Lesson 3: Create a chat server to exchange Messages

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to set up Messages service for your local network to archive chat logs.

Step 1. Select Messages

  • Open the Server app to see the list of services available in OS X Server. Select Messages.

Step 2. Configure the Messages settings

  • Select “Archive all messages.” You can click the Reveal in Finder button next to the setting to view the message archive location.

    Arrow indicating Messages archive option

Step 3. Turn on the service

  • Click the button to turn it on.

    Messages service on switch

Step 4. Test your configuration

You can test your configuration by having one user send a message to another. Use Alice’s account to send a chat message to Bob, then verify that the message is in the archive.

  1. On the client Mac, add an account to Messages for Alice and for Bob. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Internet Accounts. For each, do the following:

    1. Click the Add button add, click Add Other Account, click Add a Messages Account, then click Create.

    2. Use the following settings:

    Setting

    Value

    Account type

    Jabber

    Account name

    <user@server> (for example, Alice@myserver.local)

    Password

    Alice’s password

  2. Open Messages, then have Alice send a message to Bob.

  3. In the Server app, click the arrow next to “Archive all messages” to verify that the message has been archived to the file jabber_user_messages.log.

Congratulations!

You’ve learned how to set up three services that can help your users collaborate. They can now create and edit a local network website, schedule a conference room, and send chat messages.

Where to go from here

There’s still a lot to learn about collaboration services. For example, you can learn about setting up an email server or creating a shared contact account, and more about the capabilities of the three services you’ve worked with already.

You can find out more about these services in Server Help.

To learn how to access a private network securely over the Internet, see the Configure public acces tutorial.