macfidelity

Für Einzelanwender sicherlich nicht notwendig - wer jedoch in einer größeren Umgebung Mac’s verwaltet und administrieren darf wird sich ggf. über die Freeware DeployStudio freuen.

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Für alle die alte Computer-Hardware rumliegen haben und sich ein NAS selber basteln wollen aber vor dem Gebrauch von Linux zurückschrecken (wegen Unwissenheit, Frickelfaktor oder was auch immer) kann ich das OpenSource-Projekt FreeNAS empfehlen.

NAS wtf:

Network Attached Storage (NAS) bezeichnet einfach zu verwaltende Dateiserver. Allgemein wird NAS eingesetzt, um ohne hohen Aufwand unabhängige Speicherkapazität in einem Rechnernetz bereitzustellen.

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First off all, i am not really sure if that problem is only limited to 10.5 even if it started with 10.5 for me.

To get the magic point my hardware setup:

• Mac Pro ( Mac OS X 10.5.1)
• MacBook (Mac OS X 10.5.1)
• MacBookPro (Mac OSX 10.5.1)
• FreeNAS (FreeNas embedded)

The FreeNAS (BSD-based) box is something like my Media-storage device, using RAID1.

As all my system can handle SMB/CIFS and AFP (ignoring ftp etc..)i started thinking about what to use.

First guess would be using AFP cause its an Apple Protocol and i would expect it to work in a proper way on all Mac OS X boxes.

Reality-Check:

1. Finder:

AFP wins regarding access-speed of Network mounted files inside Finder. Best example was the photography-lib of my girlfriend with a huge amount of files.

2. Stability:

100 % win for SMB/CIFS.

I am having a shit-load of Kernel panics while streaming or moving files to an AFP mounted drive. In most cases that Kernel Panics occurs in the first minute of the action.

This is a fact and can be reproduced on my boxes quite easy.

Here a short quote of the Log:

I called Apples hotline to ask if this is a known issue.

Stupid idea.

Seems like the Apple hotline (at least in germany) is covered by us-marines (at least it sounds like that) guys using a windows-based-chat-system to ask real-pro’s for help if you call them. Most of my time was enjoying stupid music, as my supporter had to ask his pro-supporter for each single step.

Like that:

Him: Can you open System Profiler

Me: actually it is already open

Him: ok wait

(took about 1 or 2 minutess)

Him: can you navigate to logs

Me: done

Him: ok wait

(took about 1-2 minutes)

Him: Is there something written in THE log about Kernel Panic ?

Me: If you really want to use System Profilder for that …ok. In which of the listed logs should i search ? I can offer….

Him: wait

…you know that part already…

Him: Software

Me: Actually there is no Software log browsing logs this way. software is the parent category inside System Profilder for the entry logs dude. Btw there is something like console.app to search your logs, which makes much more sense from my point of view….

Him: wait….

…..i guess you know what comes here…..

I am not kidding right now.

After explaining my basic problem (including some really basics about AFP etc……yeah you dont have to know what that is…you can support even without knowing anything…doh) i was told to run AHT and hold the line…..

haha.

After explaning the usual amount of time an extensive AHT needs i ended the phone-call, disabled AFP File sharing on all Leopard boxes and enjoy my re-gained stability.
Conclusion:

To be honest, AFP is not usable at all in my small environment. I really would like to use it, cause of its performance / speed inside Finder, but having repeating Kernel Panics is not the way to go.

I have searched a long time for an easy method howto handle smb-shares without

• installing an additional samba to osx inbuild samba
• wrecking the inbuild samba itself

Finally i found an application called SharePoints. It is available in two versions

• Preferences Panel
• Standalone .app

A short description from the project page

SharePoints is an application or a preference pane that makes it easy to add and delete share points like in the old Finder. In Mac OS X, by default, you are limited to sharing only what is in your public folder in your home directory. This program makes it easy to share any folder.
In addition SharePoints also brings back users and groups management to Mac OS X as well as easy configuration of AppleFileServer (AFS) and Samba (SMB) Server properties.

Since Version 3.5.4 its available as Universal Binary and like most apps i use for myself its freeware/donationsware.

Try it

You can enable windows File Sharing on your Mac there:

• System Preferences
• Internet & Networking
• Sharing
• Select and enable Windows sharing
• Additionally check the Acounts.. button in this menu

Regarding sharing the application SharePoints sounds interesting, more on this later.

Now you maybe want to define the same workgroup-name like your windows-machine uses:

• Applications
• Utilities
• Directory Access
• SMB/CIFS
• Configure

The workgroup name itself can be changed geek-like too. Open terminal.app and insert the following command:

sudo vi /etc/smb.conf

Edit the WORKGROUP line in this config file, save it and feel happy.

Best regards
fidel