• Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mac Security

    My Own List of Common Apple Ports

    I’ve been underwhelmed (if that’s a word) by the list of common ports used on the Apple platform recently, so I started my own. It’s available at https://krypted.com//guides/common-apple-ports/ if you’re interested. It’s also under the Tools menu of the site. And yes, I’m aware that I can cat /etc/services; this includes some rudimentary notes.

  • Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mac Security,  Network Infrastructure,  Xsan

    Configure sFlows on a Brocade 8470

    sFlow is an industry standard that allows network equipment with the appropriate agents to send data to sFlow collectors, which then analyze network traffic. You can install sFlow on routers, switches, and even put agents on servers to monitor traffic. Brocade (along with most other switch manufacturers) supports sFlow. Before you do anything log into the switch and check the current flow configuration: show sFlow To configure, log into the switch and use the the int command to access an interface. From within the interface, use the following command: sflow forwarding Then exit the interface using the very difficult to remember exit command: exit Repeat the enablement of forwarding for…

  • Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mac Security,  Mass Deployment,  Network Infrastructure

    Installing the Mountain Lion Server VPN Server

    OS X Server has long had a VPN service that can be run. The server is capable of running the two most commonly used VPN protocols: PPTP and L2TP. The L2TP protocol is always in use, but the server can run both concurrently. You should use L2TP when at all possible. Sure, “All the great themes have been used up and turned into theme parks.” But security is a theme that it never hurts to keep in the forefront of your mind. If you were thinking of exposing the other services in Mountain Lion Server to the Internet without having users connect to a VPN service then you should think…

  • Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mass Deployment,  Unix,  Windows XP

    DHCP Leases Expanded

    DHCP provides IP addresses to clients. DHCP is critical to a number of Mac OS X Server technologies, most notably with NetBoot. In doing so, communications are comprised of 4 steps: Discovery, Offer, Acceptance, and Acknowledgment. In the Discovery step, a computer that needs an IP address sends a broadcast request to the environment. These typically remain local, although most routers will allow for configuring the gateway in such a way that UDP traffic is forwarded on to other subnets. The request also includes all of the options that the client will need, with options being anything beyond an IP address, each potential option with a numerical identifier per this…