Mac OS X System Administration

Mac OS X System Administration

by Guy Hart-Davis
Released May 2010
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9780071668989

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Book description

Build and manage a powerful network on Mac OS X Server

Boost productivity and foster collaboration using the powerful networking tools available in Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server. With clear, detailed explanations and step-by-step instructions, Mac OS X System Administration shows you how to plan, construct, and manage a high-performance Mac-based network. You'll learn how to do everything from planning and installing the network from scratch to backing up both clients and servers to recovering from disaster.

  • Plan the wired, wireless, or combination network your organization needs
  • Build the network and install Mac OS X Server
  • Secure the network using firewalls, encryption, and SSL authentication
  • Harness the power of Open Directory to organize and manage the network
  • Create user accounts, set up groups, and control which applications and features users can access
  • Set up and manage file sharing, print, Web, and e-mail services
  • Install applications automatically both before and after deploying the Macs
  • Enable remote access to the network via VPN
  • Add iPhones and iPod touches to the network

Guy Hart-Davis is the bestselling author of more than 50 computer books, including AppleScript: A Beginner's Guide, Mac OS X Leopard QuickSteps, HTML, XHTML & CSS QuickSteps, and How to Do Everything: iPod, iPhone, & iTunes.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Mac® OS X System Administration
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction
  7. Part I Plan and Create the Network
    1. 1 Plan Your Mac Network
      1. Establishing the Numbers of Clients and Servers
        1. Choosing How to Connect Your Network
        2. Understanding the Advantages of Wired Networks
        3. Understanding the Advantages of Wireless Networks
        4. Understanding the Pros and Cons of Combination Networks
        5. Choosing the Right Network Type for Your Needs
      2. Choosing Network Hardware
        1. Choosing Network Switches and Cables for a Wired Network
        2. Choosing a Wireless Access Point
        3. Choosing a Server
        4. Getting a Copy of Mac OS X Server
      3. Choosing Which Version of TCP/IP to Use
      4. Getting the Information for Setting Up Your Internet Connection
    2. 2 Set Up the Network Hardware
      1. Installing a Wired Network
      2. Installing a Wireless Network
        1. Choosing Where to Locate the AirPort Extreme
        2. Connecting the AirPort Extreme’s Hardware
        3. Getting the Latest Version of AirPort Utility
        4. Configuring the AirPort Extreme
        5. Closing Your AirPort Extreme Network
    3. 3 Set Up Your Mac OS X Server
      1. Installing Mac OS X Server from Scratch
        1. Choosing Which Disk to Install Mac OS X Server On
        2. Customizing the Installation
      2. Performing the Initial Configuration
        1. Choosing the Keyboard Layout
        2. Entering the Serial Number
        3. Choosing Whether to Transfer an Existing Server
        4. Choosing the Time Zone
        5. Setting Up the Administrator Account
        6. Choosing Network Settings for Your Server
        7. Assigning Network Names to Your Server
        8. Setting Up Users and Groups
        9. Choosing Which Services to Run on Your Server
        10. Setting Up Client Backup
        11. Choosing Mail Options
        12. Reviewing the Options You’ve Chosen
      3. Upgrading Mac OS X Client to Mac OS X Server
    4. 4 Secure Your Server
      1. Updating Your Server with the Latest Fixes
        1. Running Software Update Manually
        2. Configuring Software Update to Check Automatically for Updates
        3. Updating a Server via Server Updates
        4. Understanding Other Ways of Getting Updates
      2. Securing Your Server’s Hardware
        1. Locating Your Server Safely
        2. Protecting Your Server Against Power Outages
      3. Securing Your Server’s Software
        1. Enabling the Mac OS X Firewall and Choosing Which Services to Expose
        2. Changing the Password on the Root Account
        3. Setting Up Other Administrator Accounts
        4. Keeping the Administrator Accounts Secure
        5. Getting and Installing an SSL Certificate
    5. 5 Set Up Open Directory
      1. Understanding Directory Services and Their Advantages
        1. Understanding Local and Shared Directory Domains
        2. Understanding How Open Directory Works with Windows Computers
        3. Understanding Authentication and Authorization
        4. Understanding the Tools for Working with Open Directory Services
      2. Planning Your Network’s Directory
        1. Creating a Single-Server Network
        2. Creating a Multi-Server Network
        3. Creating a Standalone Server for a Very Small Network
      3. Setting Up Open Directory on Your Servers
        1. Turning On the Open Directory Service
        2. Setting Up an Open Directory Master Server
        3. Setting Up an Open Directory Replica Server
        4. Set Up Primary and Backup Domain Controllers for Windows Boxes
        5. Setting Up a Standalone Directory
      4. Managing Your Servers Remotely
        1. Installing the Server Administration Software on a Client Mac
        2. Running the Server Administration Software Applications on a Client Mac
        3. Connecting to a Remote Server Using Server Admin
    6. 6 Set Up Client Systems
      1. Understanding the Options for Setting Up Client Systems
      2. Setting Up a Client Mac Manually
      3. Creating Images with System Image Utility
        1. Starting to Create a Disk Image
        2. Creating a Vanilla Disk Image
        3. Creating a Customized Disk Image
        4. Creating Your Own Package Files
      4. Creating an Image from a Mac You’ve Set Up
      5. Turning On and Setting Up the NetBoot Service
      6. Setting a Mac Client to Install from a NetInstall Image
    7. 7 Create and Control Users and Groups
      1. Understanding the Tools for Working with Accounts
      2. Understanding the Essentials of Accounts
        1. Understanding the Three Ways of Creating User Accounts
        2. Understanding the Different Administrator Accounts
        3. Understanding the Three Categories of User Accounts and Where Mac OS X Server Stores Them
        4. Understanding Groups and What You Can Do with Them
      3. Creating a User in Server Preferences
        1. Changing the User’s Contact Information
        2. Changing the Services Available to the User
        3. Assigning the User to Groups
        4. Choosing E-mail Message Settings
        5. Importing User Accounts from Another Server
        6. Deleting a User Account
      4. Working with Groups in Server Preferences
        1. Creating a New Group and Adding Members
        2. Removing Members from a Group
        3. Deleting a Group
      5. Creating and Editing Accounts with Workgroup Manager
        1. Opening Workgroup Manager
        2. Editing a User
      6. Creating and Editing Groups in Workgroup Manager
        1. Choosing Basic Settings for a Group
        2. Choosing Members for a Group
        3. Setting Up a Group Folder for a Group
      7. Creating Computer Accounts in Workgroup Manager
      8. Creating Computer Groups in Workgroup Manager
    8. 8 Add the iPhone or iPod touch to Your Network
      1. Automating the Configuration of an iPhone or iPod touch
        1. Getting and Installing the iPhone Configuration Utility
        2. Creating a Configuration Profile
        3. Applying a Configuration Profile
      2. Setting Up an iPhone or iPod touch Manually
      3. Activating Your iPhones
  8. Part II Provide Services and Applications
    1. 9 Configure the Web Service and Control Internet Access
      1. Setting Up the Web Server on the Web Service
        1. Turning On the Web Service
        2. Configuring the Web Service
        3. Starting the Web Service
      2. Setting Up a Website
        1. Putting Your Files in the Web Folder
        2. Setting Up the Website in Server Admin
      3. Setting Up Proxying for Internet Access
        1. Configure the Forward Proxy Settings for the Web Service
        2. Telling Users and Computers Which Proxy Servers to Use
        3. Checking That Proxying Is Working
      4. Disabling Internet Sharing
    2. 10 Set Up E-mail
      1. Understanding How E-mail Works
        1. Looking at E-mail from the User’s Point of View
        2. Understanding How an E-mail Message Travels Between Servers
        3. Understanding How POP and IMAP Work
        4. Knowing How Your Mail Server Makes Its Presence Felt On the Internet
      2. Turning On and Configuring the Mail Service
        1. Turning On the Mail Service
        2. Performing Essential Configuration with the Server Configuration Assistant
        3. Configuring Your Mail Server Further Using Server Admin
      3. Connecting Users to E-mail
        1. Enabling a User to Use E-mail
        2. Choosing How a User Accesses E-mail
        3. Connecting Users to Your Mail Server
    3. 11 Set Up File Services
      1. Sorting Out Your File Service Protocols
        1. Understanding the Protocols That Mac OS X Server Can Use
        2. Seeing Which Protocols Your Server Is Using
        3. Turning a Protocol’s Service On or Off
        4. Choosing AFP Settings
        5. Setting Up SMB
        6. Setting Up FTP
        7. Turning On and Setting Up NFS
      2. Creating Share Points to Share Folders and Volumes
        1. Seeing Which Share Points You Already Have
        2. Adding Further Share Points
        3. Changing the Options Used for a Share Point
        4. Changing the Protocols Used for a Share Point
        5. Setting Permissions for a Share Point
      3. Setting Up Home Folders for Users
        1. Creating Mobile Accounts and External Accounts
        2. Assigning a Home Folder to a User Account
    4. 12 Install and Manage Applications
      1. Controlling the Applications a User Can Run
        1. Getting Ready to Restrict the Applications and Widgets
        2. Restricting the Applications the User Can Run
        3. Choosing Which Widgets the User Can Run
        4. Choosing Whether the User Can Run Front Row
        5. Controlling Which Legacy Applications the User Can Run
      2. Installing Applications on Your Client Macs
        1. Deploying Applications Through Screen Sharing
        2. Deploying Applications Through Apple Remote Desktop
    5. 13 Run Windows Applications on Macs
      1. Understanding the Options for Running Windows Applications on Macs
      2. Running Windows Applications Using a Virtual Machine
        1. Choosing a Virtual-Machine Application
        2. Installing the Virtual-Machine Application
        3. Creating a Virtual Machine
      3. Running Windows Applications Using Boot Camp
        1. Understanding the Process of Setting Up Boot Camp
        2. Using Boot Camp Assistant to Create a New Partition
        3. Installing the Mac Hardware Drivers
        4. Installing Antivirus Software
        5. Updating Windows with the Latest Service Pack and Patches
        6. Installing the Applications You Need
        7. Returning to Normality
      4. Running Windows Applications Using Remote Desktop Connection
        1. Setting Up Remote Desktop on the Windows PC
        2. Installing Remote Desktop Connection on the Mac
        3. Connecting via Remote Desktop Connection
    6. 14 Manage Printers
      1. Adding a Printer to Your Mac Network
        1. Deciding Whether to Manage Your Printers with the Print Service
        2. Deciding How to Connect the Printer to Your Network
        3. Connecting a Printer Directly to a Mac
        4. Connecting the Printer to Your Server
        5. Connecting Your Printer to an Ethernet Switch
        6. Connecting a Printer to a Print Server or Router
      2. Setting Up the Print Service
        1. Turning On the Print Service
        2. Understanding How Print Queues Work
        3. Creating the Print Queues and Choosing Settings
        4. Balancing the Print Load Across Multiple Printers
      3. Choosing Which Printers a User Can Print On
      4. Setting a Print Quota for a User
      5. Setting Up Printing on Your Clients
      6. Managing Your Print Queues
    7. 15 Allow Remote Access to Your Network
      1. Understanding Virtual Private Networking
        1. Understanding What VPNs Are Good For
        2. Understanding the Different Technologies for VPNs
      2. Setting Up a Virtual Private Network
        1. Turning On the VPN Service
        2. Configuring the VPN Service
        3. Starting the VPN
        4. Choosing Which Users Can Connect to the VPN
      3. Connecting Your Client Macs to the VPN
        1. Setting a Client Mac to Connect to the VPN
        2. Choosing Advanced VPN Settings
        3. Connecting a Mac to a VPN
      4. Connecting an iPhone or iPod touch to a VPN
        1. Setting Up a VPN Automatically on an iPhone or iPod touch
        2. Choosing VPN Settings Manually on an iPhone or iPod touch
        3. Connecting the iPhone or iPod touch to the VPN
  9. Part III Secure and Maintain Your Network
    1. 16 Secure Your Macs and Your Network
      1. Your Executive Overview of the Threats
      2. Securing Your Network’s Macs
        1. Setting an Open Firmware Password
        2. Locking Down System Preferences on a Mac
        3. Installing Antivirus Software
        4. Securing Web Browsers
        5. Restricting User Accounts
      3. Keeping Your Company’s iPhones and iPod Touches Safe
      4. Securing Your Network
        1. Securing a Wireless Network
        2. Securing a Wired Network
        3. Securing Your Internet Connection with a Firewall
    2. 17 Keep Your Client Macs Up to Date
      1. Choosing Where to Get Software Updates
      2. Setting Your Server to Provide Software Updates
      3. Setting a Client Mac to Download Updates from Your Update Server
        1. Setting a Managed Client Mac to Download Updates from Your Update Server
        2. Controlling Where an Unmanaged Client Mac Gets Its Updates
      4. Configuring Software Update to Check for Updates
      5. Installing the Updates
    3. 18 Back Up and Restore Data
      1. Understanding How Time Machine Backups Work
        1. Understanding How Incremental Backups Work
        2. Understanding How You Set Up Time Machine
      2. Setting Up Time Machine in Server Preferences
      3. Setting Time Machine to Back Up a Client’s Data
        1. Automatically Setting Time Machine to Back Up a Client’s Data
        2. Manually Setting Time Machine to Back Up a Client’s Data
        3. Preventing Users from Changing Time Machine Settings
        4. Running a Backup Manually
      4. Setting the Server to Back Up with Time Machine
      5. Recovering Data Using Time Machine
      6. Recovering the Server Using Installer
    4. 19 Automate Routine Tasks with AppleScript
      1. Getting Up and Running with the AppleScript Editor
        1. Creating and Running a Script
        2. Finding Out What Version of Mac OS X Is Running
        3. Displaying a Dialog Box and Returning the Result
        4. Using a Condition to Direct a Script
        5. Getting User Input with a Dialog Box
        6. Finding Information in a Dictionary File
        7. Telling an Application What to Do
        8. Repeating Actions
      2. Examples of Using AppleScript for Administration
        1. Mounting and Unmounting Network Volumes
        2. Finding Out the Version of an Application
        3. Setting Up an SMTP Server in Mail
        4. Setting Up Microsoft Office File Paths on a Client Mac
    5. 20 Create Peer-to-Peer Mac Networks for Small Offices
      1. Planning Your Peer-to-Peer Network
      2. Sharing Printers
        1. Setting a Mac to Share a Printer
        2. Connecting a Mac to a Shared Printer
      3. Sharing a Folder
        1. Setting a Mac to Share a Folder
        2. Connecting a Mac to a Shared Folder
      4. Sharing an Internet Connection
        1. Setting a Mac to Share Its Internet Connection
        2. Connecting a Mac to the Shared Internet Connection
  10. Index

Product information

  • Title: Mac OS X System Administration
  • Author(s): Guy Hart-Davis
  • Release date: May 2010
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
  • ISBN: 9780071668989