OS X Server What is Caching service?
Learn how to get your server to speed up software installation and updates for your Apple devices.
A computer running Caching service keeps a copy of all Mac system updates, Mac and iOS App Store downloads, iBooks that local networked computers (called “clients”) download, iCloud documents and data, and more.
For example, when the first client on your network downloads a system update, Caching service keeps a copy of the update. When the next client on the network connects to the App Store to download the update, the update is copied from the server rather than from the App Store.
Because the local network is normally much faster than the Internet, the second client (and all subsequent clients) downloads updates much faster.
Before you begin
For this tutorial, you need a few things:
A Mac to run Caching service, the server
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An external hard disk for storage
We’ll use an external USB hard disk for additional disk space.
At least one Apple device that needs an app or a system update (two or more of the same kind, if available)
Devices using Caching service should be on the same local network.