Apple Servers

Mac OS X Server v10.4 includes a new Software Update Server that extends the manageability of software updates on your network. This streamlined feature lets you cache Apple software updates locally and allows you to decide how and when users view and download software — increasing network flexibility, saving the costs of multiple downloads and reducing bandwidth consumption.

Managed Software Updates

By caching software updates from Apple on your own local Software Update Server, you can evaluate and test software updates before installation and save them until you’re ready for distribution.* Instead of managing these updates manually or monitoring each client computer, Apple’s Software Update Server gives you the freedom and flexibility to deploy organization-wide software at your discretion.

Directory-Based Account Management

Software Update Server integrates seamlessly with Workgroup Manager to simplify management of software update policies. Using managed preferences in Workgroup Manager, you can set system preferences, including those for Software Update, on a per-computer basis. The preferences and policies you define in Workgroup Manager can be stored in any LDAP directory server — including Apple’s Open Directory server built into Mac OS X Server. And by enabling or disabling individual packages on the local server with Server Admin, you can also control which software update packages users are permitted to access. That means you can create and maintain a standard desktop environment and restrict access to software that may be unsuitable for your users.

Reduced Bandwidth Charges

The local Software Update Server downloads software updates from Apple to a local server for sharing with network clients, eliminating the need for each Mac OS X system to engage in multiple separate downloads for each software update. This decreases the amount of bandwidth used outside of your organization’s network, significantly reducing bandwidth charges.

Stay Current — Automatically

The Software Update Server is easy to install and implement quickly. Once up and running, it regularly checks in with Apple’s Software Update Server and requests a list of newly available software. You can configure your local Software Update Server to automatically mirror the updates on the Apple server, guaranteeing that you always have the most current updates. The local Software Update Server enables you to instantly make the packages available to users — or cache automatically downloaded packages for later deployment. To ensure security, all updates are signed by Apple.

* To take advantage of Software Update Server, client computers must be running Mac OS X v10.4 or later.