The Next Objective: SMS for the Macintosh
After helping my client plan and deploy a Windows server for their Macintosh file services, I started to work on providing antivirus updates, software update pushes, administrative controls--that sort of thing. In the Windows world, they call these features the Server Management System, or SMS. It's a part available used with Windows 2000 Server, or it may be included as a component.
Anyway, the new file server is just that--no SMS ability, unlike an Xserve would be since it would file serve but also recognize the clients and provide other features.
The choices range in quality from remote control-style software such as Apple Remote Desktop to Mac OS X Server to Timbuktu Pro from Netopia. Each has its advantages and disadvantages--all of which I hope to determine this late spring.
I appreciated Mac OS X Server's ability to force preferences and policies to avoid changing of certain key settings. But using the Xserve for the file server was out because it had to work with the client's network storage and backup plan. OS X Server 10.2, at the time I played with it, was a bit buggy as well.
I'm getting a bit disturbed about the recent rash of hardware problems in Apple products. This latest one involved G4 desktops. We had eMac problems late last year. Is Apple's quality control slipping? I'd say so. Keep your warranties and serial numbers close, everyone. If you deploy in a business, let the systems sit switched on for a day or two, running Chess or something, to confirm it's not going DOA anytime soon.
10:40:00 PM 
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