-
MacIT® ConferenceJanuary 16 -18, 2008
Broaden your understanding of Mac administration by participating in the largest gathering of Mac IT Managers. Invaluable technical sessions highlight both Apple and essential third-party IT applications. MacIT provides the best opportunities for meeting with field experts and collaborating with peers.Download the MacIT Conference-@-a-Glance
Sessions focus on:
- Configuring, tuning and understanding hardware servers and software applications
- Client side issues related to Mac OS X computing and management
- Integration with PSx, UNIX, Telephony and other environments
- Managing Macs in an enterprise environment
- A Jump start for admin newbies
- Best Practices for 3rd Party Tools Integration
Tracks
-
Mac OS X Administration
Often times, administrators tweak Mac OS X to suite their needs. These changes often amount to tips and tricks gleaned off the web, through testing, and read in books. This track goes above and beyond the mainstream administration of Mac OS X to provide a thorough, well thought out layout of how to administer and manage Mac OS X. Using tested methods, each session contains solutions for even the most demanding system administrator. Create neutered administrators, program ARD to generate data surrounding your users work habits and computer diagnostics, learn everything you wanted to know about Mac OS X file systems, and support Windows on your Macs.
-
IT801: One Man-20,000 Macs - How Can One Man Manage 20,000 Computers and Still Have Time for a Life?Speakers:
- George Vensel–Technology and Information Services Director,Manatee County School District
- Oliver Naas–FileWave (USA), Inc
Doing more with less. Manatee County is cutting those problems down to size using a cost effective cross platform computer management system. Learn about where we have been, how we are doing now, and where we are headed next.
-
Speakers:
- Joel Rennich–Instigator,AFP548.com
- Josh Wisenbaker–Cohort,www.AFP548.com
This session will feature a discussion of fully automatic, modular, image creation and management features of Mac OS X. Not only will you learn how to reduce your imaging workload, but you can prepare to exercise more control over your managed workstations.
-
Speaker:
- Charles Heizer–Systems & Network Senior Associate,Lawrence Livermore National Lab
Download to this session to iCal
This session will introduce the power, simplicity and key strengths to saving you time in your daily routines. We'll go through creating Automator workflows with key applications like iPhoto, iCal, Mail and Finder. We will also demonstrate some of the new features that have been introduced in the latest version of Mac OS X and how they make workflows even more powerful.
-
Speakers:
- Dave Pooser–Manager of Information Services,Alford Media Services
- Kevin White–Training Specialist,ITInstruction.com
This session focuses on the gray area between the lowly standard user and the all powerful administrator. This session walks you through configuring a Mac OS X system to allow a user access to some administrative functions while limiting the amount of damage the user can do.
-
Speaker:
- Andrina Kelly–Consutant,IronGate Server Management & Consulting
Being a System Administrator isn't the most straight-forward job in the world. Ask your fellow system administrator how they are and the typical answer tends to be a rather stressed, "busy!" In this session we're going to cover techniques on how to manage your time, how to streamline your everyday work, and discuss ways to communicate with your end users in order to relieve some of the pressure cooker mentality that comes with being a System Administrator.
-
Speakers:
- Benjamin Levy–Owner,Solutions Consulting
- Phil Goodman–Owner,Goodman Consulting
- Steve Leebove–President,MacRescue, LLC
What's Your Preference? Manage Macs with ARD - Control Mac OS X's User Settings and Manage Plists Using Apple Remote Desktop.
This session will cover Apple Remote Desktop’s ability to push software out to network users as well as send Unix commands that give you ultimate control over how applications should behave.
-
Speaker:
- Stuart Wilkes–Technical Director & Senior Consultant,Iscentia Ltd
From workgroups using small scale digital asset management through to complex Xsan implementations there are a raft of tools available for the Mac that can keep you organized, keep you legal and keep you happy.
-
-
Leveraging Apple Products for Enterprise Solutions
Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server are being deployed in large businesses in increasing numbers. With this being an upward trend, this track is dedicated to showcasing how Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server are utilized within enterprise level environments. Each session will provide solutions to allow better integration of Macs into heterogeneous networks. From Directory Services and Kerberos, to Xsan and load balancing, this track is a must for anyone needing solutions to where Macs often play a vital role in the enterprise market.
-
Speakers:
- Arek Dreyer–President,Dreyer Network Consultants, Inc
- Rick Wylie–Key Options
Xsan's not just for video anymore! You can now use Xsan to provide high availability file storage for use with Leopard services like home directory servers, iCal Server, Podcast Producer, and Mail services.
-
Speakers:
- Ben Greisler–Owner / Technical Lead,Kadimac, Inc.
- Edward Marczak–Owner,Radiotope
iChat, Wiki, Mail, Web, and Calendaring. This session delves into the management and customization of these services and how they interact with both Mac OS X and Windows client computers.
-
Speaker:
- Daniel Hoit–Lawrence Livermore National Lab
You are a system administrator who never has enough time. This session is for you. In this session, we will discuss directory services from the ground floor. What is it? Why do I need it? Why should I care?
-
Speakers:
- Charles Edge–Partner,Three18, Inc.
- Schoun Regan–CEO,ITInstruction.com
This session is for intermediate to advanced level System Administrators and builds on the previous session by exploring in great detail Mac OS X Server's Open LDAP infrastructure and various authentication methods, including Password Server-Apple's Secure Authentication Security Layer implementation.
-
Speakers:
- David Pugh–System Administrator,University of Michigan
- Schoun Regan–CEO,ITInstruction.com
Mac OS X Server includes a Kerberos infrastructure. But how does it work? What is involved in creating cross realms, integrating with Active Directory, and managing principals? Learn how to properly setup and manage a Kerberos Key Distribution Center, including how to troubleshoot Kerberos issues and handle complex, cross-realm authentication scenarios.
-
IT852: DNS Demystified - Understand DNS and Fix Many Issues Surrounding Mac OS X and Mac OS X ServerSpeakers:
- Ben Greisler–Owner / Technical Lead,Kadimac, Inc.
- Doug Hanley–Lead Consultant/ Trainer,MacTEK Consulting & Training
This session will make clear the basic and intermediate concepts of the Domain Name System and will give the attendees the tools and knowledge they need to deploy, troubleshoot and maintain reliable DNS servers using Apple's latest operating system.
-
Speakers:
- Benjamin Rudolph–Director of Corporate Communications,Parallels
- Jesse Stanley–Senior Sales Engineer,Parallels
In this hands on session, take a deep dive into the cutting-edge world of virtualization and learn how to drive value and simplify management by moving from a physical to virtual infrastructure.
-
-
Mac OS X Security
Hackers, crackers, sniffers, exploits, spyware. The computer is under siege from every angle. However, the choice of the operating system running on those computers has never been more critical than it is now. Mac OS X is well known as a secure operating system, but what about the networks you use? Is wireless acceptable, and how do you insure you are taking methods to secure your wireless system? What about setting a good security standard for your organization? This track's sessions walk you through several aspects of security surrounding Mac OS X. Solutions such as creating a system log server, using token or smart card authentication, or having launchd act as a watchdog for your computers will help you in your quest to keep your user's data safe and secure. But we don't stop there, learn how to monitor your network using several tools and methods and how to rate your computer against others with respect to certain security settings. This track should be attended by every system administrator who has ever had a user give away their password, lose their laptop, or happily join any network they come across.
-
Speaker:
- Schoun Regan–CEO,ITInstruction.com
Every month, more and more IT departments are switching from PCs to Macs. Educational institutions, corporations, businesses, and branches of government are starting to realize that Macs can and do integrate well into multi-platform environments. Join IT managers, Chief Technical Officers, and Chief Information Officers to discuss why they are switching, what spurred their decisions, hurdles they overcame-both perceived and real-and how both Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server are changing they way they look at IT.
-
Speakers:
- Dan O'Donnell–Collaboration Coordinator, Mac Administrator,RAND Corporation
- John Martellaro–Freelance Writer,The Mac Observer, Inc
Certain standards are put into place, regardless of the operating system, to allow for a fair comparison between those unlike systems. In this session, you will learn how Common Criteria Tools came to be, how to run the audit on your systems, and how to increase your audit score to insure your systems are more secure than those using another operating system.
-
Speaker:
- Dr. Bill Wiecking–Hawaii Preparatory Academy
Wired and Wireless Security with RADIUS Servers - Understanding and Utilizing Various RADIUS Servers with Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server
If you support a few or a few hundred wireless clients, you need to know about Mac OSX server and Elektron server. You will learn how to setup and maintain a reliable, safe wireless network, and to setup accounting security for your wired network, with these two solutions compared for ease of use, cost, and overall time spent on a reliable solution.
-
Speaker:
- Marko Kostryko–CEO,SubRosaSoft.com Inc
This session describes and demonstrates technologies involving recovery and analysis of evidence of fraud and child pornography as well as how to integrate those results for presentations in court.
-
Speaker:
- Michael Hall–Director of Engineering and Facilities Security Officer (FSO) for High Security Programs,DriveSavers Data Recovery
Pass codes and encrypted hard drives might prevent unauthorized access to your company's intellectual property while on site, but what happens when a damaged hard drive requires professional data recovery service? This session identifies security protocols IT/IS professionals must consider when a drive has to leave their facility.
-
Speaker:
- Chuck Goolsbee–VP of Technical Operations,digital.forest, Inc
Everyone has a Disaster Recovery Plan, right? How many people have actually USED it? These people have, so come and learn from their experience. What worked, what didn't, what they learned, how they'd prevent something similar from happening again in the future.
-
Speaker:
- Chuck Taylor–San Juan Unified School Disctrict
Learn the concepts required to easily and effectively deploy workstation security software, and manage them at an enterprise level. This session is a must for any IT administrator managing Mac computers in a K-12 or Higher Ed environment.
-
Speaker:
- Paul Suh–President,ps Enable, Inc.
The latest version of Mac OS X includes application sandboxing to prevent an application from doing things other than what it should be doing -- accessing files, using the network, snooping around and reading or destroying your data. This session will give system administrators an overview of how it works and how to sandbox an application that may not have sandbox support built-in.
-
-
Open Source Solutions and Scripting for Mac OS X
Mac OS X is both extremely scriptable and can leverage a wide variety of open source software. This combination can be utilized by system administrators to create a myriad of scripts to handle routine administrative tasks by leveraging software that is often free for everyone to use. Couple that with the lack of license fees and ultimate configuration that comes with scripting and you have an unending ability to manage your Macs in any way you see fit. This track demonstrates some of the more poignant open source software solutions and scripts to alleviate routine maintenance and reduce the time spent managing how Macs are imaged, backed up, and deployed. Learning how to script and what language to use will also benefit many system administrators who may just be getting started with these concepts.
-
Speaker:
- Kevin Denges–Desktop Systems Engineer,Conde Nast Publications
Learn the basics of shell and Apple scripting techniques by using and modifying scripts found online today to customize and maintain your images. This session will show you how to read, understand, modify, and eventually write scripts that will help you accomplish system administration tasks such as automatically bind your image to Active Directory, deploying software to all user accounts on a system, make changes to user level preferences, as well as many other useful ideas. Using these techniques you will also learn how to create simple AppleScript Studio applications to help with your administration.
-
Speaker:
- Wally Tonra–xTuple
This session will present a comprehensive review of free, open source business software available for the Mac platform, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Accounting systems, and other mission-critical application software.
-
Speakers:
- Jeff McCune–Ohio State University
- Nigel Kersten–Systems Administrator,Google, Inc.
In 2007 Google decided to start managing their large Macintosh laptop deployment using the open source solution Puppet. This session will illustrate the lessons learned in this large deployment, provide a basic introduction to Puppet use in conjunction with NetRestore, and show some of the techniques in use at Google for integrating the Macintosh deployment into the rest of the infrastructure.
-
Speaker:
- Patrick McNeal–Macintosh Platform Coordinator - Software Release Team,Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Radmind is a flexible and powerful management tool that allows you to manage everything from a single file to every bit on disk. Finding the sweet spot for a deployment is a balancing act between flexibility, complexity and usability. During this session, attendees will learn how Mac OS X makes this balancing act a little bit easier, how to setup the most flexible Radmind deployment possible, and about new Radmind features, all directly from the developer of Radmind.
-
Speaker:
- Sara Porter–Musician's Friend
This session shows system administrators exactly how to setup the Open Source tool Rsync, using both server and peers and with restricted accounts and shared keys to automate backups to secondary servers. Once Rsync is setup, attendees will learn how to automate management of the process using basic shell scripts to make it work from Cron and launchd.
-
Speaker:
- Brian Pitts–Prepnova
This session will decipher the options for Rails deployments and show you how to achieve the perfect production environment on OS X server.
-
Speaker:
- Sara Porter–Musician's Friend
This session explains specifically how to setup and use the Wiki server, augmented accounts, group sites, and group calendaring to enable versioning control in a variety of departments.
-
