Beginner Question...OSX and setting up Username and iCloud services...

[gpspad]

Sorry if this is very basic, but just getting into the OS X server after a long time being afraid I'd break something by downloading and playing with it.

I have an old mac mini I want to setup as a OS X server for home and run headless. I have a house with a iMac, 2 mac books, a bunch iOS devices, and an apple TV. Everything is connected with ethernet or wireless. The main reasons is for cacheing to ease updates and photo downloads, and maybe a home email server in the future. I'd be running iTunes from the server connected to an old NAS drive with media.

I end up setting all these devices up, so my username ends up being on each mac along with another user account for the who owns it.....

1.) Just curious how do you handle usernames across so many devices? is there any reason to not have my username on everyones device?

2.) Should I make a fake user account on the server, or just use my regular username I always use to manage it?

3.) To run iTunes on the server, should I create a fake user and have that user login automatically and share iTunes?

4.) Can I have more than one user start up on the server and run multiple iTunes servers? i.e.
(TV, Movies, etc....)

5.) For the main server itself, what iCloud services should I shut off if its running headless?

6.) If almost everyone is going to be using their own device, is there any advantages to setting up usernames and policies on the server with open directory?

Thanks in Advance, I could use any tips and links you have to setting this up right....

 

[Longkeg]

A couple of things... if you are functioning as the house "IT guy/System Admin" you do want your user account on those devices. Assuming you keep your password secret no one will be able to access it anyway. Same for the server. If your account is secure, why complicate things with secondary/fake user accounts.

As for running a mini headless... I ran an old headless mini as a Plex server and usually could screen share from one of my other Macs when I needed to configure something on it. Occasionally after a restart, either planned or unplanned, I'd find the mini wasn't showing up on the network and I wouldn't be able to remote in to it. I would have to connect a mouse, keyboard and an HDMI cable to a nearby tv and click through whatever alerts had prevented the boot up from completing. The Apple Server software may fix this. I wasn't running it so I don't know.

As for the rest... what works for some may not work for others. Only you will know what's right for you. Consider these questions: How many people will be accessing your network? Do you trust them? Can you accomplish what you want with iTunes home sharing? As you become more familiar with the server software you'll figure out what works best for your situation. Start slow, don't overthink or get ahead of yourself and enjoy the adventure.

 

[guzhogi]

If you want to have a user account accessible on all the computers and have your files synced, you may way want to set up Open Directory on the server. Create an account for yourself on the server, and then bind to it on every other computer (open System Preferences → Users & Groups, and under Login Options). This way, you'll have the same username/password on each computer, you could access all your files. After logging in, you might also want to make yourself an admin user on that computer. Note: you'll need a local admin user on each computer as well should you have network problems. Since you have laptops, if you decide to make an OD user, you might want to make sure you make your account a portable one. That way, if the laptops leave your home network, they'd still have a copy of your files on them, which sync back the next time you log in or out while on your home network.

 

[gpspad]

If you want to have a user account accessible on all the computers and have your files synced, you may way want to set up Open Directory on the server. Create an account for yourself on the server, and then bind to it on every other computer (open System Preferences → Users & Groups, and under Login Options). This way, you'll have the same username/password on each computer, you could access all your files. After logging in, you might also want to make yourself an admin user on that computer. Note: you'll need a local admin user on each computer as well should you have network problems. Since you have laptops, if you decide to make an OD user, you might want to make sure you make your account a portable one. That way, if the laptops leave your home network, they'd still have a copy of your files on them, which sync back the next time you log in or out while on your home network.

Thats sounds cool, more things to play with.

I was avoiding open directory because I read somewhere that it can be tricky. One thing I read was to make sure local user names and ones in the server were different. Does that sound right?

 

[guzhogi]

Thats sounds cool, more things to play with.

I was avoiding open directory because I read somewhere that it can be tricky. One thing I read was to make sure local user names and ones in the server were different. Does that sound right?

Yup, mainly because if they were the same, the computer wouldn't know which one you were referring to.

 

[gpspad]

Yup, mainly because if they were the same, the computer wouldn't know which one you were referring to.

Sorry last question, any way to take one of my existing user accounts, import it into the OS X server, then use it to log into the server from the other macs.

Just thinking of how I make the transition from the older accounts.

 

[guzhogi]

Sorry last question, any way to take one of my existing user accounts, import it into the OS X server, then use it to log into the server from the other macs.

Just thinking of how I make the transition from the older accounts.

Easiest way that I've done (though still a hassle):
1) copy the home folder to an external hard drive
2) delete the account on local computer
3) create server account
4) log in under server account
5) copy data back to server account

Another way I've done (though I've had mixed results with it):
1) Backup the local account data (just in case)
2) Delete the local account, but tell it to leave the home folder as is
3) Log in under the server account. If the user name's the same, it should say that a home folder with the same name exists and asks if you want to use it. I've had mixed results with this