server

Microsoft Office is a large and expensive software package. If you buy it, it's wise to save your Product ID and CD Key codes, preferably in a secure yet accessible place. The same goes for SQL Server and Exchange Server, and throw Windows in while you're at it. Failure to do so can result in elevated stress levels, should you need to repair or reinstall the software. If you didn't jump through all the hoops in the proper order, you're probably going to have to telephone Microsoft, and we know how you feel about that.

That'… Read more

QNAP, the maker of robust NAS servers such as the TS-412 Turbo NAS server, announced today that it will release the version V3.5 NAS management software for its Turbo NAS series in mid-August. This new version will fully support OS X Lion so Mac users can once again use existing Linux-based NAS servers for Time Machine.

This makes QNAP the second NAS maker to announce its continued support for Mac OS X. Last month, Synology also announced the downloadable beta version of its Diskstation Management software, a similar update.

QNAP says, in addition to the support for Lion, the new version will also boast loads of new features, such as a new antivirus protocol that detects and quarantines malware in the data stored on the server, and LDAP, aka support for sending alerts via Windows Live instant messenger.

The company says that the new firmware version will be available for free and will be compatible with all of QNAP's current NAS servers. Aside from the common support for Mac OS X Lion, some of the new features will be available only to its select servers, however.… Read more

This $999 configuration in Apple's updated Mac Mini line features a 2.0GHz Intel Core i7, 4GB of RAM, and a pair of 500GB, 7,200 rpm hard drives. It also uses the Server version of Apple's new OS X Lion software, making this system well-suited to anchoring a network for small work groups. You can also use the new Thunderbolt port to add fast external storage. Customization options for the Mac Mini Server include more system memory, and different hard drive configurations, including solid state drives.

As predicted by Synology, upgrading to the new and shiny OS X 10.7 Lion will for now mean that you can't use a third-party NAS server as the backup device for use with Apple's Time Machine software.

This is because Lion now uses a new version of Netatalk, which has different requirements from the previous version, making current third-party NAS servers incompatible with its filing protocol until their firmware is updated.

I tried the new OS with a few NAS servers in the last two days, and while Lion could still see the NAS server as the … Read more

Mac users with a NAS server should probably wait a bit before upgrading to OS X 10.7 Lion, due for release later this month.

According to Synology, maker of the highest-rated NAS servers on the market, its DiskStation servers will not work well with Lion, or at least the support for the Time Machine. This is because with Lion, Apple has changed the way Mac file service works, and it uses the new version of Netatalk for Time Machine. This means most, if not all, NAS servers that currently support Mac 10.6 will not be fully compatible with … Read more

Hackers have posted a document that allegedly has user names and passwords for an Apple server.

The find, posted via the AntiSec hacking campaign, appears to be a warning that Apple "could be a target too."

The bigger picture here is that Apple will become an increasing target for these hacker groups if the company provides the right trigger. Apple could represent the Holy Grail for malicious hackers given its stash of iTunes customer data. If Sony, AT&T and the CIA can bring hackers headlines just imagine what Apple could do.

According to the Wall Street Journal, … Read more

Diskeeper 2011 automatically takes care of hard-disk fragmentation as it occurs, making the manual defragmenters we're all accustomed to a thing of the past. For any Windows users experiencing a lag in hard-disk performance, this hassle-free tool is a fantastic option.

Shortly after installation, Diskeeper analyzes all the volumes on your computer. The data it collects is used as a baseline for the Performance Reports it generates from that point on. These reports let you know how many fragments the program has eliminated as well as how, exactly, it has improved your PC's performance. While most users won'… Read more

The FBI seized Web-hosting servers from a data facility today, causing a number of sites to go down or transfer operations to other facilities.

Agents confiscated three racks of blade servers from a Maryland facility run by DigitalOne, the Switzerland-based hosting company said. DigitalOne's site, as well as real estate blog Curbed and restaurant blog Eater--two sites affected by the outage, according to The New York Times--were inaccessible this afternoon.

Another site, bookmarking site Pinboard, was also affected by the server confiscation but had transferred some pages to a backup server, the site said in a status update: … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers. This week we answer questions about Mail forgetting account passwords, options for dual-booting OS X to maintain PowerPC support when Lion comes out, processes "mds" and "kav" taking up CPU time, and a question on Apple's Server Admin Tools versus OS X Server. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present a few answers here, we welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: Mail forgetting account passwords An … Read more