TOPIC MacOS.app is a high-performance virtual Mac OS within a Mac OS X Server application, but isn't intended to be used while the server is online. DISCUSSION MacOS.app, the Macintosh-compatibility application provided with Mac OS X Server, is a complete and robust implementation of a virtual machine within a BSD application program. It uses a real Macintosh ROM image, loads and executes full, genuine Mac OS code (and can even start its virtual self from an unaltered, attached Mac OS 8.5 startup disk). It runs virtually any properly written Mac OS application within its own environment. (See also article 30607, " Mac OS X Server: What Is MacOS.app? "). To accomplish all this, MacOS.app uses many system resources. Running MacOS.app while Mac OS X Server is offering services from the underlying BSD/Mach operating system will have a negative effect on the smoothness and performance levels of those services. Actually running application programs within the MacOS.app will have a greater negative effect. MacOS.app is provided with Mac OS X Server as an administrative convenience, and as a demonstration of the ongoing evolution of Mac OS X and Mac OS. At times when the server is not online, it is a very functional Mac OS workstation. It should not, however, be used to implement additional services. Specifically, Mac OS-based server services should not be run on a Mac OS X Server system that is online with connected clients. This includes database services, mail or group calendaring services, and Mac OS-based backup or archiving systems. When native Cocoa- or Carbon-based API versions of these packages are released by their respective developers, they can run on the Mach/BSD Mac OS X Server side and offer the performance and reliability benefits for which this operating system was developed. Mac OS X Server's Mach kernel/BSD OS offers the server benefits of Unix-derived operating systems such as fine-grained preemptive multitasking, high-performance virtual memory, smoothly asynchronous I/O for a large number of connected users, robust security, and high reliability. |
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| Document Information | |
| Product Area: | Mac OS System Software |
| Category: | Mac OS X Server |
| Sub Category: | General Topics |
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