MAC os X SnowLeopard and Lion integration with edir

Question

Hi,
I have been reading a bit on the subject as my MAC server is nearing it's end of life and I still have an OES 2 server in use (old OES sp1).
Does someone know what is in plans for MAC users regarding ease of use when logging in to a SLES/OES system in the future?
OES3 and Filr seems intresting, but will there be any help in the MAC integration?
Currently have a SBS 5 user license but don't want to deploy it until it's easier to manage/use with macs
Running SLES11+Groupwise8 on my MAC server virtually and it's a perfect combination.
Thinkin about virtualizing the new SBS when it's launched - any news on that?
I know Simon Flood is a specialist in this area with MACs - have you any insight?
Sincerely,
DB

Answer 1

Originally Posted by smflood
On 27/10/2011 08:06, dominicus wrote:
> I have been reading a bit on the subject as my MAC server is nearing
> it's end of life and I still have an OES 2 server in use (old OES sp1).
Not sure what you mean by "OES 2 server in use (old OES sp1)", an OES2
server that was upgraded from original OES[v1] SP2 perhaps? OES2 SP3
(on SLES10 SP4) is latest available version and has (or will have once
the next Scheduled Maintenance patch comes out) improved AFP support for
Mac OS X Lion.
Yes an OES2 sp1 server and have not had the need to update.
Want to do a fresh install when it's easier to implement in a all MAC enviroment
> Does someone know what is in plans for MAC users regarding ease of use
> when logging in to a SLES/OES system in the future?
Whilst I'd like to see Novell implement something in OES to make Mac
integration easier (I and others have had conversations) there's nothing
currently planned.
Too bad. Do you recommend a third party product for that?
> OES3 and Filr seems intresting, but will there be any help in the MAC
> integration?
There is no OES3, OES11 is the next version.
OES11 will include support for DHX2 in the AFP protocol implementation
so there will be no need to configure each Mac client to use DHX[v1]
(this fix is also being backported to OES2 SP3 hence the earlier
reference to next OES2 SP3 Scheduled Maintenance patch). Other than
that it's the same as with OES2.
Filr is very interesting but doesn't help with Mac integration. There
will be an iOS client for iDevices but as it currently stands a Mac
client will follow in "version 2". Personally I'd like to see a Mac
client with version 1 but I'm assured Mac users will still be able to
use Filr.
> Currently have a SBS 5 user license but don't want to deploy it until
> it's easier to manage/use with macs
SBS? Are you referring to Microsoft's or Novell's small business
solution? Hopefully the latter and you mean NOWS SBE perhaps?
Yes Nows SBE, sorry for the confusion
> Running SLES11+Groupwise8 on my MAC server virtually and it's a perfect
> combination.
> Thinkin about virtualizing the new SBS when it's launched - any news on
> that?
Which virtualisation product are you using on your Mac server
(presumably an Xserve)? Whilst I know it can be done I'm not aware of
anyone who is virtualising Novell solutions on an Apple server but then
I don't get out much! ;-)
I'm currently using the VMware Fusion desktop product and it has been working flawless since the start
one year ago.
Running all on a MAC mini server edition with 8GB ram and all data stored on a NAS attached to my mac via firewire.
For a small office with only 5 users this has proven to be a sufficient.
> I know Simon Flood is a specialist in this area with MACs - have you
> any insight?
I'm still around. Hopefully the above answers some questions but
unfortunately asks more!
In the end I guess it all depends on what you want to achieve. Can you
have a user logging into a Mac authenticating against OES with the
user's home directory on an OES server. Yes sure and there is more than
one way to do it though the problem is support by Novell but we're
working on that!
Thanks for your reply. I'll work slowly on this and if I have any questions I'll post back or start a new conversation.
HTH.
Simon
Novell Knowledge Partner (NKP)
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