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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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…
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Manage File Services In OS X Server 5
File Services are perhaps the most important aspect of any server because file servers are often the first server an organization purchases. This has been changing over the past few years, with many a file being hosted by cloud solutions, such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and of course, iCloud. But many still need a terrestrial server and for predominantly Apple environments, a Server app running on OS X El Capitan isn’t exactly a bad idea. There are a number of protocols built into OS X Server dedicated to serving files, including AFP, SMB and WebDAV. These services, combined comprise the File Sharing service in OS X Server running El Capitan or…
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Clear nvram
OS X has the ability to delete all of the firmware variables you’ve created. This can get helpful if you’ve got a bunch of things that you’ve done to a system and want to remove them all. If you run nvkram followed by a -p option you’ll see all of the configured firmware variables: nvram -p If you run it with a -d you’ll delete the given variables that you define (e.g. boot-args): nvram -d boot-args But, if you run the -c you’ll wipe them all: nvram -c
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Official Help Documentation for OS X Server 5
I’ve written plenty about OS X Server 5 here on https://krypted.com/ but way more effort went into the official documentation. There’s lots of nuggets here at: http://help.apple.com/serverapp/mac/getstarted/5.0/ Enjoy!
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Configure The Mail Service in OS X Server 5
Mail is one of the hardest services to manage. Actually, mail is pretty simple in and of itself: there’s protocols people use to access their mail (such as IMAP and POP), protocols used to communicate between mail servers and send mail (SMTP, SMTPS) and then there’s a database of mail and user information. In OS X Server 5 for El Capitan and Yosemite, all of these are represented by a single ON button, so it really couldn’t be easier. But then there’s the ecoysystem and the evil spammers. As a systems administrator of a large number of mail servers, I firmly believe that there is a special kind of hell where…