Software Update for Clients

damo_burns

Registered
Hey everyone...

I'm having trouble with software update. I have about 30 computers connected to an Xserve Mac OS X 10.4 Server. I have started and configured the "Software Update" server on Server Admin... but I am having trouble setting it up on the client PCs. How do I make the client PCs point to my server for updates and not to Apple? My internet traffic is insane... and there's no point in 35 computers updating all the time from apple.

Can anyone help me please!!

Thanks!
Damo
 
Its part of the MCX data you can push out via Workgroup Manager.

Open up WGM, go into Preferences and Software Update. Just plug in the location of your update server right in there and be sure your clients are all set up to use your Open Directory Master in Directory Access on the client.
 
Yup.

Just specify the server your using for the software update server locally and include the port you specified in Server Admin.
 
ok cool, but i dont use home directories or anything like that.... so the entry box to put in the update server's address is grayed out....

so confused. sorry for the hassle.

do i have to use home directories?
 
Well, is this server an Open Directory Master? It needs to have the ability to assign the server update managed preference to specific users and groups.

no hassle :)
 
Go3iverson said:
Well, is this server an Open Directory Master? It needs to have the ability to assign the server update managed preference to specific users and groups.

no hassle :)

Is there a way to test that software update checks the proper location. I tried setting it as specified, but get no error message (but find nothing back in the log either).

Kees
 
If you want to check to see what server the managed client is going to query, you can use the defaults command in the terminal:

defaults read com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL

should return back the address of your software update server that was published via MCX.

If your not using MCX, you could use defaults write to enter in the server address. The previous command checks for just one user. If your looking to publish this across all accounts on the computer, you could use:

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL "http://SoftwareUpdate.yourdomain.com:8088/"

Remember, using things like sudo here will affect which user you write the preference to! :)

Michael
 
Go3iverson said:
If you want to check to see what server the managed client is going to query, you can use the defaults command in the terminal:

defaults read com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL

should return back the address of your software update server that was published via MCX.

If your not using MCX, you could use defaults write to enter in the server address. The previous command checks for just one user. If your looking to publish this across all accounts on the computer, you could use:

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL "http://SoftwareUpdate.yourdomain.com:8088/"

Remember, using things like sudo here will affect which user you write the preference to! :)

Michael

I checked it and i got the following error:

The domain/default pair of (com.apple.SoftwareUpdate, CatalogURL) does not exist

This is on both a client and the server.

On the server i can find the reference to com.apple.SoftwareUpdate. I used "Software Update Enabler" (all users) to activate to "http://mailserver.kb-computer.com:8088/". And i used your command in the terminal.

Also i added the address to the Software Update panel in WGM.

Thx for any input, kees
 
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