WebMin, Server Admin and Workgroup Manager

I saw a fairly recent post where it was stated that "Using webmin/virtualmin will break SA and WGM sooner or later." I assume that means that SA and WGM will no longer be reliable, or usable at all, but that the services provided by Tiger Server will not be affected. Can anyone tell me if this is correct? Or give details on just how SA and WGM break? And is anyone successfully using WebMin exclusively for working with OS X services -- mail and Web in particular? Thanks to whomever...

I am using Webmin to help configure things that are in-there, but have no GUI in SA or WGM. Apache and DNS are good examples where SA lacks a big bunch in configurability.
The usual precautions work fine in this situation. Always have a current backup, and have another even more current one ready before doing major experiments with configuration.
Always log off with any other utlity before starting to alter settings with another utility. That will save you from tools cross-writing to config files, potentially getting you into trouble.
The /usr/bin/sudo admin lecture bringt it down to the point: Think before you type.
Regards MacLemon

Similar Messages

Server Admin and Workgroup Manager is sloooow

When running Server Admin or Workgroup Manager directly from my client macbook, connected to one of our leopard servers, it is painfully slow. I mean painfully.
It takes a minute to connect while I stare at this spinning wheel, some actions never stop spinning the wheel. Sometimes it just stops and everything is working great.
If I run the admin tools locally, connected through remote desktop its working much better, but can still be quite slow when connecting sometimes.
Any ideas?

I had a similar problem with a new xserve, setup with the factory pre-install leopard 10.5.2 it defaults to the server FQDN (myservername.com) for server admin with no DNS setup it takes ages to finaly get SA to open because it can't resolve itself.
deleting server.myservername.com once SA fianaly responds it reverts to server.local and responds
once DNS is configured correctly, no more issues.
this particular server went on to develope regular OD crashes and AFP problems with OD crashing and when users logged in/out nd AFP having to be restarted when OD crashed and I decided to rebuild it.
the DVD was 10.5.1, on bootup it was far worse than the factory pre-install when opening SA
I upgraded to 10.5.2 combo before turning on any services , even when I got DNS working it was slow to respond nothing like as bad as without DNS but still slow. DNS checked out fine. The only way I could get it to respond normally was to add the domain name to Search domains in network preferences.
something I did notice with the DVD install in server setup the local address defaulted to .private SA expects .local and the server name wasn't automatically filled out when I entered the server FQDN. the factory pre-install automaticly filled out the server name and used .local
there is an edit button near the server name once you click on that it changes the name from .private to .local
I didn't notice the .private the 1st time around and with the .private things where far worse. SA wouldn't respond at all even with 127.0.0.1

Synch problem - Server.app and Workgroup-Manager

Hello everybody,
I have been having troubles with this OS X Server from the very beginning - I even went through the hassle of a complete new installation - Server.app failed from the very begining.
I found something new today. Take the Network-Accounts or Groups (it is an Open Directory Master) and view them in Server.App and in Workgroup-Manager to compare entries. Every group in Workgroup-Manager is visible in Server.App as well - BUT - the members of a group (visible in WM) aren't showing up in the respective group if viewed at through Server.App?! What is going on here?

Hello everybody,
I have been having troubles with this OS X Server from the very beginning - I even went through the hassle of a complete new installation - Server.app failed from the very begining.
I found something new today. Take the Network-Accounts or Groups (it is an Open Directory Master) and view them in Server.App and in Workgroup-Manager to compare entries. Every group in Workgroup-Manager is visible in Server.App as well - BUT - the members of a group (visible in WM) aren't showing up in the respective group if viewed at through Server.App?! What is going on here?

WGM vs Server Admin and Leopard server access

I am able to access my Leopard xserve through my firewall using Server Admin tool, but not when I try with WGM.Message is..."host unknown" ...."host unreachable." What is the difference? Not a problem with ARD either ....mmmmm. Can someone shed some light on the experience? Thanks, J Langloi

By filtering, (if I may), he meant restricting. IE: If you're going to do this, you absolutely need to have the Firewall restrict what external IPs are allowed access, rather than making those ports wide open to anyone and everyone.
But, it's pretty much industry-standard/ standard-practice to disallow connections across a company firewall to internal servers, except via VPN. (And by this I am excluding servers that are intended to be public-facing but are still appropriately firewalled).
In rare cases where VPN is not a readily-available option, it is possible to connect to both Server Admin and Workgroup Manager over ssh, but I don't suggest going that route without absolutely securing ssh in every possible way (has minor typos I wish I could fix but nothing that confuses the vital info): http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7082312

Cant Access Server Admin and Server Preferences anymore

After upgrading to the latest Mac OS X 10.6.5 Version and/or changing Admin Password (I dont know the reason yet) I dont have access to my Server Admin and Server Preferences while I still can use my Workgroup Manager including Directory Admin (driadmin) and System Preferences. My Client Macs cant access Filesharing services and timemachine backup service anymore on the server, too. Other Services like MyEyeTV, Wuala, iTunes are working fine on the server and can be used by my Client MACs in my LAN.
How could I proceed to fix this issue?
What I have tried so far:
I have tried to access my Server Admin thru the Client Mac mini using Server Admin App.
I checked the OS Version: Mac OS X Server 10.6.5 (10H575)
I checked the Server Admin Version: 10.6.5 (328.4)
I also reinstalled the latest MAC OS X Server Update 10.6.5
I still have root access. (Verified by DataQuest Engineer)
Used also 127.0.0.1 Address to Access the Server.
Is there a more elegant way to fix this issue than reinstall the server?

... well uninstalling "Hands Off!" Application solved the problem.
Also if I assumed that i disabled this application, it was still active.

Can connect with Server Admin and Server Prefs, not Screen Sharing or ARD

Just set up 10.5 server on my G5, and trying to connect from 10.5 on my iMac. I have tried both with the server System Preferences set to allow Screen Sharing via VNC, and with Remote Management enabled for ARD. In both cases, I get authentication errors when trying to connect from home. I have tried with both the full username, and with the short name of the only account on the server. My assumption is that, since this is the administrator account, I don't need to setup explicit privs for it on the server.
I can authenticate without any trouble with both Server Admin and Server Preferences.
The Firewall is not enabled on either machine, although I am behind a NAT router at home -- is it necessary to open any special ports to enable screen sharing? Is it possible that having these ports closed would produce an authentication error?
Thanks for any help.

Hi
I'm going to assume you configured your Server in Standard Configuration and not Workgroup or Advanced?
When using Standard in setting up the server DNS is automatically configured for as well as the Server taking an Open Directory Master Role. The admin account created at the beginning is for administering the Open Directory. Unknown to you and not documented at all - as far as I can see - is the 'Local Administrator' (localadmin) account.
You only become aware of this account if for some reason you have a problem with the Server which involves demoting to Standalone (ie not an Open Directory Master) once this happens you find you can't log on to the Server anymore or communicate with any of the Server applications because it won't accept any username or password other than root and localadmin for the name and the password defined for the original admin account you created right at the beginning.
Sometimes it does not even take demotion to find yourself locked out of the Server. Some have experienced this problem when running the Security Update or when some other problem has occured.
Part of the process of creating an Open Directory Master involves the creation of a 'special' directory administrator account. This account is used for administering the LDAP node. If demotion takes place this account gets blown away along with all users and group accounts that exist in the LDAP node, in fact everything to do with Open Directory is destroyed apart from Users' home folders.
Why demote if this happens? Sometimes the LDAP database gets damaged/corrupted beyond a point where normal troubleshooting methods fail. This can happen for a whole variety of reasons but more often than not is due to a poorly configured DNS Service. You basically only have two options once you reach that stage. A server reinstall involving a format and rebuild or a demotion to Standalone. Which option would you choose? Prior to demotion you can (if you have the chance) export users and groups or even archive the LDAP database itself for restoration later on. This is a useful option as everything to do with the LDAP Server is retained - passwords, users, groups etc. The other method of saving users etc does not retain passwords.
As time goes on and you become more familiar with your server you will find more and more of this information out for yourself. Hopefully the simple advice I've given helps you understand Open Directory a little better.
Hope this helps, Tony

[Mac OS X 10.4.9] Server Admin Can NOT manage localhost

a.t.t
first i delete the X509Anchors And X509Certificates
then i found that SERVER ADMIN app Cannot Manage the LOCALHOST
it said:
==========
There is no server available at the address ou entered
All services failed to aceess the address you provides for QTSS.local
Check the address and try to log on again or contact your network administrator
[keep server in list] [remove server from list]
==========
how can i use SERVER ADMIN again?
Thanks

Hi, and a warm welcome to the forums!
No Server expert here, but I'm fairly certain you must replace those 2 files with copies from elsewhere.

Create local admin from workgroup manager

Just wondering if there is a way to create a local admin on a 10.6 MacBook using Snow Leopard server in the Workgroup Manager?

SL Server

Print server, AD, and Profile Manager

Having a number of issues that I can resolve regarding printing--I am trying to set up profiles in the Profile Manager, but printers are not available or visable. However they are visable in the workgroup manager. The printers reside on Windows print server (2008 R2). Further I can add the printers to my server, but they are not visable in the "Printer Sharing" section of "sharing". So with that, I have a few questions:
1. Do I need to turn on Kerberos in CUPS? User's don't authenticate to our printers via Kerberos, but via the Account manager of the individual printers.
2. Why do settings in Workgroup manager not apply? I can add the printers via LDAP the the new groups I have added, but when I open profile manager the changes or printers are not implemented.
3. How do I make printers visible in Profile Manager?
I have scoured the net and several manuals, but I can seem to stumble upon the correct answer.

Hi,
I have the same issue, very frustrating. Using a Win 2003 AD and 10.8.2 server and clients. If i use WGM I can see all users and groups correctly, but Server.app and Profile Manager does not show them correct.
Strange that we see issues like this since Profile Manager has been around for a while, really interested to hear other peoples experiences.
PS I see a similar thing here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4417085?start=0&tstart=0

HT1338 XSERVE 10.6.8 is running very slow, and Workgroup Manager is not responding

XSERVE 10.6.8 is running very slow, and Workgroup Manager is not responding. There is no more updates to download.

munish khanna wrote:
1. upgrade to lion, which should over write previous software and the reasons for it being slow.
No, you don't want to upgrade over a buggy system, Lion has issues of it's own that will only complicate matters, plus Lion is slower than Snow Leopard.
Learn all the pitfalls before you upgrade to Lion, like all your Rosetta/older programs will no longer work and more.
Leave Lion for a new hardware purchase is my advice, it's still got plenty of security and other issues.
For your performance, your likely better off replacing the hard drive with a 7,200 RPM model and maxing the RAM, download the free MacTracker to find out your specs, and OtherWorld Computing is good for videos, tools and parts.
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/
2. Format the hard disc and reinstall snow leopard.
That will work, provided your data is off the machine first.
Now how do i reinstall snow leopard as it was an online purchased upgrade from leopard.
The 10.6 Snow Leopard disk that you upgraded 10.5 Leopard from actually has the full OS X 10.6 on it.
All you have to do is stick the disk in and hold the c key down while booting, use Disk Utility to erase the entire drive, quit and install 10.6.
Of course your not going to get the free iLife that came with the 10.5 grey disks, see if you can first install 10.5 with the same methods, then setup with the same user name as before, then upgrade to 10.6
I think Apple nulled booting off the 10.5 disks, but it won't hurt to try.
Another method would be to install 10.6 fresh by itself, then use the program called Pacifist to extract iLife from the 10.5 disks.
http://www.charlessoft.com/
Read here for plenty of how to's
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16276201#16276201

Relationship btwn Virtual Host Services for Groups AND WorkGroup manager??

Can someone please explain the relationship between Virtual Host Services (as specified in the Sites section of Server Admin) AND "Enable the following services for this group on ... and the options"?
And where does one go to "create wikis on this site" when one is give the authority to do it in Server Admin > Sites > Services for Groups (Allow the following to create wikis on this site)?*
Finally, why do all my groups seem to show up on all my virtual hosts, even though they are only enabled on a particular site?
Thanks in advance for any assistance. Hopefully any answers will help others with their efforts to understand this set-up.
Cheers,
Ashley.
* I'm assuming they mean actually create new wikis rather than just add pages to the current one.

Thanks Angus, I see that error too.
I understand that Virtual Sites are web-related Apache settings. So, I guess the "Services for Groups" functionality there-in (Sites > Web Services) is just to indicate that this virtual site can have wikis, calendars, blogs etc.
I also understand what a Group is but I am confused as to how they relate to wikis (especially when the config item (Sites > Web Services again) says "allow the following to create wikis (plural) on this site" - my emphasis).
Is it saying that from all the users/groups only the following users/groups can turn on a wiki which will run on this virtual site? For me it sounded like a user/grous could create multiple wikis. So I would like to know if wikis are one-to-one with users/groups?
Cheers,
Ashley.

Exporting server admin and service preferences for backup

I have never used this feature and would like to know if there is any problem using these exported files to reinstall the server admin and service preferences?
.............Thanks in advance for any thoughts....Ray

AFAIK, yes.
Best answer: try it yourself.
Testing your own full recovery path is a Good Thing.
I tend to use the export and import knobs when I'm going to go mess with stuff in a test configuration, and I want a path back and a way to restore the previous settings. (Though because the services can be reconfigured and modify files elsewhere on the disk and entirely dependent on what I'm testing in SA, this isn't necessarily a good global solution. Which gets back to recovery testing. And occasional full disk backups with Disk Utility or analogous.)

Mailman, Server Admin, and mailmanctl launchd item

I upgraded my Mailman to 2.1.12 today, and I had some of the usual problems, some not so usual. I'm used to seeing that mailing lists are stopped in Server Admin, but I would like to be able to see mailman logs in Server admin, and I would prefer not to have to create my own launchd item to execute the mailmanctl command. Logs are an old problem, but the mailmanctl launchd problem is new. Are there fixes for these two problems? I configured with
./configure --prefix=/usr/share/mailman --with-var-prefix=/var/mailman --without-permcheck
Thanks.

I tried it, thanks. Mailman didn't like the config, though. It warned me about using group id "_postfix" and wouldn't distribute until I had reconfigured using --with-mail-gid=_mailman instead of --with-mail-gid=_postfix. Plus I still don't get any connectivity out of Server Admin. I had already edited the launchd file for use with my earlier replacement, so I guess I'll go back to that. It works, I just wanted fewer Server Admin orphans. I have to toss things anytime there's a system update, anyway. Thanks again.

Difference between Profile Manager in Server v2.2 and Workgroup Manager - Mobility

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if anybody experienced mobility management with Profile Manager in Server v2.2 ? It is known that mobility management in Profile Manager is broken in previous versions of Server:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3637378?start=0&tstart=0
Does anybody know if mobility management has been fixed ?
Thanks for your help. Best regards.

I'd also like to know an answer to this. I'm managing a small network and don't have a test environment to stage things in. (This is needed as Profile Manager is WAY too unstable to production.)
I'm currently using WGM to look after Mobility settings and Profile Manager for everything else. I used this setup after I got the same reply as per thread 3637378. It would be nice to have the settings all in once place!

Unix and workgroup manager in 10.4 & 10.5

hey folks:
since we don't have an OD master, we're running workgroup manager (WGM) locally on about 40 macs to manage access to certain system pref panes. we also prevented opening of WGM on each machine except from the root account.
i'm looking for an elegant way to use the command line to UNDO this work and push that solution via ARD. right now i've tried running these lines of code:
sudo rm /Library/Preferences/DirectoryService/*
sudo rm -dr /Library/Managed\ Preferences
sudo dscl . -delete /Config/mcx_cache
and this works, but only temporarily. while it immediately allows access to ALL system preference panes, if the machine is restarted, WGM re-asserts itself and the managed prefs are, once again, put into play.
i want to avoid going to each machine, logging in as root, launching WGM and unselecting the choice i made some years back to manage the system pref panes.
any thoughts?

Here is how I got mine to work, I figured ill share since it was driving me crazy...
open workgroup manager
Click "cancel" on the login window (with the grayed connect)
from the menu click on "server -> view directories"
workgroup will load in "not authenticated" mode
click on the lock symbol on the far right
enter your diradmin or admin user name and password
This seemed to do the trick for me, hope you have the same luck I did.
Now I want to know why it stopped working in the first place

WebMin, Server Admin and Workgroup Manager

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