[itdiscuss] Mac Automations

[Dan Barber]

Paul,
What you are describing can be accomplished via Apple's Remote Desktop, especially batch operations like that. I have found it very easy to use, compared to something like distributing software via Group Policy.

Dan

From: discuss-bounces at itdiscuss.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at itdiscuss.org] On Behalf Of Phillips, Paul
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 7:15 AM
To: IT Discussion Forum
Subject: [itdiscuss] Mac Automations


We all operate on ever-changing networks.  Printers may change or drivers updated; new file shares may become available; new resources and services are added or updated.  Microsoft makes the management of these changes across a network fairly easy.  Through tools like Active Directory, VBS, WMI, etc., a network administrator can control available resources for a given Windows workstation.  Macs are seemingly not as easy to manage on a large scale.



As an example, I recently upgraded all of our copiers.  Of course, the drivers for these copiers had to be installed for each workstation.  On my Windows workstations, this was easy.  I simply updated the drivers on my print server, and the workstations all updated themselves.  On my Macs, the story was not so painless.  I had to go to each workstation individually and install the drivers manually.  Not that I have hundreds of Mac workstations to update, but it was still a pain to coordinate when I could access each workstation.



This is just one example of many changes that occur on any of our networks over the course of a business year.  As more networks become saturated with Macs, one of two things has to occur - either we find and use tools that automate these kinds of changes on a Mac as easily as it already is on a Windows workstation, or we increase our administrative overhead by hiring more staff.  What tools do you use to push network configuration changes out to your Mac users?


[cid:image001.jpg at 01C9341C.01EC1EB0]
Paul Phillips
IT Manager
[cid:image002.jpg at 01C9341C.01EC1EB0]
(770) 458-9300 x305
pphillips at walkthru.org<mailto:pphillips at walkthru.org>


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