The NetBoot service allows administrators of Apple computers to leverage images hosted on a server to boot computers to a central location and put a new image on them, upgrade them and perform automations based on upgrades and images. Since the very first versions of OS X, the service has been called NetBoot and so the name remains at the command line, but is listed as NetInstall in the Server app. In the Server app, Apple provides a number of options surrounding the NetInstall service, based on Automator-style which we’ll explore further in this article. The first step to configuring the NetInstall service is to decide what you want the service…
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Configure DHCP in macOS Server 5.2
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 5.2 on Sierra is similar to the DHCP service that was included in Server 10.2 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 to see leases in…
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Using The Messages Service In macOS Server 5.2
Getting started with Messages Server couldn’t really be easier. Messages Server in the macOS Server 5.2 version of the Server app uses the open source jabber project as their 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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Configure Xcode Server On macOS Server 5.2
Apple developers in growing development teams invariably need a continuous integration system. This automates the build, analysis, and testing solution for software development using Xcode. macOS Server has an Xcode service, capable of integrating your developer account with git, providing many of the options required to build a continuous integration system. Before you configure the Xcode service that can take committed code and then test and build your software, you’ll need an Apple developer account. The Xcode service then links git to a developer account and runs automations, referred to as bots, in Xcode. Therefore, you’ll also need to have Xcode installed on the computer running the Xcode service. Bots are then managed and reported on using a…
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Manage Groups In macOS Server 5.2 Running On Sierra
There are a couple of ways to create groups in macOS Server 5.2, running on Sierra. The first is using the Server app, the second is using the Users & Groups System Preference pane and the third is using the command line. In this article we will look at creating groups in the directory service with the Server app. Once a server has been an Open Directory Master all user and group accounts created will be in the Local Network Group when created in Server app. Before that, all user and group objects are stored locally when created in Server app. Once promoted to an Open Directory server, groups are created in the Open…
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Manage Users On macOS Server 5.2 On Sierra
There are a few ways to create users in macOS Server 5.2, running on 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 directory…
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Use serverinfo in macOS Server 5.2 for Sierra
macOS Server 5.2 (for Sierra) comes with the /usr/sbin/serverinfo command (introduced in Mountain Lion Server). The serverinfo command is useful when programmatically obtaining information about the very basic state of an Apple Server. The first option indicates whether the Server app has been downloaded from the app store, which is the –software option: serverinfo --software When used, this option reports the following if the Server.app can be found: This system has server software installed. Or if the software cannot be found, the following is indicated: This system does NOT have server software installed. The –productname option determines the name of the software app: serverinfo --productname If you change the name of…
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The Official macOS Server Documentation
I’ve written plenty about macOS Server over the years. But way more effort went into the official documentation from our friends at Apple. There’s lots of nuggets here at: http://help.apple.com/serverapp/mac/getstarted/5.2/ Enjoy!
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Capture Smaller Screenshots On Retina Displays In Sierra
By default, screenshots are pretty big on a retina display on a Sierra machine. Like about 4 times the size they should be. I haven’t found a defaults key I can use yet to reduce them, so I’ve been using this little screenshotting app called RetinaCapture, available at https://gumroad.com/l/retinacapture. Basically, when you’re running it, you just open it up and click on the Window button. There, you can select a window to screenshot. Once you’ve selected the window, you’ll be prompted to save it somewhere with a name. I don’t love having to use any 3rd party apps for my screenshotting workflow. In fact, it bugs the crap out of me. Screens get resized…
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Upgrade from OS X to macOS Sierra
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…