Managed Preferences or Parental Controls

[ybekkering]

I have a OSX 10.4.7-server and lots of OSX 10.4 clients. However, I want to setup 25 MacBooks for mobile users. On the MacBooks is 10.5.

I want to setup the MacBooks with 3 users: root (for special occassions), admin (for installing needs) and a standard user. The standard user has to be controlled by managed prefs.
I don’t have 10.5 server.
My own MacBook also runs 10.5 and I use WGM and so on to administer my 10.4.7-server.

Here are my questions:
– is it smart to download the admin tools for 10.5 and then use WGM to manage the prefs locally on the MacBooks ? Can I run more versions of WGM ?
– is it better to use just the parental controls ?
– is there another way to go deeper in the managed prefs of the MacBooks ?

Any tips are welcome !

Kind regards, Y Bekkering, NL

[stepansae]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: ybekkering[/u][p]I have a OSX 10.4.7-server and lots of OSX 10.4 clients. However, I want to setup 25 MacBooks for mobile users. On the MacBooks is 10.5.

I want to setup the MacBooks with 3 users: root (for special occassions), admin (for installing needs) and a standard user. The standard user has to be controlled by managed prefs.
I don’t have 10.5 server.
My own MacBook also runs 10.5 and I use WGM and so on to administer my 10.4.7-server.

Here are my questions:
– is it smart to download the admin tools for 10.5 and then use WGM to manage the prefs locally on the MacBooks ? Can I run more versions of WGM ?

I got both 10.4 and 10.5 servers and clients and so far I discovered that no. Using 10.5 WGM on 10.4 doesn’t fully work for me. You can still manage enven 10.5 clients with your 10.4

– is it better to use just the parental controls ?

What are actually your objectives?

– is there another way to go deeper in the managed prefs of the MacBooks ?

What do you mean? You can add any com.apple setting using WGM even if it is not in the GUI.

Stepan Raichl

Any tips are welcome !

Kind regards, Y Bekkering, NL[/p][/QUOTE]

[ybekkering]

For example I want to make it possible to the clients that the can’t use USB-sticks, but the can access the CD/DVD. I also want to control their dock and the applications they may use. And I want to control their access to the system preferences (the only can manage background and screensaver).

Is it useful to install WGM 10.5 local and then go with WGM 10.5 to their local dir and create the proper managed prefs (and then delete the program WGM 10.5) of can I edit the files in the library/managed preferences on the MacHD ?

Or just use parental controls (they are adult users, so isn’t that a bit strange ?).

[stepansae]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: ybekkering[/u][p]For example I want to make it possible to the clients that the can’t use USB-sticks, but the can access the CD/DVD. I also want to control their dock and the applications they may use. And I want to control their access to the system preferences (the only can manage background and screensaver).

Is it useful to install WGM 10.5 local and then go with WGM 10.5 to their local dir and create the proper managed prefs (and then delete the program WGM 10.5) of can I edit the files in the library/managed preferences on the MacHD ?

Or just use parental controls (they are adult users, so isn’t that a bit strange ?).[/p][/QUOTE]

Better install Mac OS X server and manage your clients from the server (WGM & OD). If you don’t have you managed preferences centralised, you will have to deal with every single machine individualy. When you useres start complaining that they need this particular SW to run, you will have to update this manualy on every single workstation.

Parental controls will not provide you with all the features of WGM.

Stepan Raichl

[Author]

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