JULY 7, 2010

Macs in Windows Networks--Easily add a Mac and Integrate with Active Directory

As Macs running Mac OS X are becoming more popular, people are increasingly adding them to existing Windows networks. It's a snap to provide a Mac with full services like printing, email, calendars, contacts and file sharing on a Windows network. But in doing so, you also have to integrate with Microsoft's Active Directory. Fortunately, both Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server have built-in support for Active Directory.

So, what is the easiest way to find out how to do this? The answer is free online video seminars by Apple.

Joel Rennich, Apple Consulting Engineering Manager, demonstrates how to add a Mac to an existing Windows-based network in this Apple seminar. According to Apple, this seminar covers:

  • The simple, guided process for setting up your initial admin user account on your new Mac;
  • What steps are required to bind your new Mac to Active Directory;
  • How to log in as a full-fledged Active Directory user and take advantage of convenient, single sign-on capabilities;
  • The streamlined process for accessing Exchange 2007 services for email, contacts, and calendars—even when you are not connected to your office network;
  • How to easily share files, printers, and other network services with the PCs on your network.

For the more advanced users interested in the details of Active Directory or network administrators, Apple Consulting Engineer Timothy Perfitt demonstrates in this Apple seminar how to leverage an existing Active Directory infrastructure for identification, authentication, home directories, and management—all using Mac OS X. According to Apple, this seminar includes:

  • The new features in Snow Leopard that streamline Active Directory integration;
  • What steps are required to bind a Mac to Active Directory—either using the Mac OS X graphical interface or the command line;
  • How to avoid common pitfalls in binding a Mac to Active Directory;
  • How to use config files and change passwords;
  • The third-party tools that allow you to bind a Mac to Active Directory using a Windows system
  • How to integrate Mac OS X Server into your Active Directory infrastructure;
  • The various options you have for managing users once their Mac systems are bound to Active Directory;
  • How to set up and manage mobile users through Active Directory using Mac OS X.

Finally, for those who want to delve into the ease of setting up and using Mac OS X Server, Apple Product Manager Nader Nafissi demonstrates how to set up Snow Leopard Server to access services such as mail, calendars, contacts, wikis, and more in this Apple seminar. According to Apple, this seminar will focus on:

  • How, at $499 with unlimited client access licenses, Snow Leopard Server makes it more affordable than ever to own a server;
  • The simple, guided process for using Server Assistant to configure your server;
  • What steps are required to integrate with Airport Extreme and Time Capsule backup devices;
  • How to specify your preferred network, directory, and services settings;
  • How to add users and groups and administer them;
  • How Snow Leopard Server saves substantial IT time and effort by automatically configuring client applications on Mac OS X or iPhone to access mail, calendar, contacts, and other services on on your server.

These online seminar's are brand new. The complete set of Apple's free online seminars are a Mac OS X best kept secret--check them out. [Bill Fox]


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