Configuring Calendar Server in OS X Server 5 (running on El Capitan or Yosemite) is a fairly simple and straight forward process. The Calendar Server is a CalDAV Server, leveraging HTTP and HTTPS, running on ports 8008 and 8443 respectively. To enable the Calendar service in OS X Server (Server 5), open the Server application and click on Calendar in the SERVICES section of the sidebar. Once open, click on Enable invitations by email to enable email notifications of invitations in the Calendar Server. Provide the email address and then click on the Next button. At the Configure Server Email Address screen, provide the type of incoming mail service in use, provide the…
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Manage Users In OS X Server 5
There are four ways to create users in OS X Server 5, running on El Capitan or Yosemite. The first is using the Server app, the second is using Workgroup Manager (which barely works in OS X El Capitan and won’t install in El Capitan by default), the third is using the Users & Groups System Preference pane and the fourth is using the command line. In this article we will look at creating users in the Server app. To do so, open the Server app and connect to your server. Then click on the Users entry in the ACCOUNTS list. The list of users is displayed, based on the directory…
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Promote An OS X Server To A Replica
Previously, we looked at setting up an Open Directory Master in OS X Server. An Open Directory Replica keeps a copy of the Open Directory database available for users even when the Master goes offline. But it can also take a part of the load from the Open Directory Master and when using the new Locales feature, balance network traffic. To get started with an Open Directory Replica, first enable SSH, now disabled by default. If SSH is not enabled, you will not be able to create an Open Directory Replica. SSH is enabled on a server by opening the Server app, clicking on the name of the server and…
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Reset The Server App When It’s Unresponsive
The Server 5 app that installs on Yosemite and El Capitan is great. But when you go making changes to some things, you’re just going to cause problems, sometimes something as simple as just upgrading to the latest and greatest version of Server… I know, you’ve been told that host name changes and IP changes are all kinds of OK at this point; “look, Charles, there’s a button!” Well, go ahead, click it. Don’t mind me, you might just be alright. But then again, you might not if you’re running Open Directory, Profile Manager, or a few other services… When it works it’s a thing of beauty. But when it doesn’t, you might…
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Configure Alerts In OS X Server 5
OS X Server 5, running on El Capitan or Yosemite, comes with a few new alerting options previously unavailable in versions of OS X. The alerts are sent to administrators via servermgrd and configured in the 5th version of the Server app. To configure alerts on the server, open the Server app and then click on Alerts in the Server app sidebar. Next, click on the Delivery tab. At the Delivery screen, click on the Edit button for Email Addresses and enter every email address that should receive alerts sent from the server. Then click on the Edit button for Push Notifications. Here, check the box for each administrator of the server. The…
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Demote Open Directory Servers In OS X Server 5 Using The Command Line
The command to create and tear down an Open Directory environment is slapconfig. When you disable Open Directory from the Server app you aren’t actually removing users. To do so, you’d use slapconfig along with the -destroyldapserver. When run, you get a little insight into what’s happening behind the scenes. This results in the following: bash-3.2# slapconfig -destroyldapserver The logs are as follows: 2015-09-08 04:17:58 +0000 slapconfig -destroyldapserver 2015-09-08 04:17:58 +0000 Deleting Cert Authority related data 2015-09-08 04:17:58 +0000 Removed directory at path /var/root/Library/Application Support/Certificate Authority/Krypted Open Directory Certificate Authority. 2015-09-08 04:17:58 +0000 command: /usr/sbin/xscertadmin add –reason 5 –issuer Krypted Open Directory Certificate Authority –serial 3449505949 2015-09-08 04:18:19 +0000 command:…
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Setup The Contacts Server In OS X Server 5
OS X has an application called Contacts. OS X Server 5, running on Yosemite or El Capitan, has a service called Contacts. While the names might imply very different things that they do, you’ll be super-surprised that the two are designed to work with one another. The Contacts service is based on CardDAV, a protocol for storing contact information on the web, retrievable and digestible by client computers. However, there is a layer of Postgres-based obfuscation between the Contacts service and CardDAV. The Contacts service is also a conduit with which to read information from LDAP and display that information in the Contacts client, which is in a way similar to how the…
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Install A vpptoken In OS X Server 5 for El Capitan and Yosemite
In order to use the Apple Volume Purchase Program, you will need an MDM solution (Profile Manager, Casper, MobileIron, Meraki, FileWave, etc). Also, token options were traditionally for one to one (1:1) environments until iOS 9, which marked a change where you can now leverage per-device licensing. This removes the requirement that you need an Apple ID running on each device that you choose to install apps on. Suddenly, VPP is for multi-tenant environments. You can also use codes and options for iOS 7 and up as well as OS X 10.9 and up, but those will use Apple IDs. Also, if you install your vpptoken on OS X Server and you’re running that…
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Use The Help Options In OS X Server 5
OS X Server 5, running on El Capitan or Yosemite, comes complete with lots of awesome features to help you get up and running, started and owning the configuration of Apple Servers. One such is the built-in options to help manage your servers. Open Server, click Help, then click Server Help. You can then search and browse for information about things you’d like to accomplish using the Help Center. Now, click the arrow for each service for information about configuring that service. You will see an arrow for each service. Click the arrow for more information on that specific service. And just like that, simple and easy-to-use documentation, available live…
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Upgrade the OS X Server App To OS X Server 5
OS X Server 5 is now available to be installed. To do so, first backup your server. Then, backup your server again, making sure you have a functional, bootable clone. Once you’re sure you have a solid backup of your server, open the App Store and search for Server. When you find the Server app, click on it. At the OS X Server screen, click on Install. The download will begin. Once complete, you’ll see a notice that the “Server app replacement detected.” Click OK. Then, open the Server app. When the Server app opens, you’ll be prompted to update the server. Click Continue. At the Licensing Agreement screen, click…