User`s guide

18 Chapter 2

Deciding On a Setup Option

You can set up your server in two ways:

m Connect to the server remotely from an admin computer and install software, set up

preferences, and conﬁgure services using Server Assistant and command-line tools.

m Connect a keyboard and monitor to the server, then install software, set up preferences,

and conﬁgure services locally on the server using Server Assistant.

Note: You can partition disks on the server remotely or locally. If you partition disks, you’ll

need to reinstall system software on the server.

Remote Setup

Setting up the server remotely involves using Server Assistant to specify basic preferences,

network settings, and service conﬁguration. Then you’ll use command-line tools and SSH to

install additional software and make any other system and network settings that you want.

If you plan to partition disks, you need to use some standard UNIX command-line tools.

Some information about these tools is included in this guide, but you should already be

familiar with these tools to use them effectively. If you partition disks, you’ll need to reinstall

the Mac OS X Server software before continuing.

Chapter 4, “Using Command-Line Tools,” describes SSH and some standard UNIX command-

line tools. If you’re not familiar with them, read that chapter before you start. Then read the

chapters that follow for detailed instructions on using each command-line tool to install

software and make system and network settings.

Local Setup

To set up the server locally, you need to attach an external monitor and keyboard to your

server and perform the initial setup tasks on the server itself. Once your setup is complete,

you can disconnect the monitor and keyboard and restart the server. Then you can use the

remote administration and monitoring tools to make further adjustments and monitor the

server’s performance. You can also leave the monitor and keyboard connected and

administer the server locally.

With a local setup, you can also start the server from the hard disk, then use Disk Utility to

partition the server’s hard disks and set up a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)

scheme. If you do either of these tasks, you’ll need to reinstall the Mac OS X Server software

on the server before continuing.

Important To set up your server or install software remotely, connect your server to the

network through the built-in Ethernet port.

Important For instructions on connecting an external monitor and keyboard, see the

Xserve User’s Guide.

LL2133.book Page 18 Friday, May 24, 2002 11:17 AM