[FX.php List] Mac mini Server

[Roger Moffat]

I'm running a 2 machine FileMaker Server 9.0 setup, with the Web  
Publishing Engine on a Mac Pro 2 x Quad Core 2.8 GHz with 8 GB RAM Mac  
OS X 10.5.8, and the Database Server on an eMac 700 MHz G4 with 640 MB  
of RAM.

It's time to retire the faithful eMac as I can't move past FileMaker  
Server 9.0 on the eMac since it's not an Intel chipped machine (and  
our Volume License agreement means we get updated each year for the  
maintenance fee, so I sat on FileMaker 10, and now have FileMaker 11  
available to us).

I'm convinced I need to/can do this with a Mac mini, but am not quite  
so certain as to what I need in the way of a Mac mini.

1 - a "regular" Mac mini running Mac OS X or

2 - a Mac mini Server running Mac OS X Server.

The mini will primarily be for FileMaker Server 11, but I am  
considering also using it as a Mail Server to send outgoing mail from  
my place. My DSL line is provided by SpeakEasy.net and I've been  
having more and more trouble with them in recent weeks with their mail  
servers turning up on a seemingly increasing number of black lists.  
One suggested solution from them was to use one of my IP numbers for a  
mail server to allow me to send all outgoing mail out through an IP  
number I directly control rather than through their mail servers which  
get blacklisted when other SpeakEasy customers engage in behaviour  
that causes the SpeakEasy servers to be blacklisted.

So, does FileMaker Server work equally well on Mac OS X Snow Leopard  
Server and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard? Any pros/cons of using one over  
the other just as far as FileMaker Server is concerned?

For the purposes of setting up Mac OS X to be a mail server to be used  
for outgoing mail is this significantly easier to set up in Mac OS X  
Snow Leopard Server compared to digging around using Google and  
finding enough information to turn on mail sending in Mac OS X 10.6  
Snow Leopard? IE - is the price of going for a refurbed mini Server at  
$849 worth the extra over a "regular" mini (none available right now  
on the Apple Store).

I've looked through previous discussions I could find about Mac minis,  
but they seem to predate the Mac mini server machine with its dual  
hard drives and Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server software installed.

Thanks for any insights

Roger

http://data.wmgs.org/