Apple netboot Hoja De Datos
2
Technology Brief
Mac OS X Server: NetBoot
Mac OS X Server: NetBoot
Why NetBoot?
The NetBoot service in Mac OS X Server is a proven technology that enables
businesses and institutions to streamline the support of Mac clients and reduce
system administration costs. The ability to deploy a standard desktop configuration
across multiple systems and to protect them from alteration makes NetBoot ideal
for computing environments such as classrooms, computer labs, kiosks, and
computational clusters.
businesses and institutions to streamline the support of Mac clients and reduce
system administration costs. The ability to deploy a standard desktop configuration
across multiple systems and to protect them from alteration makes NetBoot ideal
for computing environments such as classrooms, computer labs, kiosks, and
computational clusters.
•
Classrooms and computer labs. NetBoot makes it easy to configure multiple,
identical desktop systems and repurpose them quickly. With NetBoot enabled on
all desktop systems, students can log in on any computer and access their home
directories from the network. NetBoot also allows you to reconfigure systems for
a different class simply by rebooting from a different image.
identical desktop systems and repurpose them quickly. With NetBoot enabled on
all desktop systems, students can log in on any computer and access their home
directories from the network. NetBoot also allows you to reconfigure systems for
a different class simply by rebooting from a different image.
•
Kiosks and libraries. NetBoot enables you to set up protected computing environ-
ments for customers or visitors. For example, you can configure an information
station with an Internet browser that connects only to your company website or a
visitor kiosk that only runs a database for collecting feedback. If a system is altered,
a simple restart restores it to its original condition.
ments for customers or visitors. For example, you can configure an information
station with an Internet browser that connects only to your company website or a
visitor kiosk that only runs a database for collecting feedback. If a system is altered,
a simple restart restores it to its original condition.
•
Computational clusters. NetBoot is a powerful solution for data centers and
computational clusters with identically configured web or application servers.
Similarly purposed systems can boot from a single NetBoot image maintained on
a network-based storage device. NetBoot is also useful for servers hosting scalable
services, such as web and application servers or computational clusters, which can
be “scaled out” by adding systems running identical copies of the service.
Similarly purposed systems can boot from a single NetBoot image maintained on
a network-based storage device. NetBoot is also useful for servers hosting scalable
services, such as web and application servers or computational clusters, which can
be “scaled out” by adding systems running identical copies of the service.
Customized software suites
Since Mac OS X Server can host up to 25 NetBoot disk images, you can support
multiple workgroups, each with its own custom software suite. You can also perform
“rolling upgrades,” testing a new software update on select systems while maintaining
current software on the rest of the network. Or use NetBoot to instantly repurpose a
server—for example, from a web server to an application server—by restarting from a
different image.
Since Mac OS X Server can host up to 25 NetBoot disk images, you can support
multiple workgroups, each with its own custom software suite. You can also perform
“rolling upgrades,” testing a new software update on select systems while maintaining
current software on the rest of the network. Or use NetBoot to instantly repurpose a
server—for example, from a web server to an application server—by restarting from a
different image.
Diskless NetBoot
Mac computers can now boot “disklessly”—entirely from a network-based disk image—
without needing to read from or write to the computer’s hard drive. In combination
with Workgroup Manager, Apple’s built-in client management tool, diskless NetBoot
simplifies administration of controlled computing environments such as libraries, kiosks,
and testing centers. You can use Workgroup Manager to manage system settings and
even prevent users from viewing or modifying a computer’s hard drive, ensuring a
tightly managed computing experience on NetBoot-enabled systems. This is useful, for
example, in schools deploying “digital bluebook” solutions for student testing. It’s also
an ideal solution for environments, such as some government agencies, where security
is a paramount concern. You can prevent data from being stored, even temporarily,
on the computer’s local drive, so sensitive information cannot be compromised by
subsequent users once a person logs off or the system is shut down.
Mac computers can now boot “disklessly”—entirely from a network-based disk image—
without needing to read from or write to the computer’s hard drive. In combination
with Workgroup Manager, Apple’s built-in client management tool, diskless NetBoot
simplifies administration of controlled computing environments such as libraries, kiosks,
and testing centers. You can use Workgroup Manager to manage system settings and
even prevent users from viewing or modifying a computer’s hard drive, ensuring a
tightly managed computing experience on NetBoot-enabled systems. This is useful, for
example, in schools deploying “digital bluebook” solutions for student testing. It’s also
an ideal solution for environments, such as some government agencies, where security
is a paramount concern. You can prevent data from being stored, even temporarily,
on the computer’s local drive, so sensitive information cannot be compromised by
subsequent users once a person logs off or the system is shut down.
System troubleshooting and repairs
NetBoot can also be used to host hard drive diagnostic and repair utilities. When using
diskless NetBoot, the client system runs independently of its hard drive, making it
possible to diagnose and fix problems on client hard drives without needing to cart
around a collection of CDs. This is also useful for supporting iBook and PowerBook
systems—just plug them into the network and boot them from the server-based
diagnostic tools. Once repairs are complete, portable systems can be disconnected
from the network.
NetBoot can also be used to host hard drive diagnostic and repair utilities. When using
diskless NetBoot, the client system runs independently of its hard drive, making it
possible to diagnose and fix problems on client hard drives without needing to cart
around a collection of CDs. This is also useful for supporting iBook and PowerBook
systems—just plug them into the network and boot them from the server-based
diagnostic tools. Once repairs are complete, portable systems can be disconnected
from the network.
Client management with Network Install
Network Install is a complementary service
that’s especially useful for standardizing
system configurations for laptop deploy-
ments. It uses the same core technology as
NetBoot, but instead of booting the client
system from a server-based disk image, it
installs the contents of the image on the
client computer’s hard drive—so the system
no longer needs to be connected to the
network.
Network Install is a complementary service
that’s especially useful for standardizing
system configurations for laptop deploy-
ments. It uses the same core technology as
NetBoot, but instead of booting the client
system from a server-based disk image, it
installs the contents of the image on the
client computer’s hard drive—so the system
no longer needs to be connected to the
network.
2