PRODUCT PROFILE
Leopard Server Sinks Its Teeth Into Web 2.0

The demand for content on the Internet has reached an all-time high, and it's only getting higher. People can't get enough of what's being referred to as "Web 2.0": digital media, streaming videos, blogs and social networking.

Even since the Web's earliest, clunkiest days, it's always been a challenge for Web developers to keep on top of the rapid developments and changes that occur every minute of every day in the world of technology. One company answering the call of webmasters and developers across the world is that innovator of innovation: Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL).

Apple's latest desktop operating system, OS 10.5, aka "Leopard," along with Leopard Server, have taken the computer world by storm. Though the initial release met with some bugs and some harsh questions, Apple's innovation has made Leopard Server a rich and stable server platform open for expansion. With expansion and integration at the heart of Leopard Server, Apple has given its latest cat a sharp set of Web 2.0 claws.

The Heart of the Leopard

Ease of use holds a great deal of stock among developers and webmasters. IT Administrator and Server Administrator Tim Metz, who helps run an expansive system at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Calif., said, "Leopard's integrated podcast producer and blogging system has helped us deliver content that our students build and perform at an unprecedented rate."

The features come built-in with Leopard server. "Before, using our Windows servers, we would have to hire someone to write a program, or dig into very expensive applications and dive into them as quickly as possible," he told MacNewsWorld. "Now it's just as easy as we get the content, we set up the server with literally a few clicks of a mouse, and then upload the content, and anyone in the world can see the final product. It's an absolute life saver here; seeing as we are a cutting-edge music school, we now can put our cutting-edge technology not into the music we teach but also how we deliver it to the students and the public."

Having to put more work into Web 2.0 tasks and projects such as streaming podcasts meant those jobs were often put on the back burner, he said. "Now we have weekly live performances streaming for the public to enjoy. This not only showcases our students, but may in fact also help our students find jobs or get contracts."

Digging Into the Applications

The Leopard Server suite comes loaded utilities meant to streamline the production of Web 2.0 content hosting. Some of the applications include Podcast Producer, Wiki Server, iCal Server, Blog and Dynamic Apache Web Services.

Podcast Producer is exactly what is sounds like -- a podcast production utility. It goes far beyond that, though, because it can not only develop the content but also publish the content with relatively few clicks of the mouse. The Podcast Producer is powerful enough to run an entire school and scalable enough to allow content to continue to be added in the future.

Wikis are swelling in popularity on the Web, and Leopard Server's Wiki Services feature lets users easily ride that wave.

New additions that may seem familiar to those who are .Mac members are iCal Services. You can now integrate live calendaring, which is linked to your Dynamic Open Directory Library, at a click of a button. Groups, staff, admins and others can access calendar information and edit information easily. The interface is pleasing to the eyes, to boot.

In its Blogging application, Apple presents many premade templates to choose from, or the user or webmaster can create his or her own custom templates.

Perhaps the most dynamic feature with Web 2.0 integration, however, is the powerful Apache Web Server. "Everything you need is at your fingertips with the new Apache Server," Apple Certified Technician Ryan Shishido told MacNewsWorld. "Ruby on Rails support, Tomcat, Apple Web Objects support, 64-bit Java optimization, multiple hosting, and, of course, security. Setting Apache Services up was developed for ease of use and simplicity. This is probably the biggest development in Leopard Server, giving even relatively new administrators the ability to use one of the most advanced services in Leopard."