Apple's Panther Server Sneak Preview offers a glimpse of its upcoming features (beyond those ), which Apple says "will deliver major enhancements in the following key areas: Performance and scalability; set up, management and monitoring capabilities; network and directory services; Windows integration; as well as workgroup and desktop management services." We have an annotated list of new features.

• Darwin 7 incorporates numerous bug-fixes and enhancements to the FreeBSD 4.8 kernel, as well as some of the latest advances from FreeBSD 5, such as improved reentrancy for improved scalability and the kqueue/kevent mechanism for monitoring kernel events. For improved file and networking system performance Panther Server now supports asynchronous I/O, up to 16TB file systems and Jumbo Frames for large Ethernet packets.




• The new Server Admin application provides a single-window interface for managing and monitoring all your network services: You can start and stop services with a single button, modify settings, view real-time logs and activity graphs, monitor disk space, and even check networking and CPU activity.




• Features Open Directory 2, the latest version of Apple’s standards-based directory and authentication services architecture, supporting LDAP, SASL and Kerberos. Open Directory 2 adds support for hundreds of thousands of users on a single server as well as maximize service availability through replication of directory and authentication services across multiple network servers.




• Panther Server also now authenticates using MIT's Kerberos KDC (Key Distribution Center).




• Features an all-new mail server capable of supporting tens of thousands of users, based on the open source Postfix SMTP and Cyrus IMAP and POP services.




• Features an all-new mail server capable of supporting tens of thousands of users, based on the open source Postfix SMTP and Cyrus IMAP and POP services.




• Panther Server features QuickTime Streaming Server 5, the next generation of Apple’s standards-based, industrial strength streaming server.




• Provides individual computers with secure remote access to your Local Area Network (LAN). Apple’s VPN server implements L2TP and PPTP standards to support Mac, Windows and Linux clients and offers strong authentication using IPSec, MS-CHAP or third-party solutions such as SecureID.




• Simpler integration with Active Directory lets Panther Server access user, group, and computer records stored in Microsoft’s proprietary directory server without requiring modifications to Active Directory schema.




• The new Network Image Utility makes it easier for administrators using NetBoot and Network Install to standardize desktop configurations, streamline software upgrades and simplify system troubleshooting and software restore. Workgroup Manager also features new system controls for lab environments, such as Energy Saver settings, automatic logout, multiple user sessions, and separate controls for Restart and Shutdown.

by MacNN Staff