A number of my scripts leverage attributes found within an objects Active Directory record. I used to reach to either decl or Apache Directory Studio as per this article on JAMFNation in order to view this information when investigating my scripts.
However, since 10.7 (I think), I have more often found myself using Directory Utility to perform this task. the below is a quick run through on how to use it for this task.
Continue readingUPDATE: AutoDMG makes this process, "stupid easy" so I'm going to move away from the below to using that tool. Also, if you're master distribution point is a JDS you cannot compile configurations. Again AutoDMG to the rescue.
Ever since Casper Admin has allowed for compiling configurations way back in the 10.5/6 days I have been successfully creating an OS.dmg via Casper Admin. I still use this method today & since 10.7 this DMG also includes the Restore Partition.
The end result is an DMG of the OS that has never been booted & is an asr image. Much like DMG’s created by InstaDMG & AutoDMG.
I’m not sure why I seem to be the only one doing this, but below is the how;
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By default Apple Software Update Server’s (READ: ASUS) sync daily with Apple at 3am.
But this can be changed, & the below script can be ran to change the interval. You can change either the time of day the sync runs or change it to once a week.
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Way back in 2011 I wrote the post: Managing Apple Software Update Server Across Multiple Servers 10.5/10.6/10.7. This itself was based off of an Apple KB article that seems to have disappeared, but the method outlined in the post above is alive & well, just needs some tweaking for 10.8+.
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Most of the Macs I support are mobile & it seems that around the with the release of the “Unibody MacBook Pro” Apple stopped shipping Macs with a battery that would keep the Macs time even when the Macs main battery had died.
This means that if a Macs battery dies during travelling to another office, they’d not be able to login once there as the time would be more than 5 minutes out. Also, we heavily use SSL to secure things like our Wireless & many websites (JSS distribution points included).
So the solution was for me to setup my own NTP, that would both sync with my domains NTP & be externally accessible for those mobile users on the road.
I’ve posted How To: Set a Macs Time Server, How To: Sync Time With NTP via Script & How To: Check Your Active Directory Domains Time. They all came about when 1st looking at this issue, this last post in the series with use all those posts.
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So far I have posted 2 blog posts on How To: Set a Macs Time Server & How To: Sync Time With NTP via Script. Well, why am I posting this?
A recent post showed how to forcibly update a Macs time against a given NTP server, i’ve since been asked how to set the Macs NTP server.
This post will try & show you how.
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Time’s a blessing & a curse, but an absolute. When it comes to Active Directory & Kerberos, it’s very important.
The below script will try & sync the Macs time to the NTP server specified at $4 or hardcoded as a value for the NTPServer variable in the script.
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The below will delete the currently logged in users login.keychain, if the $logoutPrompt is set to Y then it will bring up the standard OSX logout prompt, else it will kill the loginwindow process & force logout.
When the user nexts logs in they will recreate the login.keychain.
We have this a an item in Self Service.
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Safari 6 used to open new windows by default to the Homepage, this behaviour in Safari 7 has been changed to show the “Top Sites” window as shown above.
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