Mac OS X Server Now Shipping

Apple's Macintosh Server G3 Fastest Web Server for Under $5000

Cupertino, California—March 16, 1999—Apple Computer, Inc. today announced the availability of Mac OS X Server, the Company’s new server operating system, which combines the proven strength of UNIX with the simplicity of Macintosh. Customers can order Mac OS X Server from Apple Authorized Resellers and The Apple Store (www.apple.com) for U.S. $499—with an unlimited client license. Mac OS X Server, when coupled with a new Macintosh Server G3, is the fastest platform for running Apache for under U.S. $5000—outperforming Linux, Solaris and Windows NT Server.*

“Our customers are excited about Mac OS X Server, Apple’s first modern server operating system,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s interim CEO. “Mac OS X Server is an incredibly powerful web server and by introducing it at an aggressive price of $499, we’re putting power into the hands of millions of Macintosh customers in education and business.”

Mac OS X Server is built on a modern, high-performance and reliable operating system foundation and includes powerful services designed for Apple’s Internet development, design and publishing, and education customers. As well as being the fastest Apache web server platform for under $5000, Mac OS X Server is also faster than Windows NT Server in high bandwidth file throughput tests.

Other key Mac OS X Server features include: A modern foundation, based on Mach and BSD 4.4, which provides performance and stability through full preemptive multitasking, protected memory and advanced virtual memory. Apache 1.3.4, the HTTP server used by over half the web sites on the Internet, which scales from workgroups to Internet sites capable of handling millions of hits per day. Apache leverages the power of Open Source development to deliver a feature-rich web serving solution. WebObjects 4.01, Apple’s market-leading application server platform for development and deployment of high-performance, large-scale Internet and intranet applications. With major advances in ease of application development, performance and Java functionality, WebObjects 4 is a milestone release, and now supports Macintosh Server G3 systems in addition to UNIX and Windows NT platforms.

NetBoot, a new feature which allows a network of Macs to be booted and configured from a single server, making network administration as easy as running a single Mac. With NetBoot, all Macs on a network share the same base system and applications stored on the server. NetBoot enables full control of user access, allowing users to securely access their own applications, documents and personal desktop preferences from any Macintosh on the network. Scalable Apple file services, capable of supporting over 1,000 users and thousands of open files. Users can access files from any AppleShare client over TCP/IP or AppleTalk network protocols. Additionally, all file server operations may be managed remotely using web-based remote administration tools.

Additionally, Apple today announced Darwin — the Open Source release of the Mac OS X Server operating system foundation. The software will be available free for developers at (www.apple.com/darwin) in the next few weeks. With the launch of Darwin, Apple becomes the first mainstream operating system provider to release its source code to the public and base its system software strategy on Open Source technologies. (see separate press release).

System Requirements, Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X Server supports all Power Macintosh G3 or Macintosh Server G3 systems, and is optimized for Apple’s new line of Power Macintosh G3s. Mac OS X Server requires 64MB of RAM, 1GB hard drive and a CD-ROM drive.

Mac OS X Server is available today in the United States and Canada, with worldwide availability expected in the next few months. The software can be purchased online from The Apple Store (www.apple.com) and Apple Authorized Resellers for the estimated retail price of U.S. $499.

Mac OS X Server is also available pre-configured on a Macintosh Server G3 for U.S. $4999. The Macintosh Server G3 with Mac OS X Server software includes: PowerPC G3 at 400MHz and 1MB level 2 backside cache; 2 x 9GB Ultra 2 SCSI 10,000rpm hard drives; 24x-speed CD-ROM drive (maximum); and a 4-port 10/100BASE-T Ethernet controller.

Apple Computer, Inc. ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II, and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is now recommitted to its original mission to bring the best personal computing products and support to students, educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons and consumers in over 140 countries around the world.

*Based on WebBench benchmark testing performed by ZDTag on a Dell PowerEdge 2300 Pentium II 450 MHz running Red Hat Linux, and a Sun Microsystems Enterprise Ultra 10S Server 333 MHz running Solaris; and NetBench benchmark testing performed by Apple on a Dell PowerEdge 2300 Pentium II 450 MHz running Windows NT Server, and a 400 MHz Macintosh Server G3 running Mac OS X Server.

Press Contacts:
Russell Brady
Apple Computer, Inc.
(408) 974-6877
brady2@apple.com

Staci Sheppard
Apple Computer, Inc.
(408) 974-8404
sheppard@apple.com

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR website (www.apple.com/pr/), call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042, or Dushka Zapata at our PR agency, Edelman Worldwide, at (650) 968-4033, extension 2726.

Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Mac OS, Power Macintosh and WebObjects are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Mac OS X Server includes software developed by the Apache Group for use in the Apache HTTP server project (http://www.apache.org/). BSD 4.4 includes software developed by the University of California, Berkeley and its contributors. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.