iMAC in a Windows Domain Network

[FSGDAG]

Hi All...

I was hoping for some help and guidance. I've been a network engineer for 15 years now. All of my experience is in the Microsoft arena. Lately, my organization has been adopting MAC / Apple products ( iPad, iPhones, etc. ) but we've now gone as far as to purchase our first MAC desktop system, an iMAC.

Having no formal training in administering an iMAC in a Windows AD Domain ( 2008 ) I've been scouring the internet ( Google ) looking for as much information as I can. So far, I've been able to integrate it into our AD Domain and have network users login and have access to their network home directories.

I am, however, suffering in a couple of areas and was hoping that I could get some real world advice on the following:

1) What is the best way for me to administer this computer remotely using my Windows 7 Pro workstation? Example: Remotely connecting to it for help desk and other needs. Currently I use Dameware NT Utilities to remotely connect and administer my PC based workstations. Is there a similar utility for iMAC's that will run on Windows 7?

2) Login scripts... How am I able to accomplish this on a MAC? My PC based workstations use a batch file to map network drives and other things needed at login.

3) What is the best way for me to be able to control the iMAC through Group Policies? Or maybe I should be asking if this is even possible?

I appreciate in advance for any help your able to give!

 

[pdentremont]

Reply:iMAC in a Windows Domain Network

Hi,

A lot of us are in a similar situation.

1) There are tons or remote tools. You can SSH using putty to get terminal access. You can use Logmein or Bomgar for a remote control solution. The best option is a good VNC client(mac has a VNC support enable it in sharing). I haven't found one I like but i'm using a mac as my primary so it doesn't really matter.(If you find a good VNC client let me know for my co-workers.

2)You have much better scripting in Mac. You can use BASH scripts, Perl scripts or Apple Scripting. Way better than BAT files.

3)There are various options for giving you group policy options. Macs don't have Group Policy but have MCX or Managed Client Setting for OSX. Extend your AD schema(you can google it), you can get an apple server and build the Magic Triangle or buy a third party mac management solution. There is also some goodies coming in Lion that may solve your problem if you can be patient.


Hope this answers your question.

Thanks,

Peter

 

[FSGDAG]

Peter...

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. Your suggestion look good and I'm gonna spend the time to look at some of those options Hopefully if I have any additional questions, you might be willing to sprinkle some more of that wisdom around

Thanks again

 

[lkirkup]

Hi All...

I was hoping for some help and guidance. I've been a network engineer for 15 years now. All of my experience is in the Microsoft arena. Lately, my organization has been adopting MAC / Apple products ( iPad, iPhones, etc. ) but we've now gone as far as to purchase our first MAC desktop system, an iMAC.

Having no formal training in administering an iMAC in a Windows AD Domain ( 2008 ) I've been scouring the internet ( Google ) looking for as much information as I can. So far, I've been able to integrate it into our AD Domain and have network users login and have access to their network home directories.

I am, however, suffering in a couple of areas and was hoping that I could get some real world advice on the following:

1) What is the best way for me to administer this computer remotely using my Windows 7 Pro workstation? Example: Remotely connecting to it for help desk and other needs. Currently I use Dameware NT Utilities to remotely connect and administer my PC based workstations. Is there a similar utility for iMAC's that will run on Windows 7?

2) Login scripts... How am I able to accomplish this on a MAC? My PC based workstations use a batch file to map network drives and other things needed at login.

3) What is the best way for me to be able to control the iMAC through Group Policies? Or maybe I should be asking if this is even possible?

I appreciate in advance for any help your able to give!

2) Use Automator to create an application and have it run at login.
specifically to mount network drives use "get specified servers"
and add servers as smb://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/mountfolder add as many as you need.
Then use "Connect to servers"
Save as an application and then in Accounts add to the login items.

Using Automator you will be able to do many other things on startup as well.

Also take a look at this
http://www.seminars.apple.com/contactme/pdf/L334436B_ActiveDirect_WP.pdf
short but sweet.