Client Management
Apple Remote Desktop 3 makes it possible for just five IT technicians here at headquarters to keep all 500 computers running smoothly and provide immediate, hands—on support for all our employees, whether they’re working on the company network or connected over the Internet from an off—site meeting room. Todd Nugent, CIO, Chapman and Cutler
Do more. Spend less.
With innovative client management tools for the Mac—such as Apple Remote Desktop and the advanced services in Mac OS X Leopard Server like Workgroup Manager, NetBoot, and NetInstall—you can support company-wide client systems centrally with minimal IT resources. Mac OS X Server provides robust tools for centralized management of users, groups, and computers, allowing IT staff to provide upgrade, patch, and security services while keeping costs and effort low. With Apple Remote Desktop, client-side IT concerns can be addressed more quickly and easily without support staff needing to leave their desks, enabling everyone at your organization to work more efficiently.
Centralize and conquer.
Mac OS X Server includes powerful services that work together to provide an integrated client management solution. Workgroup Manager simplifies system administration by providing centralized directory-based management for creating user accounts, setting up groups, and centrally managing Mac clients company-wide. With Mac OS X Server, tasks like creating and implementing access controls, setting password policies, setting preferences, and personalizing work environments are all built-in features that increase IT efficiency by eliminating the need to manage client systems individually.
To protect your organization from security risks and liabilities, Software Update Server helps administrators control how and when client computers download software, enabling access to approved updates only. Having a local caching software update server also streamlines network use—saving the costs of multiple downloads for the same update and reducing bandwidth consumption by eliminating the need for users to download updates individually. In addition, by monitoring system use, settings, and permissions centrally with Managed Preferences, your organization can ensure compliance with software licensing agreements by detailing which applications have been used on remote systems.
Update and configure.
The NetBoot service in Mac OS X Server allows multiple Mac systems to boot from a single server-based disk image, instead of from their internal hard drives—enabling a standard configuration to be used on all of the systems in a department, or for multiple images to be hosted for different workgroups. Organizations with high security requirements can use diskless NetBoot without the need to store data locally. NetBoot server can also be set up to act as a diagnostic server, enabling a user to boot to a diagnostic image if their local disk requires repair, and then reboot back once the local disk has been fixed.
The complementary NetInstall service in Mac OS X Server lets IT staff use installation images to selectively and automatically install, restore, and upgrade networked Mac systems across the organization, all at once. Using NetBoot and NetInstall, systems company-wide can be kept current with minimal IT resources. The System Image Utility leverages the power of Automator in Mac OS X Server to provide an intuitive interface for creating NetBoot and NetInstall disk images.
The long arm of IT.
Whether ensuring Mac clients are running the latest version of Mac OS X or coordinating a company-wide software upgrade, the systems on your network are always just a few mouse-clicks away with Apple Remote Desktop. With features such as software distribution, screen sharing, automated tasks and installations, and detailed application and user history reports, Apple Remote Desktop offers a centralized way to manage an unlimited number of Mac clients on the network—with no per-client charge, using the Unlimited Managed Systems edition.
Apple Remote Desktop makes system administration easier than ever, featuring Automator actions to eliminate time-consuming administrative tasks, Remote Spotlight search for lightning-fast searches on remote client systems, and a Dashboard widget for instant, at-a-glance views of remote computers on the network. Remote Drag and Drop provides pinpoint accuracy when moving items, or copying and pasting information, between systems. And Power Copy, the file copy engine, supports 64-bit file sizes, network bandwidth limits, and optional encryption of data streams. The AutoInstall and screen-sharing features let IT staff provide real-time online help to remote users—saving time for administrators and increasing overall productivity by eliminating the wait for system upgrades, installations, or troubleshooting. Curtain Mode even allows admin tasks to be performed remotely without being seen by the local user. Remote access to client computers increases the number of user incidents resolved each day and enables idle systems to be put to sleep or shut down remotely, reducing energy costs.
Longterm value. True ROI.
Client management is an investment that keeps providing value throughout the life of an organization. Through continual inventory tracking and centralized system monitoring, the tools in Mac OS X Server and Apple Remote Desktop will assist you in making smart purchasing decisions—from adding new hardware to upgrading software. This will help maximize the value of your company’s IT purchases and reduce overall equipment costs. In addition, administering client machines remotely will greatly enhance user support efficiency, saving significant time and money.
IT Resources
White papers, Technical Overviews, Guides, and links to resources for the IT professional. Learn more
Leopard Server Evaluation
If you think it takes a dedicated IT department to deploy and use a server, think again. Register to receive your free, fully functional evaluation copy of Mac OS X Server. Learn more
Third-Party Products
Looking for additional products that complement your Apple solution? Here are just a few of the many solutions designed for the Mac from third-party developers.
