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WWDC 2010: Server Admin Remote and Workgroup Manager Remote for iPad
One of the most technical, and yet powerful, apps I saw at WWDC last week was Server Admin Remote, an iPhone and iPad app designed by three guys in Germany calling themselves Harlekins. The app is modeled after Apple's own Server Admin tool for Mac OS X server, and basically allows for complete server administration right on the iPad or iPhone. All three developers from Harlekins are IT guys on their own, so they say that they've designed "a tool for IT staff, by IT staff." I don't have a lot of experience in server administration, but Server Admin Remote seems like a powerful tool. While most of the app is modeled after Apple's own tool (with Apple's blessing -- they've spoken with Apple's OS X server engineers, who told the guys that they were extremely impressed with the app), there are some parts of the program that are actually unique to the mobile version. You can not only browse various servers around the world, but you can view data for each server, check the logfiles remotely, and even do things like see the process lists or actually restart the server directly from the iPad app.
Leopard Tips and Tricks for client management will improve your admin life
Keeping up with the Leopard-centric changes to managed preferences and mobile accounts is crucial if you're responsible for a labful or campus-ful of Macs, and you want to gracefully control what permissions or resources your wanton users have when they log in. One great resource for Mac admins diving into MCX (managed clients for OS X) for the first (or hundredth) time is Apple engineer John DeTroye's Tips & Tricks documentation.We mentioned John's Tiger edition of the T&T docs last year, and now that he's updated the handbook for Mac OS X 10.5 and Server 10.5, you'll want to bring your library up to date. Gone is most of the material specific to machine imaging techniques (I strongly recommend NetInstall [PDF], which is working better under Leopard than it ever did before), making room for more discussion of MCX settings and portable home directories. Download your free copy of the T&T file today and it'll make your life easier tomorrow.
Lab admin's secret weapon: Tips & Tricks for Mac Management
If you're the person responsible for Mac support in a big, cross-platform shop, it can sometimes feel like you're alone in the Windows wilderness. Established communities like AFP548.com (port 548 is reserved for the AppleShare Filing Protocol, hence the name) and MacEnterprise.org are critical resources for anyone who rides herd on a pride of Macs in a business or educational environment. Hidden away among the postings and troubleshooting info are some true gems, including Apple engineer John DeTroye's "Tips and Tricks for Mac Management" PDF handbook. If you're trying to do anything with Workgroup Manager, you need this concise 116-page document, and you need it now.JohnD's guide for workgroup and preference management -- particularly for implementing Portable Home Folders, where user data is cached and synchronized to a fileserver -- is so vital, it's linked from Apple's knowledge base article on Mac Manager. Along with Mike Bombich's deployment tips page and AFP548's AD/OD integration guide, it needs to be in the virtual library of every Mac manager. You can download the current version of the Tips and Tricks PDF here.
Mac OS X Server Admin Tools updated to 10.4.4
Don't put that mouse down just yet, it's time to launch Software Update again. Apple has updated their Server Admin Tools to version 10.4.4. According to Apple,"This update provides compatibility for administering Mac OS X Server from Mac OS X computers, and is recommended for all systems. It includes updates to: Server Admin and Workgroup Manager QuickTime Broadcaster and QTSS Publisher Server Assistant, Server Monitor and Xgrid Admin System Image Utility and Gateway Setup Assistant" You can get the full run-down here. Go and grab your copy.
