Google has been managing thousands of Macs 'enterprise style' for a while and is releasing their tools. We use Munki (software and patch distribution) and at Macworld SF 2011 Google’ released and open-sourced Simian, a project that builds on munki, providing a highly-scalable server hosted on Google App Engine. http://code.google.com/p/munki/
We've publicly stated that we use Puppet on our Macs. I'm not on the mac team but as a user I benefit from the combination of the two. They often push out new software, configurations, and even emergency patches all very seamlessly. Tom Google NYC contributed a lot to Munki (software patching distribution). http://code.google.com/p/munki/ On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 3:59 PM, Gilbert Wilson <[email protected]> wrote: > Ah, and that reminds me that Penn State has a Macintosh sysadmin > conference every year. There are lots of presentations (free to > download) on managing labs of machines, etc. > > http://macadmins.psu.edu/conference/ > > Gil > @boyonwheels > > On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 3:43 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: >> I also seem to remember seeing a paper at either LISA or annual tech within >> the last year or so on centrally managing Mac systems. >> >> David Lang >> >> >> On Fri, 6 Apr 2012, Gilbert Wilson wrote: >> >>> >>> Before going down the path of purchasing third party solutions to >>> manage your systems and/or firewalling your Macintosh population off >>> from the rest of your network like they're some redheaded stepchild >>> (no offense to Matt and our other redheaded colleagues!), take a look >>> through Apple's documentation for 10.6 server. Yes, we're on Lion >>> now, and many things have changed, but the 10.6 docs are more robust >>> and complete. You should also take a look at the following Apple >>> White Paper on managing 10.5 machines (again, it's changed a bit but >>> the foundation is still there): >>> >>> >>> http://images.apple.com/education/docs/Apple-ClientManagementWhitePaper.pdf >>> >>> Historically, MCX is the basis for a lot of the configuration of the >>> Mac. In Lion there's a tool called "Profile Manager." Reading up on >>> the historical MCX stuff, Open Directory integration, and the new >>> Profile manager should help a lot. >>> >>> http://www.apple.com/support/lionserver/profilemanager/ >>> >>> Another good resource is Google's Macintosh Operations Team. They're >>> on Google+ and have released a number of the tools they use as open >>> source. >>> >>> Main Page: >>> https://plus.google.com/113021614344742332063/posts >>> >>> Announcement with links to the tools they use: >>> https://plus.google.com/u/0/109088229817689076273/posts/M3zHnfEQMUw >>> >>> Those links and terms should give you a great headstart and figuring >>> out what it is you need to do to get things humming along nicely. >>> >>> >>> Gil >>> @boyonwheels >>> >>> On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 11:26 AM, Tim Kirby <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Much to my surprise and contrary to many years of prior stance >>>> to the contrary, a "fast track" project has appeared at $WORK >>>> with a view to "supporting" Mac laptops as an alternative to >>>> the Dell windows systems - certain area, in particular in >>>> engineering, have seen a proliferation of people bringing in >>>> their own systems and I guess there's a sense that the powers >>>> that be would rather provide and support $WORK owned machines >>>> than have a network full of home boxes. Things such as cost >>>> and the like are understood and will be factored in so when >>>> managers sign up for employees to have such machines they will >>>> know the impact on their budget... >>>> >>>> The more interesting aspect is what constitutes "support"; >>>> the windows guys perspective they wax lyrical about group >>>> policies, imaging systems etc. etc. ... which leads me to >>>> ask whether any of this body have any useful experience in >>>> "managing" such machines. I'm open to pointers to useful >>>> resources, but I'm particularly interested in anyone who is >>>> actually "doing" this at some level. >>>> >>>> And offline responses are fine if you don't want to admit >>>> to it in public :) >>>> >>>> TIA >>>> >>>> Tim >>>> >>>> ps. I actually use a MacBook Pro and know it well - I just >>>> haven't spent much time looking at the enterprise >>>> solutions out there and don't have much time to do the >>>> legwork, hence I'm reaching out to the community... >>>> -- >>>> Tim Kirby [email protected] >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Tech mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech >>>> This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators >>>> http://lopsa.org/ >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Tech mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech >>> This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators >>> http://lopsa.org/ > _______________________________________________ > Tech mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech > This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators > http://lopsa.org/ -- http://EverythingSysadmin.com -- my blog http://www.TomOnTime.com -- my videos _______________________________________________ Tech mailing list [email protected] https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators http://lopsa.org/
