In past versions of this guide, I covered Time Machine Server. Here, we’re going to look at backing up the settings of a macOS Server using Bender. To do so, we’re going to install a little app called Bender from the great folks at Robot Cloud. You can download that from http://robotcloud.screenstepslive.com/s/2459/m/5322/l/94467-bender-automated-backup-of-os-x-server-settings. Once downloaded, run the package installer. At the Welcome to Bender screen, click Continue. Agree to the licensing agreement by clicking the Continue button. Click Agree again (assuming of course that you agree to the license). Choose who you wish to install the software for and click Continue. I’d go ahead and install Bender at the default location,…
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Configure Alerts In macOS Server 5.4 for High Sierra
macOS Server 5.4, running on High Sierra, comes with a number of alerts that can be sent to administrators via servermgrd and configured since 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 email address on file for the user then receives push…
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Configure DHCP in macOS Server 5.4 for High Sierra
DHCP, or Dynamic Host Control Protocol, is the service used to hand out IP addresses and other network settings by network appliances and servers. The DHCP Server built into macOS Server 5.4 on High Sierra is similar to the DHCP service that was included in Server 10.2 and 10.2 and from the good ‘ole Panther days. It’s pretty simple to use and transparent, just as DHCP services should be. To install the service, open the Server app and then click on the Show button beside Advanced in the server sidebar. Then click on DHCP. At the DHCP screen, you’ll see two tabs: Settings, used for managing the service and Clients, used…
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Promote A macOS Server Open Directory Replica To An Open Directory Master
Previously, we looked at setting up an Open Directory Master in macOS. 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 then clicking…
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Manage Users On macOS Server 5.4 On High Sierra
There are a few ways to create users in macOS Server 5.4, running on High Sierra. The first is using the Server app, the second is using using the Users & Groups System Preference pane and the third 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 domain(s) being browsed. A directory domain is a repository of account data, which can include local users, local network users and users in a shared…
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Using The Messages Service In macOS Server 5.4 On High Sierra
Getting started with Messages Server couldn’t really be easier. Messages Server in the macOS Server 5.4 version of the Server app uses the open source jabber project as the back-end code base. The jabber binary is located at /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/private/var/jabberd directory and the autobuddy binary is at /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/bin/jabber_autobuddy. The actual jabberd binary is also stored at /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/usr/libexec/jabberd, where there are a couple of perl scripts used to migrate the service between various versions as well. Setting up the Messages service is simple. Open the Server app and click on Messages in the Server app sidebar.  Click on the Edit… button for the Permissions. Here, define which users and interfaces are allowed to…
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Setup Profile Manager On macOS Server 5.4
Profile Manager first appeared in OS X Lion Server as the Apple-provided tool for managing Apple devices, including Mobile Device Management (MDM) for iOS based devices as well as Profile management for macOS based computers, including MacBooks, MacBook Airs, Mac Minis, Mac Pros and iMacs running Mac OS X 10.7 and up. Profile Manager has seen a few more updates over the years, primarily in integrating new MDM options provided by Apple and keeping up with the rapidly changing MDM landscape. Apple has added DEP functionality, content distribution, VPP, and other features over the years. In macOS Server 5.4, there are plenty of new options, including the ability to deploy VPP…
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Debug Logging Profile Manager on macOS Servers
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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serverdiagnose Your Server Logs
Servers can have problems. When they have problems, you need to grab logs and stuff. Ever wonder what Apple developers think is important, when it comes to logs and stuff? Try serverdiagnose! serverdiagnose Then hit the Enter (return) key. Then it collects some logs into a tgz. Why a tgz? No clue. But it ends up in /tmp. Notice the name as ServerLogs- followed by the hostname, then a date stamp (yearmonthday) and an underscore followed by a timestamp. Inside the tgz is /Library/Logs, /Library/Server, /tmp/dsdiagnose (a dump of OD debug logs), serverlogs_S3vKsy (configuration statuses), a couple of things from /var/db (the most important of which is PreviousSystemLogs), and /var/log.
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Manage Time Machine Server In macOS Server 5.2
The Time Machine service in macOS Server 5.2 hasn’t changed much from the service in previous operating systems. To enable the Time Machine service, open the Server app, click on Time Machine in the SERVICES sidebar. If the service hasn’t been enabled to date, the ON/OFF switch will be in the OFF position and no “Backup destination” will be shown in the Settings pane. Click on the ON button to see the New Destination screen, used to configure a list of volumes as a destinations for Time Machine backups. The selection volume should be large enough to have space for all of the users that can potentially use the Time Machine…