Snow Leopard™ Server

Chapter 10. Workgroup Manager

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Authenticating with a server

• Exploring the interface

• Working with user accounts

• Working with computer accounts

• Working with computer group accounts

• Creating and configuring records

• Managing account access and privileges

Whereas Server Admin monitors services and their configuration in Snow Leopard Server, Workgroup Manager acts as the administrative interface for working with users, groups, and computers.

Specifically, Workgroup Manager is used to configure the following:

• Accounts

• Password policy

• User, workgroup, and machine preferences

• Home directories

• Group memberships

• User quotas on his or her disk

• Mail and print queues

• Related account attributes

The application manages a domain's directory service, which allows network clients to log in to domain computers with a central account that can provide them with the same desktop settings and access to the same network resources across any system.

Support for Portable Home Directories can even enable users to sync their local files between a desktop workstation and a notebook via their server home directory, allowing users to go mobile and automatically take their working files with them.

User, group, and computer accounts can be assigned managed preferences, which are used both to create a consistent environment for network users and to control and secure machines by limiting access to specific applications, dictating how features — such as the Dock, Dashboard, or Time Machine — work or disabling hardware ...