I am new to OS X Server. I have done a fair amount of reading and research into the installation and setup of OS X Server but am confused about the differences / relationship between Binding and Profile Management.
BINDING
I understand [and hopefully correctly] that Binding:
a) Applies to OS X devices but not iOS devices;
b) Applies to both open and closed OS X Server networks [i.e. there is no need for the network to have a fully qualified domain name];
c) Enables / allows OS X devices to physically connect / join / link to an OS X Servers network through the OS X Servers domain name [i.e. not bonjour] thereby enabling the devices to access network drives / shares, enabling the devices to use the OS X Server as a DNS server, making it possible for some of Profile Managers OS X specific settings [i.e. log in items where, for example, shared drives are automatically mounted] to function, etc.
Binding is therefore essentially about physically joining a network through the servers domain name to have access to its physical resources, to resolve both internal and external DNS addresses, etc.
PROFILE MANAGEMENT
I understand [and hopefully correctly] that Profile Management
a) Applies to both OS X and iOS devices;
b) Applies to open networks [i.e. networks with fully qualified domain name] so that OS X and iOS devices can communicate with the OS X Server to obtain configuration profiles.
c) Enables / allows OS X and iOS to be configured by the OS X Server such that i) they have / use the applications and resources [i.e. calendar, mail, VPN, etc.] and ii) they have the configuration and settings [i.e. password requirements, etc.] that you control or specify.
Profile management is therefore essentially about the configuration / setup of an OS X or iOS device in terms of its applications and settings
I therefore based on the above -- further understand a number of items including:
a) An OS X device that is not bound to the OS X Server can be configured / setup using Profile Manager. An OS X device that is not bound to the OS X Server can access OS X servers physical resources through a Bonjour connection as opposed to the OS X Servers domain name.
b) OS X and iOS devices can be configured to access / use OS X Servers services [i.e. mail, calendar, VPN, etc.] both with the use of Profile Manager and without the use of Profile Manager. For example, an OS X device or an iOS device can have OS X Servers VPN service configured / setup on them without the use of Profile Manager by manually adding the VPN parameters or with the use of Profile Manager by automatically pushing the VPN parameters to the device.
c) OS X and an iOS devices that are connected to the same network as the OS X Server resides [i.e. behind the firewall] will resolve URLs differently because the OS X devices will look to the OS X Server because they are bound to the OS X Server whereas the iOS devices will look to the router because they are not bound to the OS X Server.
I would greatly appreciate any and all confirmation / correction of my above understanding as I think it critical that I completely and fully understand this.
Thanks in advance,
Joel
BINDING
I understand [and hopefully correctly] that Binding:
a) Applies to OS X devices but not iOS devices;
b) Applies to both open and closed OS X Server networks [i.e. there is no need for the network to have a fully qualified domain name];
c) Enables / allows OS X devices to physically connect / join / link to an OS X Servers network through the OS X Servers domain name [i.e. not bonjour] thereby enabling the devices to access network drives / shares, enabling the devices to use the OS X Server as a DNS server, making it possible for some of Profile Managers OS X specific settings [i.e. log in items where, for example, shared drives are automatically mounted] to function, etc.
Binding is therefore essentially about physically joining a network through the servers domain name to have access to its physical resources, to resolve both internal and external DNS addresses, etc.
PROFILE MANAGEMENT
I understand [and hopefully correctly] that Profile Management
a) Applies to both OS X and iOS devices;
b) Applies to open networks [i.e. networks with fully qualified domain name] so that OS X and iOS devices can communicate with the OS X Server to obtain configuration profiles.
c) Enables / allows OS X and iOS to be configured by the OS X Server such that i) they have / use the applications and resources [i.e. calendar, mail, VPN, etc.] and ii) they have the configuration and settings [i.e. password requirements, etc.] that you control or specify.
Profile management is therefore essentially about the configuration / setup of an OS X or iOS device in terms of its applications and settings
I therefore based on the above -- further understand a number of items including:
a) An OS X device that is not bound to the OS X Server can be configured / setup using Profile Manager. An OS X device that is not bound to the OS X Server can access OS X servers physical resources through a Bonjour connection as opposed to the OS X Servers domain name.
b) OS X and iOS devices can be configured to access / use OS X Servers services [i.e. mail, calendar, VPN, etc.] both with the use of Profile Manager and without the use of Profile Manager. For example, an OS X device or an iOS device can have OS X Servers VPN service configured / setup on them without the use of Profile Manager by manually adding the VPN parameters or with the use of Profile Manager by automatically pushing the VPN parameters to the device.
c) OS X and an iOS devices that are connected to the same network as the OS X Server resides [i.e. behind the firewall] will resolve URLs differently because the OS X devices will look to the OS X Server because they are bound to the OS X Server whereas the iOS devices will look to the router because they are not bound to the OS X Server.
I would greatly appreciate any and all confirmation / correction of my above understanding as I think it critical that I completely and fully understand this.
Thanks in advance,
Joel