Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

JoelBC

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 16, 2012
1,066
106
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 Server’s network through the OS X Server’s “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 Manager’s 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 server’s 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 Server’s domain name.

b) OS X and iOS devices can be configured to access / use OS X Server’s 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 Server’s 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
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.