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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Authenticating to Mac Os X Server: Help!
LoneWolf - Sep 22, 2005 - 10:58 am
This will probably come off as a dumb question to all veterans of Mac OS X Server, but having read several books and not finding the answer, I decided it's better to admit I don't know and find someone who does so I'm not in the dark any longer.
I've got a Quicksilver G4 running Panther server (10.3.9) and about 25-30 client workstations varying from G4 Digital Audio to Dual G5 running Panther (10.3.9). I'd like my clients set up so that user authentication to the server must occur upon startup (i.e., client workstation boots to a login screen with a username/password prompt), whereupon a user authenticates with their account/password from the server, and the machine boots to the Desktop (configured according to a user template I've already created) and their home folder located on the server will be auto-mounted on the desktop.
Currently, we have a single default user set to autologin on each workstation (authenticating directly to the workstation) with restricted privileges (set up through the local User Accounts
preferences), and the user must click "Go...->Connect to Server" to get their folder, which is somewhat cumbersome. Network services are done through LDAPv3 and OpenDirectory.
At this point, I'm really frustrated. Win2k and Win2k3 Server have been far easier to do this with so far. I have set up every client via Directory Access to use LDAPv3, configuring it to point to the server IP address and receive mappings from the server. I have also set a custom authentication path, "/LDAPv3/". If I try to log in using an account from the server, I get the spinning beach ball forever (have to reboot the system to get out of it).
Is there something I'm doing wrong? Documentation on this has been iffy at best (I have the Apple manuals, plus O'Reilly, plus the Visual QuickPro guide). Do the clients have to be getting their DNS from the server they're logging into?(Only thing I can think of that I could be doing wrong other than being clueless, DNS on our network is provided by the Win2k3 domain controllers, which is where I've pointed our Macs to go
for DNS as well; I haven't set up the OS X Server to do DNS).
Someone please help me. If you're in the Southwest MI area (or willing to come here for it) I'll buy a six-pack of your favorite micro-brew (assuming you're of legal age) if you can answer this question. I've posted this on multiple forums, and nobody has replied. Prove to me that Mac OS X is as easy to network as Windows; I really want to believe it.
LoneWolf (former Apple Certified Tech. and currently one unhappy sysadmin)
I've got a Quicksilver G4 running Panther server (10.3.9) and about 25-30 client workstations varying from G4 Digital Audio to Dual G5 running Panther (10.3.9). I'd like my clients set up so that user authentication to the server must occur upon startup (i.e., client workstation boots to a login screen with a username/password prompt), whereupon a user authenticates with their account/password from the server, and the machine boots to the Desktop (configured according to a user template I've already created) and their home folder located on the server will be auto-mounted on the desktop.
Currently, we have a single default user set to autologin on each workstation (authenticating directly to the workstation) with restricted privileges (set up through the local User Accounts
preferences), and the user must click "Go...->Connect to Server" to get their folder, which is somewhat cumbersome. Network services are done through LDAPv3 and OpenDirectory.
At this point, I'm really frustrated. Win2k and Win2k3 Server have been far easier to do this with so far. I have set up every client via Directory Access to use LDAPv3, configuring it to point to the server IP address and receive mappings from the server. I have also set a custom authentication path, "/LDAPv3/
Is there something I'm doing wrong? Documentation on this has been iffy at best (I have the Apple manuals, plus O'Reilly, plus the Visual QuickPro guide). Do the clients have to be getting their DNS from the server they're logging into?(Only thing I can think of that I could be doing wrong other than being clueless, DNS on our network is provided by the Win2k3 domain controllers, which is where I've pointed our Macs to go
for DNS as well; I haven't set up the OS X Server to do DNS).
Someone please help me. If you're in the Southwest MI area (or willing to come here for it) I'll buy a six-pack of your favorite micro-brew (assuming you're of legal age) if you can answer this question. I've posted this on multiple forums, and nobody has replied. Prove to me that Mac OS X is as easy to network as Windows; I really want to believe it.
LoneWolf (former Apple Certified Tech. and currently one unhappy sysadmin)
Natobasso - Sep 24, 2005 - 1:53 pm
Howdy! As my signature says, I'm Junior IT which means I'm a graphic designer who's used macs for 22 years and has had to do much of the IT work when PC techs would just roll their eyes… 
We are running OS X Tiger server at work and the easiest thing to do is to have each user log on to the server as normal and then create a shortcut to that connection by dragging the icon to the dock. The next time that person logs in they just click on the dock icon for the server, enter the password and they're in.
As far as folders I believe you can limit access but I don't think you can auotolo load folders, though you could do the same alias/store in dock approach I just mentioned for folders on the server as well.
Most PC techs I've talked to lament the lack of features in OS X server products and how they label things differently and don't offer as much automatic functionality.
But maybe this workarounds will help you get where you want to go? Let me know. If not, I can investigate further next week.
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*Nathaniel
Bass. Design. Junior IT.
We are running OS X Tiger server at work and the easiest thing to do is to have each user log on to the server as normal and then create a shortcut to that connection by dragging the icon to the dock. The next time that person logs in they just click on the dock icon for the server, enter the password and they're in.
As far as folders I believe you can limit access but I don't think you can auotolo load folders, though you could do the same alias/store in dock approach I just mentioned for folders on the server as well.
Most PC techs I've talked to lament the lack of features in OS X server products and how they label things differently and don't offer as much automatic functionality.
But maybe this workarounds will help you get where you want to go? Let me know. If not, I can investigate further next week.
--------
*Nathaniel
Bass. Design. Junior IT.
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