus-mobile. Here is a tutorial to setup a file server with Resilio on a Mac mini.
Selfoss is a web based RSS reader that is open source and free.
Screens will let you use a Mac from your iPad or iPhone.
NuoRDS is a scalable terminal server for Mac. Here are some setup instructions.
Hazel is an automation tool that can keep your Mac server clean. (I use it to offload things from Dropbox, make a copy of full resolution images, etc. Just set it up and let it run. It's especially useful for people who use an iOS device full time but want a Mac to do some heavy lifting in the background without much interaction.)
Sendy is a self hosted service to email your newsletters at a significant discount. Similar to MailChimp.
Guacamole is a client-less remote desktop gateway. You can control your machine without needing a client (and just a browser using HTML5.) Mac diva review.
Yourls is a self-hosted URL shortener. It provides stats as well.
Pow lets you create a quick environment to build and test Rails apps.
Use Transmit to access your Mac as a file server. Here's a short tutorial.
Moodle is a CMS for education.
VirtualHostX lets you setup multiple websites quickly on a Mac. It comes with it's own self-contained Apache web server as well.
Owncloud is a replacement for Dropbox, but also provides calendar, contacts and so much more.
Plex lets you stream all your media to your phone/tablet/Macs/etc.
FileMaker is a powerful database server. Very Powerful. Run it for yourself or as a paid service for others.
Kerio is a powerful Mail server. A very good alternative to Exchange.
Run a Minecraft Server of your own.
uTorrent is a simple torrent client.
ServerPilot makes it simple and fast to create and maintain Wordpress installs. Built for DigitalOcean, but works great on a Mac mini with Ubuntu.
MAMP will help you setup a WordPress blog quickly with PHP and mySQL.
DNS Enabler lets you run your own DNS server.
BBpress is clean forum software from the makers of WordPress.
Discourse is a platform to build a community. It's modern and free for self hosted. We use Discourse for our own community site.
Simon is an application that will monitor all sorts of servers and services and notify you if they're down.
iStat Server will let you keep an eye on your Mac server.
Asterisk is an open source VOIP server.
Deep Freeze will let you really hack on your machine, and bring it back clean with a restart.
Nagios will keep an eye on your infastructure.
VMware ESXi will let you install and run multiple instances of OS X on the same server (and we'll install it for you when you start a Mac mini subscription.)
Pancake is a seller self hosted app for invoicing and billing clients.
GridRepublic or Warrior will let you put your extra server power to good use.
Tell us how you use your Mac server
Do you have more software suggestions? Feel free to add them as a comment on our community forum. (And don't be shy about sending your own software. We're always happy to work with developers.)
macOS Server 5.11 requires macOS Big Sur 11 or later. After installing the macOS update, you can get macOS Server from the App Store. (To prevent interruption of services, new versions of Server aren't installed automatically, even when App Store preferences are set to install other updates automatically.)
During installation, you might see the message 'Server app replacement detected.' This is expected. All Server settings and data are preserved during the update, and you can use the Server app to finish setting up previously configured services after the update.
If you're upgrading from macOS Server 5.6.3 or earlier, learn about changes introduced in macOS Server 5.7.1.
What's new in macOS Server 5.11
Profile Manager
Profile Manager supports new restrictions, payloads, and commands.
For iOS and iPadOS
- Automated Device Enrollment: Skip Restore Completed and Update Completed panes in Setup Assistant
- Install non-removable managed apps
- Exchange ActiveSync: Override previous password
- Network Usage Rules: Configure SIM rules
- Notifications: Allow Notification previews on lock screen
- Restrictions: Allow App Clips
- WiFi: Disable association MAC randomization
- Include eSIM Identifier 'EID' in device info
For iPadOS
- Education: Allow configuring only Shared iPad login window, not Classroom
- Shared iPad: Manage quota-based users
- Shared iPad: Disable temporary sessions
For iOS, iPadOS, and macOS
- VPN: Configure new system extension and network configuration keys
For iOS and tvOS
- Set time zone on supervised devices
For macOS
- Configure Auto Advance
- Automated Device Enrollment: Skip Accessibility pane in Setup Assistant, show Server Activation Lock Bypass Code in device security info
- Install managed apps
- Account Configuration: Managed local user short name
- Associated Domains: Enable direct downloads
- Content Caching: Auto-enable tethered caching, send ContentCachingInformation command
- Restrictions: Allow apps to get file provider info, defer app updates
What's new in macOS Server 5.10
Profile Manager
Profile Manager supports new restrictions, payloads, and commands.
For iOS and macOS
- Content Caching: Automatically activate Internet Connection Sharing
- VPN: Configure Provider Designated Requirement for Custom SSL connection type
- VPN: Configure network options for Cisco, Juniper, Pulse, F5, SonicWall, Aruba, CheckPoint, and Custom SSL connection types
- Send all traffic through VPN
- Exclude local networks
Vnc Server Mac Free
For iOS
- Disable Shared iPad temporary users
For macOS
- Device Enrollment: Enable FileVault support on first user login
- Query Content Caching information
What's new in macOS Server 5.9
Profile Manager
Profile Manager supports new restrictions, payloads, and commands.
For iOS, macOS, and tvOS
- Wi-Fi: Configure WPA3 Personal security type
For iOS and macOS
- Add consent text to manually downloadable and enrollment profiles
- Skip Preferred Language and Supported Language panes in Setup Assistant
- Configure extensible single sign-on payload
For iOS
- Skip Dark Mode and Welcome panes in Setup Assistant
- Configure new supervised-only restrictions for allowing external drive access in Files app, continuous path keyboards, and turning Wi-Fi off or on
- Exchange ActiveSync: Enable Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Reminders individually for managed accounts
- Single App Mode: Configure Voice Control
- Refresh enterprise eSIM cellular plans
For macOS
- Support web-based authentication for Device Enrollment Program
- Skip Screen Time and TouchID panes in Setup Assistant
- Configure new account configuration options for DEP enrollment
- Display Secure Boot and External Boot levels in Device Information
- Support Bootstrap Token to enable mobile accounts to sign in on FileVault Macs
- Manage Activation Lock: Enable Activation Lock, Clear Activation Lock, automatically fetch Activation Lock Bypass Code on Catalina-enrolled Macs
- Configure automatic macOS updates and app updates
- Dock: Configure double click, Recents, and tab settings
- Configure associated web domains payload
- Configure content caching as infrastructure
For tvOS
- Configure whether device will sleep
What's new in macOS Server 5.8
Profile Manager
Profile Manager supports new restrictions, payloads, and commands.
For macOS
- Export a predefined set of device information values for specified devices using a new command-line tool,
exportDeviceInfo - Skip True Tone pane in Setup Assistant
- Configure new restrictions: screenshot and remote screen observation
- Configure Exchange Web Services authentication certificate
- Configure Apple Remote Desktop access
- Configure managed classes on student Mac computers
- Configure Certificate Transparency payload
For iOS
- Enable or disable Voice and Data Roaming and Personal Hotspot
- Configure new restrictions: Personal Hotspot modification (supervised only)
- Display phone number, ICCID, and IMEI details of enrolled Dual SIM devices
- Configure Certificate Transparency payload
For tvOS
- Configure Managed Software Updates
What's new in macOS Server 5.7.1
Profile Manager
- Configure an Apple Business Manager account
- Install App Store apps for tvOS
- Configure new restrictions, payloads, and commands:
For macOS
New Restrictions payload settings
- Allow proximity based password sharing requests
- Allow password sharing
- Allow password autofill
- Allow software update installation for non-admin users
New Exchange payload settings
- Use OAuth for authentication
New Smart Card payload settings
- Require Smart Card
- Enable screen saver on Smart Card removal
New Passcode payload settings
- Force password reset during next user authentication
New Security & Privacy payload settings
- Show personal recovery key
New Education payload settings Fnaf 1 for free pc.
- Send to teacher-assigned Mac computers
New Xsan payload settings
- Ability to configure automatic mounts
- Ability to specify Distributed LAN Client mount preferences
For iOS
New Restrictions payload settings
- Allow proximity based password sharing requests (supervised devices only)
- Allow password sharing (supervised devices only)
- Allow password autofill(supervised devices only)
- Force automatic date and time (supervised devices only)
- Allow USB restricted mode (supervised devices only)
- Allow managed Contacts accounts to write to unmanaged accounts
- Allow unmanaged Contacts accounts to read managed accounts
- Disable eSIM (supervised devices only)
New Mail and Exchange payload settings
- Allow a user to enable or disable S/MIME signing
- Allow a user to modify the selection of the S/MIME signing certificate
- Allow a user to enable or disable S/MIME encryption
- Allow a user to modify the selection of the S/MIME encryption certificate
New Exchange payload settings
- Use OAuth for authentication
New Notifications payload settings
- Specify whether an app is allowed to send critical alerts
- Allow grouped notifications
- Show in CarPlay
New VPN payload settings for IKEv2 configurations
- Ability to specify DNS server addresses
- Ability to specify primary domain of the tunnel
- Ability to specify DNS search domains
- Ability to specify DNS supplemental match domains
New Setup Assistant pane Device Enrollment skip options
- iMessage & FaceTime and Screen Time
- Add Cellular Plan
Deprecated payloads
- macOS Server Accounts
New Commands
- Show SIM information
For tvOS
New Restrictions payload settings
- Allow proximity based password sharing requests (supervised devices only)
New Commands
Free Mac Proxy Server
- Install Updates (only appears in the Action pop-up menu when updates are available on the selected Apple TV or Apple TV devices within a group)
