Mac OS X Lion Server For Dummies®

Chapter 6

Setting Up Open Directory

In This Chapter

• Planning for an Open Directory deployment
• Checking DNS and time service
• Creating an Open Directory master and importing accounts with the Server app
• Creating Open Directory masters and replicas with Server Admin
• Binding to another directory server
• Archiving Open Directory for backup
• Binding Mac to Open Directory

If, during the setup process, the assistant created a network directory (instead of a local one), then you've created an Open Directory master, Lion Server's shared storehouse for network user and resource information. If you haven't created an Open Directory master, you can easily create a directory using the Server app or Workgroup Manager, or both, and use Server Admin to configure the directory services. You don't have to host your own directory: Lion Server can connect to other directory servers and use their information.

This chapter describes how to set up and manage Open Directory, using the Server app for simpler tasks, and Server Admin and Workgroup Manager for more complex tasks. For more general information on network directories, see Chapter 5. For information on how to set up and manage user and group accounts, see Chapter 16.