Q: Open Directory vs Active Directory migration from Windows to Mac
Okay, so I assist my old school in their IT needs, since they don't have a hired person to fulfill that role.
Currently, they have a centre where the staff use 10 Windows 10-based PCs (Core 2 Duo systems, mostly assembled; all about 3 years old) connected to a Windows 2008 Server (from Dell; about a year old). As the institution wishes to expand the computers available to their staff (of 90), my suggestion has been to switch to Macs (Probably 11" MBAs), with a MacBook Pro 15" doing the duty of the server.
This migration cannot take place in one stroke, and would happen in a phased manner (probably 20-25 MBAs purchased every year, for the next four years).
The current setup is that there is a local + Admin user configured on each of the Windows 10-based PCs, with all staff having access to the local, non-Admin user.
For the sake of easier management, I would like to move them to network-based logins, as we begin our migration to a macOS environment.
Do we configure AD on the Windows server, and bind MBAs to it, as and when we purchase them, with the final purchase being the MBP 15" for server-duties, or is there some way we can get the 15" MBP now, and use Open Directory, and binding the existing 10 Windows 10-based PCs to the macOS Server?
NOTE: The school runs Google Apps, and all staff have a Google Apps account with a custom domain name.
MacBook Air, OS X Server
Posted on Sep 25, 2016 11:55 PM