Will Avigilon Ever Release A Client Application For Mac

Recently, Apple previewed more features that will be available in its upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.7, 'Lion.' We first got a glimpse of Lion at Apple's Back to the Mac event in October, when CEO Steve Jobs said that several technologies developed in Apple's iOS mobile operating system would be brought back into Mac OS X as part of Lion. Since iOS evolved from earlier versions of Mac OS X, the 'back to the Mac' moniker made sense.

The big question after that early Lion sneak peek was whether Apple would produce a Lion version of its server platform. Mac OS X Server actually preceded the client OS to market more than a decade ago, and the two have been updated in lock step ever since. In fact, every time Apple added a Mac OS X preview section to its website, it also offered a Mac OS X Server preview section -- albeit with virtually no fanfare.

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Not this time. In October, Apple added a Lion preview page without the traditional Lion Server counterpart.

Just a few weeks later, Apple canceled its Xserve server line. The Xserve, a 1U rack-mounted server that Apple introduced in 2002, had become a standard fixture in Mac-specific organizations, as well as in the server rooms and data centers of businesses that support both platforms.

The Xserve was also the principal SAN controller for Apple's Xsan file system running on Apple's original Xserve RAID hardware and, after the Xserve RAID was discontinued, on compatible hardware from other vendors. (Apple now pushes the Mac Pro as a controller for Xsan.)

Though the question of Apple's overall enterprise and server strategy remained murky, it seemed unlikely that the company would abandon business customers completely.

Lion Server as separate entity: Gone

Now we know that Lion Server will be built into Lion itself, meaning that Mac OS X Server's code, functionality and services will be bundled with the client OS. Lion Server as a separate entity is gone, but its inclusion in Lion means that a lot more users will get a chance to try it out -- either at home or in the office.

That's a bit shocking, particularly if you're used to dealing with Microsoft's client and server products. I can't imagine Microsoft ever giving away Windows Server in any form for the price of a client license. Even Apple has always charged more for Mac OS X Server than for its client OS releases (though it's worth noting that Apple used to offer a 10-user license version for $499 and an unlimited license for $999, though it killed the limited version with the release of Mac OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard, and dropped the unlimited version to $499).

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Applies to: System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch)

This article describes how to deploy and maintain the Configuration Manager client on Mac computers. To learn about what you have to configure before deploying clients to Mac computers, see Prepare to deploy client software to Macs.

When you install a new client for Mac computers, you might have to also install Configuration Manager updates to reflect the new client information in the Configuration Manager console.

In these procedures, you have two options for installing client certificates. Read more about client certificates for Macs in Prepare to deploy client software to Macs.

• Use Configuration Manager enrollment by using the CMEnroll tool. The enrollment process doesn't support automatic certificate renewal. Re-enroll the Mac computer before the installed certificate expires.

• Use a certificate request and installation method that is independent from Configuration Manager.

Important

To deploy the client to devices running macOS Sierra, correctly configure the Subject name of the management point certificate. For example, use the FQDN of the management point server.

Configure client settings

Use the default client settings to configure enrollment for Mac computers. You can't use custom client settings. To request and install the certificate, the Configuration Manager client for Mac requires the default client settings.

1. In the Configuration Manager console, go to the Administration workspace. Select the Client Settings node, and then select Default Client Settings.

2. On the Home tab of the ribbon, in the Properties group, choose Properties.

3. Select the Enrollment section, and then configure the following settings:

   1. Allow users to enroll mobile devices and Mac computers: Yes

   2. Enrollment profile: Choose Set Profile.

4. In the Mobile Device Enrollment Profile dialog box, choose Create.

5. In the Create Enrollment Profile dialog box, enter a name for this enrollment profile. Then configure the Management site code. Select the Configuration Manager primary site that contains the management points for these Mac computers.

   Note

   If you can't select the site, make sure that you configure at least one management point in the site to support mobile devices.

6. Choose Add.

7. In the Add Certification Authority for Mobile Devices window, select the certification authority server that issues certificates to Mac computers.

8. In the Create Enrollment Profile dialog box, select the Mac computer certificate template that you previously created.

9. Select OK to close the Enrollment Profile dialog box, and then the Default Client Settings dialog box.

   Tip

   If you want to change the client policy interval, use Client policy polling interval in the Client Policy client setting group.

The next time the devices download client policy, Configuration Manager applies these settings for all users. To initiate policy retrieval for a single client, see Initiate policy retrieval for a Configuration Manager client.

In addition to the enrollment client settings, make sure that you have configured the following client device settings:

• Hardware inventory: Enable and configure this feature if you want to collect hardware inventory from Mac and Windows client computers. For more information, see How to extend hardware inventory.

• Compliance settings: Enable and configure this feature if you want to evaluate and remediate settings on Mac and Windows client computers. For more information, see Plan for and configure compliance settings.

For more information, see How to configure client settings.

Download the Mac client

Is A Web Browser A Client Application

1. Download the Mac OS X client file package from the Microsoft Download Center. Save ConfigmgrMacClient.msi to a computer that runs Windows. This file isn't on the Configuration Manager installation media.

2. Run the installer on the Windows computer. Extract the Mac client package, Macclient.dmg, to a folder on the local disk. The default path is C:Program Files (x86)MicrosoftSystem Center 2012 Configuration Manager Mac Client.

3. Copy the Macclient.dmg file to a folder on the Mac computer.

4. On the Mac computer, run Macclient.dmg to extract the files to a folder on the local disk.

5. In the folder, make sure that it contains the following files:

   • Ccmsetup: Installs the Configuration Manager client on your Mac computers using CMClient.pkg

   • CMDiagnostics: Collects diagnostic information related to the Configuration Manager client on your Mac computers

   • CMUninstall: Uninstalls the client from your Mac computers

   • CMAppUtil: Converts Apple application packages into a format that you can deploy as a Configuration Manager application

   • CMEnroll: Requests and installs the client certificate for a Mac computer so that you can then install the Configuration Manager client

Enroll the Mac client

Enroll individual clients with the Mac computer enrollment wizard.

To automate enrollment for many clients, use the CMEnroll tool.

Enroll the client with the Mac computer enrollment wizard

1. After you install the client, the Computer Enrollment wizard opens. To manually start the wizard, select Enroll from the Configuration Manager preference page.

2. On the second page of the wizard, provide the following information:

   • User name: The user name can be in the following formats:

     • domainname. For example: contosomnorth

     • user@domain. For example: mnorth@contoso.com

       Important

       When you use an email address to populate the User name field, Configuration Manager automatically populates the Server name field. It uses the default name of the enrollment proxy point server and the domain name of the email address. If these names don't match the name of the enrollment proxy point server, fix the Server name during enrollment.

       The user name and corresponding password must match an Active Directory user account that has Read and Enroll permissions on the Mac client certificate template.

   • Server name: The name of the enrollment proxy point server.

Client and certificate automation with CMEnroll

Use this procedure for automation of client installation and requesting and enrollment of client certificates with the CMEnroll tool. To run the tool, you must have an Active Directory user account.

1. On the Mac computer, navigate to the folder where you extracted the contents of the Macclient.dmg file.

2. Enter the following command: sudo ./ccmsetup

3. Wait until you see the Completed installation message. Although the installer displays a message that you must restart now, don't restart, and continue to the next step.

4. From the Tools folder on the Mac computer, type the following command: sudo ./CMEnroll -s <enrollment_proxy_server_name> -ignorecertchainvalidation -u '<user_name>'

   After the client installs, the Mac Computer Enrollment wizard opens to help you enroll the Mac computer. For more information, see Enroll the client by using the Mac computer enrollment wizard.

   Example: If the enrollment proxy point server is named server02.contoso.com, and you grant contosomnorth permissions for the Mac client certificate template, type the following command: sudo ./CMEnroll -s server02.contoso.com -ignorecertchainvalidation -u 'contosomnorth'

   Note

   If the user name includes any of the following characters, enrollment fails: <>'+=,. Use an out-of-band certificate with a user name that doesn't include these characters.

   For a more seamless user experience, script the installation steps. Then users only have to supply their user name and password.

5. Type the password for the Active Directory user account. When you enter this command, it prompts for two passwords. The first password is for the super user account to run the command. The second prompt is for the Active Directory user account. The prompts look identical, so make sure that you specify them in the correct sequence.

6. Wait until you see the Successfully enrolled message.

7. To limit the enrolled certificate to Configuration Manager, on the Mac computer, open a terminal window and make the following changes:

   1. Enter the command sudo /Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access.app/Contents/MacOS/Keychain Access

   2. In the Keychain Access window, in the Keychains section, choose System. Then in the Category section, choose Keys.

   3. Expand the keys to view the client certificates. Find the certificate with a private key that you installed, and open the key.

   4. On the Access Control tab, choose Confirm before allowing access.

   5. Browse to /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/CCM, select CCMClient, and then choose Add.

   6. Choose Save Changes and close the Keychain Access dialog box.

8. Restart the Mac computer.

To verify that the client installation is successful, open the Configuration Manager item in System Preferences on the Mac computer. Also update and view the All Systems collection in the Configuration Manager console. Confirm that the Mac computer appears in this collection as a managed client.

Will Avigilon Ever Release A Client Application For Mac

Tip

To help troubleshoot the Mac client, use the CMDiagnostics tool included with the Mac client package. Use it to collect the following diagnostic information:

• A list of running processes
• The Mac OS X operating system version
• Mac OS X crash reports relating to the Configuration Manager client including CCM*.crash and System Preference.crash.
• The Bill of Materials (BOM) file and property list (.plist) file created by the Configuration Manager client installation.
• The contents of the folder /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/CCM/Logs.

The information collected by CmDiagnostics is added to a zip file that is saved to the desktop of the computer and is named cmdiag-<hostname>-<datetime>.zip

Manage certificates external to Configuration Manager

You can use a certificate request and installation method independent from Configuration Manager. Use the same general process, but include the following additional steps:

A+ Client Application

• When you install the Configuration Manager client, use the MP and SubjectName command-line options. Enter the following command: sudo ./ccmsetup -MP <management point internet FQDN> -SubjectName <certificate subject name>. The certificate subject name is case-sensitive, so type it exactly as it appears in the certificate details.

  Example: The management point's internet FQDN is server03.contoso.com. The Mac client certificate has the FQDN of mac12.contoso.com as a common name in the certificate subject. Use the following command: sudo ./ccmsetup -MP server03.contoso.com -SubjectName mac12.contoso.com

• If you have more than one certificate that contains the same subject value, specify the certificate serial number to use for the Configuration Manager client. Use the following command: sudo defaults write com.microsoft.ccmclient SerialNumber -data '<serial number>'.

  For example: sudo defaults write com.microsoft.ccmclient SerialNumber -data '17D4391A00000003DB'

Renew the Mac client certificate

This procedure removes the SMSID. The Configuration Manager client for Mac requires a new ID to use a new or renewed certificate.

Important

After you replace the client SMSID, when you delete the old resource in the Configuration Manager console, you also delete any stored client history. For example, hardware inventory history for that client.

1. Create and populate a device collection for the Mac computers that must renew the computer certificates.

2. In the Assets and Compliance workspace, start the Create Configuration Item Wizard.

3. On the General page of the wizard, specify the following information:

   • Name: Remove SMSID for Mac

   • Type: Mac OS X

4. On the Supported Platforms page, select all Mac OS X versions.

5. On the Settings page, select New. In the Create Setting window, specify the following information:

   • Name: Remove SMSID for Mac

   • Setting type: Script

   • Data type: String

6. In the Create Setting window, for Discovery script, select Add script. This action specifies a script to discover Mac computers configured with an SMSID.

7. In the Edit Discovery Script window, enter the following shell script:

8. Choose OK to close the Edit Discovery Script window.

9. In the Create Setting window, for Remediation script (optional), choose Add script. This action specifies a script to remove the SMSID when it's found on Mac computers.

10. In the Create Remediation Script window, enter the following shell script:

11. Choose OK to close the Create Remediation Script window.

12. On the Compliance Rules page, choose New. Then in the Create Rule window, specify the following information:

    • Name: Remove SMSID for Mac

    • Selected setting: Choose Browse and then select the discovery script that you previously specified.

    • In the following values field: The domain/default pair of (com.microsoft.ccmclient, SMSID) does not exist.

    • Enable the option to Run the specified remediation script when this setting is noncompliant.

13. Complete the wizard.

14. Create a configuration baseline that contains this configuration item. Deploy the baseline to the target collection.

    For more information, see How to create configuration baselines.

15. After you install a new certificate on Mac computers that have the SMSID removed, run the following command to configure the client to use the new certificate:

See also