• Apple Configurator,  Apple TV,  Apple Watch,  iPhone,  JAMF,  Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mass Deployment,  precache

    Tethered Caching of iOS Assets from macOS 10.12.4

    March 27, 2017

    There is a new service in macOS, called Tetherator. Tethered-caching is a script that allows you to easily and quickly interact with the tethered-caching service, which has a few kinda’ cool options. This is on a client, and really speeds up all that crazy provisioning stuff you do. It can also check for the presence of a macOS Caching Server and use that as a source for the cache. The tethered-caching script is located at /usr/bin/tethered-caching. Before you do anything with the service, check the status. That’s done with the -s option (there’s also a -v option to get verbose): tethered-caching -s The results before activated should be as follows:…

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  • Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mass Deployment

    APNs Logs on macOS

    February 9, 2017

    I originally wrote this back in 2015 as an article for troubleshooting APNs traffic on a Profile Manager server. But it turns out that troubleshooting push notification communications between macOS Server and Apple’s Push Notification is basically the same as troubleshooting the apsd client on macOS. Basically, we’re gonna’ put the APNs daemon, apsd, into debug mode. To enable APNS debug logging, run these commands: defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.apsd APSLogLevel -int 7 defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.apsd APSWriteLogs -bool TRUE killall apsd Then use tail -f to watch the apsd.log file at /Library/Logs/apsd.log. Be wary, as this can fill up your system. So to disable, use these commands: defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.apsd APSWriteLogs -bool FALSE defaults delete…

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

    Debug Logging Profile Manager on macOS Servers

    December 29, 2016

    OS X Server stores most logs in files that are in the /Library/Logs/ProfileManager directory. Logs are split up between php, devicemgrd.log, scep_helper.log, servermgr_devicemgr.log, profilemanager.log and others. In my experience, if there’s a lot of errors at first, or if the service doesn’t work, just reformat and start over. But, once a server is in production, you don’t want to re-enroll devices after you do that. So, as with all good error prodding, start with the logs to troubleshoot. By default the logs can appear a bit anemic. You can enable more information by increasing the logging level. Here, we’ll shoot it up to 6, which can be done with the…

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

    App Store Preferences To Set In On Server 5.2 for macOS Sierra

    September 29, 2016

    By default, OS X now updates apps that are distributed through the Mac App Store (MAS). Server running on macOS Sierra is really just the Server app, sitting on the App Store, installed on a standard Mac. If the Server app is upgraded automatically, you will potentially experience some adverse side effects, especially if the app is running on a Metadata Controller for Xsan, runs Open Directory, or a major release of the Server app ships. Additionally, if you are prompted to install a beta version on a production system, you could end up with issues. Therefore, in this article we’re going to disable these otherwise sweet features of OS X.…

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

    Upgrade from OS X to macOS Sierra

    September 28, 2016

    Installing OS X has never been easier than it got in Yosemite, when the installers were moved to the App Store. And since then it’s just gotten easier, and easier. In this article, we’ll upgrade a Mac from OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) to macOS Sierra (10.12), the latest and greatest. The first thing you should do is clone your system (especially if you’re upgrading a server). The second thing you should do is make sure you have a good backup. The third thing you should do is make sure you can swap back to the clone should you need to do so and that your data will remain functional on the…

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  • Consulting,  Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Mac Security,  MacAdmins Podcast,  Mass Deployment

    MacDeployment Early Bird Signups Ending on Monday!

    May 16, 2016

    Hey Devops peeps! Got this, so just quoting and posting: Just a reminder that the Early Bird rate for the MacDeployment Conference ends on Monday (May 16) at 23:59 MT. This applies both to the Conference day (June 16, CAD $75) as well as the Conference + Workshop days package (June 16 + 17, CAD $275). While the conference is meant to serve (and further build) the Mac Admins community in Alberta (Canada), it is open to all. Speakers include Tom Bridge, Luis Giraldo, Tim Sutton, and Teri Grossheim. For further information, visit macdeployment.ca. You should go.

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