“Macs have long been able to run Windows and Microsoft Office and share files securely with Windows servers and desktops. So incompatibility issues were eliminated a long time ago. But with Snow Leopard, now it’s even easier to connect a Mac client to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 than it is to connect to a Windows system, as Snow Leopard includes out-of-the-box support and can tap Exchange’s Autodiscovery feature,” Eckel reports. “Administrators need not purchase and install Microsoft Outlook, as Snow Leopard includes Exchange 2007-compatible email, calendaring and address book functionality that’s simple to configure and which leverages Active Directory for authentication.”
“Apple’s Mac resurgence, since OS X debuted, is well earned. The operating system’s performance, security, and reliability are well documented. With the release of Snow Leopard, the platform’s sixth iteration, Apple engineers have included numerous new features that provide important enterprise results,” Eckel reports. “Rhetoric, of course, is always part of any OS release. However, the fact Snow Leopard delivers remarkably and measurably faster performance than its already speedy predecessor is an important consideration for enterprise administrators. Consider the ease with which Snow Leopard connects users to Exchange servers, and you have new functionality that makes an immediate difference in the daily lives of enterprise IT department staffs and their users.”
Read more in the full article — highly recommended — here.
Mac OS X 10.6 is the seventh iteration.
I had read an article sometime back (sorry, can’t find it) that said that the Fortune 500 companies at the time were spending around 12% of their IT budgets on the prevention of or damage control from viruses and mal-ware on their systems.
Mac OS X, and Mac OS X Server offer a lot of functionality and amazing TCO, especially when you look at the licensing. Since IT departments are cost centers, and are always being squeezed to do more with less, it’s only a matter of time before before it gets “bad enough” to break the “MS-Shop” mentality which is still so prevalent. As more IT depts start looking at a more heterogenous tech deployment, Apple’s star in the back office will most certainly rise.
…and not having your IT department flush 500 PC’s for the 10th time this year because someone clicked on a malware link and hosed the system. Oh, and it was the CEO, who does this at least 3 times a year…
You get the point.
Except that so many times I’ve seen IT choices dictated by those who do not understand IT, but have been fed—and swallowed—a load of horse excrement concerning the necessity of Windows and the lack of Mac. Remember:
Stupid is a condition; ignorance is a choice!
that’s nice MDN, but get real: there are consumers, even rabid Mac lovers who are scared to install Snow Leopard, because of all the horror stories out there.
I’ve heard of it deleting people’s iTunes library, and what the hell is wrong with Apple Mail?
Maybe I’ll wait for 10.6.3
Oh, yea, as you can see, the idea of an Enterprise adoption SL is pure bs.
Any idiot that doesn’t regularly back up his iTunes or any other data deserves to lose them. Backup is dirt cheap now a days. Get your mommy to buy you an external disk.
@Hm…
I’ve always heard that it’s “Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid is forever.”
@Roberto
10.0 baselined OS-X, thus it is not an iteration. An iteration applies to a previous release. 10.0 had no previous release. It was the first.
OS-9 doesn’t count. It is not of the same family.
@Mike
That’s why in Enterprise environments you stay one major version behind and you setup a full test network with servers to TEST the new OS and what it breaks.
Only when everything works perfectly on the TEST network do you even think about rolling it out on the production network.
Only idiots blindly upgrade their production server to the latest OS right after it comes out.
@mike
Upgraded both of my Macs with no issues. Lots of ‘horror stories’ about Snow Leopard?? The only one I heard was about the guest user account issue (mind you THAT was a doozy!). You sound like you attended Microsoft’s smoke and mirrors expo.
@ Mike
“I’ve heard of it deleting people’s iTunes library, and what the hell is wrong with Apple Mail?”
This is exactly the kind of comment those who know the true and complete story mean about ignorance. Isolated and specific circumstances do not constitute a common and widespread problem (as was the case of the problem you referred to).
And… “scared to install Snow Leopard”. Yeah, uh huh… if someone wrote it, it was obviously their own opinion and more likely something a trolls wrote to muddy the waters. Think about it, does that sound like someone already enjoying OSX Leopard already… would say about an optional upgrade. And if they wanted to upgrade to SL, there must be compelling reasons for them to do so, which considering the minor bug, they would know the work around. Early SL adoptees are not usually your novice OSX users, they usually know what they’re doing. So comments like “scared” os troll bait.
ROTFLMAO!!!!!
I love how another MAC cultist tosses around lines like “The operating system’s performance, security, and reliability are well documented” and …remarkably and measurably faster performance… or this ridiculous staple of MAC sheeep: “…simple to configure…”. Hilarious.
How about overpriced, proprietary, uncustomizable and designed for smug elites? Didn’t have the guts to mention those truths, did he? Windows. Because IT departments believe in choice.
Your potential. Our passion.™
I seriously doubt you people understand the issues impacting IT departments. My mom would never consider SL because she insists she’s the only cat in the department. rrrearrrrrr phhfft phhfft
Rot in hell, Zune Tang.
@zune tang
“windows, because ITdepartments believe in choice”.
Dude, that’s an oxymoron. One option is hardly a choice. And did you batch the writers qualifications at the end:
Erik Eckel earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville and completed Sullivan College’s Microsoft Engineer program. He holds MCP, MCP+I, MCSE and Network+ certifications..
Well at least his batchelors degree is a proper qualification. Looks like most of the other stuff is just a bunch of proprietary training programmes from some obscure software company!
Oh, we’re already using it.
And we’re also using Apple XSANs and XServers too.
Look out MS, the walls is crumbing.
Think, Berlin!
@Zune Tang
Bravo! You never disappoint.
Oh, and Mike – it’s MS losers like you that will be looking for something to replace that MCSE soon.
Yep, companies are sick of the messes MS leaves behind.
And users are sick of s click ruining their PC while you IT flunkies take a day to reimage it – only to miss half of their data.
Thank God your ilk is on the way out.
Stephen – I stand corrected.
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@Zune Tang
You always disappoint …..
“British [?] Mac Head” I thought that only Americans were so innocent of irony. Zuney is a straw man.. get it?
@ Zune Tang
“windows, because ITdepartments believe in choice”
Choice is why my 8000 system network runs almost all Mac’s it’s the choice of being able to add 300 more computers to my directory server without being told to bend over and take it from MS on licensing fees. You have no choice you know windows and nothing else I know change can be scary but man up and grow a pair.
If you wish Zune Tang, consult CERT and check out vulnerabilities for the two OS’s. You will find that Apple’s OS X is far superior for security. As for being expensive – hahahhaha – guess you guys pirate your server and client licenses – Snow Leopard was $29. You beat that? Hardware? Try matching specs on servers WITH LICENSES FOR USERS. Proprietary? Hardly. Maybe YEARS AGO. Last time I looked OS X was mostly open-source. In fact, more open and complete than ANY other OS. Go ahead — whistle in the graveyard. With Ballmer at the helm, your Titanic moment is approaching. Have a nice swim.
@Kevin J. Weise
That’s a good version, too. My favourite source for the quote is: <a href=”http://forum.thedailyshow.com/tds/board/message?board.id=guest-suggestions&thread;.id=3489″>Non Sequitur</i> by Wiley Miller
Oops…
Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller