Many individuals and companies today are considering the many advantages that can come from working with Mac Minis for their servers. Individuals, as well as some businesses, are finding that the capabilities of these smaller sized servers can provide them with just the type of service they need. Look at what they can offer and how they work to see why they have been going up in popularity over the past few years.
What Is a Mac Mini and What Are the Specs?
The Mac Mini is a small computer tucked away in a box that measures 7.7 inches square and is just 1.4 inches high. It is possible to connect the Mini with nearly any type of screen or displace, as well as a variety of other devices, making it extremely flexible in its uses. In the beginning, the main target audience for the Mini was those PC users who were thinking about switching over to Mac, but who did not want to pay the exorbitant price tag that accompanies most of the Mac machines on the market. The Mini, being smaller, was much cheaper, at least in the most basic versions.
It’s important to note that the Mini is only the computer, and does not come with a mouse, keyboard, or display of any type. Some use it as a regular, traditional computer thanks to the ports it offers, while others use it as a home media center. It doesn’t have a DVD or CD driver, but many people today stream their media anyway, making it ideal as a center for streaming entertainment.
The Mac Mini is available in a number of different configurations. The 1.4 GHz model features a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4 GB memory, 500 GB hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 5000, and is running on OS X Yosemite. The next step up is the 2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 model. It has 8GB of memory, a 1 TB hard drive and Intel Iris Graphics. It also runs the Yosemite Operating System. The next version is the 2.8GHz Mac Mini. It is a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 8GM of memory and a 1 TB Fusion Drive. It has Intel Iris graphics, and like the others, uses OS X Yosemite. Upgrades are also possible for these machines. Going up to 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of storage is relatively easy, and a great way for people to get more for their money.
Even the high end version of the Mac Mini, which costs around $1,000, is cheaper than most of the entry level Mac machines, still making this one of the best possible ways to get started with a Mac for PC users, as well as those who are thinking about using a Mac Mini, or several, as part of their server system through a colocation company. In fact, quite a few businesses are offering this option, and smaller companies looking for a high quality server solution love the benefits that the Mac Mini can offer. It could be the best server option for you as well.
Benefits of Using the Mac Mini as a Server
What is it that makes the Mac Mini such a good choice for so many companies today? The following are just some of the biggest benefits you will find to working with these sorts of machines.
First, there is the cost. When comparing them with so many of the other types of servers on the market, it is easy to see that the price of a Mac Mini is far less, even for the new models. Getting a used model could help to cut the costs further. The price of the machines is not the only place businesses can save though. Since they take up less space in the colocation center, those offering this service will often have better pricing structures for their Mac Mini servers. In fact, it’s possible to shop around and find some great deals on the cost of colocation.
Since the costs are lower, it may be possible for some businesses to offer private servers for each of their large clients. This gives the client more security and privacy, naturally. It can also impress the client, and allow your company to charge a higher rate for services, thus improving the bottom line. The costs for providing your clients with this added benefit are now low enough that they will have a minimal impact, and it is something that growing companies with large clients may want to consider.
Load balancing also happens to be relatively easy when it comes to Mac Minis, so handling large amounts of traffic should not be much of an issue. It is possible to use DNS load balancing, which lets the server send requests to different machines. This means that no one server will ever have an overload, and all of the people who need to access information on the server, whether it is a catalog or products or files that teams from across the country are working on together, will be fast and seamless. Naturally, this reduces the risk of having downtime as well. Even if one machine were to go out, chances are good that those trying to access your information will not notice.
With all of the benefits that come from using the Mac Mini as a server, whether onsite or through a colocation company, it becomes apparent why so many are choosing this option. Even Apple says that the Mac Mini is their best server solution, so it is certainly something that companies should at least consider.
Find a Company That Works for You
Those who have an interest in using the Mac Mini for servers at a colocation center should take time when choosing the company for this service. Not all of the colocation companies out there today have the setup available for Mac Mini servers, so that is the first thing that you will need to discern.
Once you find those companies that have this option, it is still important to look at all of the other pros and cons of using that company. How long have they been in business and what type of experience do they bring to the table? What type of security and guarantees are they able to provide? Where are the servers located? Take some time to find reviews of the company and service from customers who actually use it. While testimonials on their site can be one indicator, see if you can find some offsite reviews as well, just to get a full picture.
Once you find the companies that can provide you with the best service, then you can begin looking at the prices. While most will charge less for this service due to the reduced space they require, that may not be the case with all of the companies out there. Look at everything the company offers for the price, and then make a decision.