Managing a pure apple environment

[Tanviper]

I’ve applied for a job in NY that has about 60 people and a few “gently used” (his words) servers. He said they’re all macs.

im a PC guy with Mac experience. I can get around Mac OS. I’ve owed macs before and have an iPad, Apple Watch, and an iPhone.

here’s my question. What should I know about this environment in general? How does one manage macs in an enterprise environment? I think I can re-image a Mac individually , but how do you make an image of a Mac for deployment later? What factors are different in a Mac environment vrs a PC one? Aren’t most macs glued down to the point they’re almost impossible to repair? Are there any good websites for brushing up on the basics and learning some advance troubleshooting skills for Apple? I feel like a deer in the headlights and I want to educate myself.

I have a 2nd interview with their HR department next week, so if I get the job I plan on going to the store and buying a Mac since I am rusty on them. I just don’t know what I don’t know and I need to start throwing myself into an apple mindset again.

 

[Shanghaichica]

What does the work entail?

My husband is a PC and android guy. He uses his desktop at home, wont use the iMac or MacBooks. However at his workplace they used only Macs. He manages.

 

[satcomer]

Microsoft back in the day in Server 2010 allowed Macs (during 10.6.x) to joining Sever’s Domain! All you do on modern Mac , as Administrator, is to unopened System Preferences->Network, Advanced button and put is a Domain Server IP manually and click the join button! To easy!

 

[chrfr]

here’s my question. What should I know about this environment in general? How does one manage macs in an enterprise environment? I think I can re-image a Mac individually , but how do you make an image of a Mac for deployment later? What factors are different in a Mac environment vrs a PC one?

Imaging is dead on Macs. To manage them effectively, you need to be using an MDM platform like Jamf Pro (there are several others as well.) There's not much overlap between managing Windows and managing Macs, although if you've used a tool like SCCM with Windows you would have some familiarity with the general concepts even though the details differ significantly.
Here are some resources: https://www.jamf.com/solutions/technologies/mac-management/

https://www.apple.com/business/docs/site/Mac_Deployment_Overview.pdf

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You can also experiment with Profile Manager that's built in to the Server app, but do not use it as a production tool. Profile Manager would give you a basic overview of how an MDM system works, to some degree, but it's very fragile and is quite feature limited. There's no way to have a replica/backup server for it and when the server crashes you can lose all your configurations.

To be honest, it doesn't sound like the employer really knows what they need. If they're not prepared to spend several thousand dollars a year, and likely more, for an MDM, whoever comes into this job isn't going to succeed. If the candidate also isn't familiar with managing Macs, it's probably not going to work out well for either party.

I have no idea what a gently server is.

Lastly, no, binding Macs to the Microsoft domain will not do anything more than allow network users to sign in and, in most cases, isn't even the preferred way to deal with network accounts anymore.

 

[Tanviper]

Imaging is dead on Macs. To manage them effectively, you need to be using an MDM platform like Jamf Pro (there are several others as well.) There's not much overlap between managing Windows and managing Macs, although if you've used a tool like SCCM with Windows you would have some familiarity with the general concepts even though the details differ significantly.
Here are some resources: https://www.jamf.com/solutions/technologies/mac-management/

https://www.apple.com/business/docs/site/Mac_Deployment_Overview.pdf

Mobile Device Management Settings for IT

This content has moved.

support.apple.com

You can also experiment with Profile Manager that's built in to the Server app, but do not use it as a production tool. Profile Manager would give you a basic overview of how an MDM system works, to some degree, but it's very fragile and is quite feature limited. There's no way to have a replica/backup server for it and when the server crashes you can lose all your configurations.

To be honest, it doesn't sound like the employer really knows what they need. If they're not prepared to spend several thousand dollars a year, and likely more, for an MDM, whoever comes into this job isn't going to succeed. If the candidate also isn't familiar with managing Macs, it's probably not going to work out well for either party.

I have no idea what a gently server is.

Lastly, no, binding Macs to the Microsoft domain will not do anything more than allow network users to sign in and, in most cases, isn't even the preferred way to deal with network accounts anymore.

I was told they have 2 servers that are hardly ever used. I’m assuming they connect to it for file storage and not much else. He didn’t know about sccm when I asked about that (before learning it was all macs) and wasn’t a technical person so his knowledge was limited to the details of the environment.

I think I can be successful at it—I did manage all the macs at a previous job in 2019, and I was the lead Apple tech at compUSA back in the day—I’m just not up to date with modern Mac management in a corporate environment since windows is what’s normally used in something like this and what I’m familiar with as an IT tech.

 

[Tanviper]

What does the work entail?

My husband is a PC and android guy. He uses his desktop at home, wont use the iMac or MacBooks. However at his workplace they used only Macs. He manages.

I know enough about the MacOS to find stuff, install programs, printers, get on the wifi/network. I’m familiar with the various keyboard commands to a point, and know enough to “google” my way through an issue. Over the last 10 years, I’m dealt with mostly PC environments with a Mac thrown in here and there, but a 50 to 60 all Mac business is something new to me just in its scale. I did manage a lab full of macs back in 2010, but that was way before mdm, ads, and other management tools.

what does the work entail? Managing the computers (make sure they work, can print, get on the internet, etc..) I don’t know if they have any type of management software like AD, MDM or if it’s mostly unmanaged since the stuff they do is internet based and off the self programs like office

 

[Euroamerican]

Download some of the white papers, if they are still available, from the Apple site and read through them. It will help during the interview and also help you discover more about how much or if you would like doing the job. I bet you can do it!

https://www.apple.com/business/ is a good place to start for Apple propaganda PDFs. Another variation on that is https://www.apple.com/business/it/

Mac OS Certification training is still available, but through Learnquest.

You used to be able to do a Mac Integration Basics quick self-taught course and online test. I don't know if they still offer that, but it used to provide quick and trendy Mac-centric orientation of what their latest spiels are regarding how they can successfully fit OS X into a business IT world.

Can't seem to find it at the moment, that Cert. https://training.apple.com/us/en/courses


RE: Gently Servers. Is it a medical company? The only thing I found so far is http://gentle.magnusmanske.de/

Software for DNA research... Wikipedi has info too. Hopefully they are NOT Apple OS X Server boxes... Or, you may be able to help them get that software moved over to other OSes....

 

[satcomer]

What business are running? Are talking Accounting or Administration or taxes (it is the season in USA)? Different software depending on your answer will get good results!

 

[Longkeg]

RE: Gently Servers. Is it a medical company? The only thing I found so far is http://gentle.magnusmanske.de/

I believe the OP is stating the company’s servers were described to him as “gently used.” This is an English idiom meaning something is being under utilized or not being used to its full capacity. For instance, a car that is only driven a mile to church every Sunday might be described as a “gently used” car.

it doesn’t refer to a specific server type or configuration. The guy was just being told the company’s servers aren’t working very hard.

 

[chrfr]

I believe the OP is stating the company’s servers were described to him as “gently used.” This is an English idiom meaning something is being under utilized or not being used to its full capacity. For instance, a car that is only driven a mile to church every Sunday might be described as a “gently used” car.

it doesn’t refer to a specific server type or configuration. The guy was just being told the company’s servers aren’t working very hard.

That's sort of what I figured, but it's an odd way to describe servers. Edit: the OP has reworded their post since I replied.

 

[pmiles]

You sort of have to wonder about a job in which little is given about their setup other than they use Macs. They should be asking you some serious questions to get a feel for your understanding of the job rather than leaving it up to you to ask.

Sounds like a really small business... as in tiny. I hope you aren't moving out there for the job before checking out the solvency of the business.

 

[Tanviper]

You sort of have to wonder about a job in which little is given about their setup other than they use Macs. They should be asking you some serious questions to get a feel for your understanding of the job rather than leaving it up to you to ask.

Sounds like a really small business... as in tiny. I hope you aren't moving out there for the job before checking out the solvency of the business.

I’ve already checked the company out

 

[MBAir2010]

I’ve applied for a job in NY that has about 60 people and a few “gently used” (his words) servers. He said they’re all macs.

they dont call that the "Big Apple" for no reason at all!

in 2019 i had to use windows 8 then 10 for my place of employment and had trouble with commands and speed of the environment behind a desktop which i was very embarrassed because i always prided my self over the sped and accuracy while working . what i did was purchase a Dell XPS laptop for home and work, which helped me get more comfortable with a system i kinda knew.
im sure you will do fine, the NYC work environment is not as evil as people think.

 

[ssmed]

My 2 cents...

What an opportunity to improve things. Macs for all their good points are not great servers! I am not sure I would say that at the interview though

For the interview I would ensure I was conversant with the currently supporting operating systems and try to have some base knowledge of the applications being used – for instance are they all using Adobe Creative Cloud or is it mostly MS 365 or is there some bespoke stuff in there. I would also read up on Mac security, backup strategies and Remote Desktop, although based on your CV they are likely know your PC background so there may be non-specific services such as network issues and optimisation / VPN access and the like in which your different experience is really useful.

Good luck

 

[ApfelKuchen]

There's no typical way for a 60-computer business to manage IT, whether Mac or PC. Some treat it with the seriousness of a 10,000-computer enterprise, others barely manage them at all - content to have an IT person who basically provides tech support to those with problems, installs new equipment and software, and fixes printer paper jams. Others have a serious commitment to security and control. Some, when hiring a new employee, will want to maintain the status quo, others want relatively modest improvements, still others want major change.

There's little point to trying to be "totally prepared" for a job that's poorly defined. There's too much to know about any topic to do that. You could do a deep study of enterprise device management techniques only to learn that the company doesn't use device management and has no intentions to adopt it.

As to hardware repair knowledge... that's going to be a function of what Macs are deployed. If they're using mostly iMacs and laptops then you'll likely be sending those units out for repair. If they have a large number of aging Mac Pros you may spend much of your time trying to squeeze more life out of tower-style machines - that's much more like working with PCs.

 

[satcomer]

Well is software company Does it working on? Is it Active Directory or a Open Directory?

 

[chrfr]

Well is software company Does it working on? Is it Active Directory or a Open Directory?

This really isn't relevant to how to manage Macs in a modern environment.

 

[satcomer]

This really isn't relevant to how to manage Macs in a modern environment.

With that many Macs in company so kind or control should be in place, beside if they are any good they would have a Internet Firewall server inside the place as well, if they worth the salt on modern security!