New! Updated version for Server 5.2 running on OS X El Capitan/macOS Sierra
This guide describes how to setup a network based around Apple’s Server product. It is intended for someone who is responsible for setting up a network for use in a small business, home, home-based office or other organization such as a church, charity or small school. It addresses what some refer to as ‘the Goldilocks problem’, meaning that the built-in tutorials of Server are too basic and lacking in information, whereas the detailed and pricey reference guides that are available are just too complicated for many people. Hopefully, this is somewhere towards the middle ground. It assumes a reasonable working knowledge of the Mac and a general appreciation of what is involved in small computer networks, whilst trying to avoid the geeky stuff. Incidentally, the guide is not exclusively Mac and, in recognition of the fact that many people work in a mixed environment, includes plenty of information on how to connect and use Windows computers as well.
1 INTRODUCTION AND GETTING READY
1.1 What Is OS X Server?
1.2 Choice of Hardware
1.3 Adding Storage
1.4 Location
1.5 Electrical Considerations
1.6 Infrastructure
1.7 Mac Operating System and Server Versions
2 INSTALLATION OF SERVER SOFTWARE
2.1 Preparation of the Mac
2.2 Installation of Server software
2.3 Changing the Computer Name, Host Name and IP Address
2.4 Enable Open Directory
3 USERS
3.1 User Naming Conventions
3.2 Creating a User
3.3 Modifying a User
3.4 Deleting a User
3.5 Tidying up the Login Screen
3.6 Groups
4 FILE SHARING
4.1 Creating a Shared Folder
4.2 Removing or Changing a Shared Folder
5 ACCESSING THE SERVER
5.1 Macs
5.2 Windows Computers
5.2.1 Using Windows Explorer/File Explorer
5.2.2 Accessing Shared Folders using the Run Command
5.2.3 Mapping Drives Manually
5.2.4 Using a Batch File
5.2.5 Troubleshooting
5.3 iPads and iPhones
5.3.1 Disconnecting an iOS device
5.3.2 FileBrowser
6 USING DROPBOX WITH OS X SERVER
7 BACKUPS
7.1 Backing Up the server using Time Machine
7.2 Backing Up the Server using Carbon Copy Cloner
7.3 Backing Up Macs to the Server
7.4 Backing Up Windows PCs to the Server
8 SERVICES
8.1 Caching
8.2 Calendar
8.3 Contacts
8.4 File Sharing
8.5 Mail
8.5.1 Mail Application on Mac
8.5.2 Mail application in iOS
8.5.3 Outlook in Windows
8.6 Messages
8.7 Profile Manager
8.8 Time Machine
8.9 VPN
8.10 Websites
8.11 Wiki
8.12 Xcode
9 HOUSEKEEPING AND REPORTING
9.1 Software Updates
9.2 CCleaner
9.3 Monitoring Server Performance
9.4 Alerts
9.5 Log Files
10 MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS
10.1 Remote Access to Server
10.2 Accounts Browser
10.3 Printers
10.4 Automatic Startup of Server
10.5 Care and Maintenance of the Open Directory
10.6 Internet Router does not supply DHCP
10.7 Certificate Error
This guide describes how to setup a network based around Apple’s Server product. It is intended for someone who is responsible for setting up a network for use in a small business, home, home-based office or other organization such as a church, charity or small school. It addresses what some refer to as ‘the Goldilocks problem’, meaning that the built-in tutorials of Server are too basic and lacking in information, whereas the detailed and pricey reference guides that are available are just too complicated for many people. Hopefully, this is somewhere towards the middle ground. It assumes a reasonable working knowledge of the Mac and a general appreciation of what is involved in small computer networks, whilst trying to avoid the geeky stuff. Incidentally, the guide is not exclusively Mac and, in recognition of the fact that many people work in a mixed environment, includes plenty of information on how to connect and use Windows computers as well.
1 INTRODUCTION AND GETTING READY
1.1 What Is OS X Server?
1.2 Choice of Hardware
1.3 Adding Storage
1.4 Location
1.5 Electrical Considerations
1.6 Infrastructure
1.7 Mac Operating System and Server Versions
2 INSTALLATION OF SERVER SOFTWARE
2.1 Preparation of the Mac
2.2 Installation of Server software
2.3 Changing the Computer Name, Host Name and IP Address
2.4 Enable Open Directory
3 USERS
3.1 User Naming Conventions
3.2 Creating a User
3.3 Modifying a User
3.4 Deleting a User
3.5 Tidying up the Login Screen
3.6 Groups
4 FILE SHARING
4.1 Creating a Shared Folder
4.2 Removing or Changing a Shared Folder
5 ACCESSING THE SERVER
5.1 Macs
5.2 Windows Computers
5.2.1 Using Windows Explorer/File Explorer
5.2.2 Accessing Shared Folders using the Run Command
5.2.3 Mapping Drives Manually
5.2.4 Using a Batch File
5.2.5 Troubleshooting
5.3 iPads and iPhones
5.3.1 Disconnecting an iOS device
5.3.2 FileBrowser
6 USING DROPBOX WITH OS X SERVER
7 BACKUPS
7.1 Backing Up the server using Time Machine
7.2 Backing Up the Server using Carbon Copy Cloner
7.3 Backing Up Macs to the Server
7.4 Backing Up Windows PCs to the Server
8 SERVICES
8.1 Caching
8.2 Calendar
8.3 Contacts
8.4 File Sharing
8.5 Mail
8.5.1 Mail Application on Mac
8.5.2 Mail application in iOS
8.5.3 Outlook in Windows
8.6 Messages
8.7 Profile Manager
8.8 Time Machine
8.9 VPN
8.10 Websites
8.11 Wiki
8.12 Xcode
9 HOUSEKEEPING AND REPORTING
9.1 Software Updates
9.2 CCleaner
9.3 Monitoring Server Performance
9.4 Alerts
9.5 Log Files
10 MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS
10.1 Remote Access to Server
10.2 Accounts Browser
10.3 Printers
10.4 Automatic Startup of Server
10.5 Care and Maintenance of the Open Directory
10.6 Internet Router does not supply DHCP
10.7 Certificate Error
