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remote home directory recommendation

Hi there,


is there anybody using OSX Server to share remote home directories to

users? We have 8 iMacs and try to setup a configuration where everybody can

use every Mac.


As we are a software company, we'd like to use Android Studio and XCode as well.


Is there somebody with a working setup?


Regards

Posted on Nov 27, 2015 6:21 AM

Reply
4 replies

Nov 27, 2015 7:36 AM in response to christian667

Neither Android Studio (1.3) nor Xcode play nice with traditional network home directories. They work okay with 'mobile accounts' but a certain amount of messing around excluding directories from the home-sync process, etc. is required.


In general, I like network homes, but not for a cluster of developer machines. My advice would be to push back against the 'everybody can use every Mac' requirement because you are going to have to pay dearly for it if it really is needed.


C.

Nov 27, 2015 7:44 AM in response to cdhw

Thats the point I would agree and I think we are the only company trying to create

this kind of setup for developer machines..

We have a (nearly) working setup using nfsv3, after testing every possible

version of smb and afp, but as you said there are some directories not working

every time with android studio/xcode.


Do you know how to use the osx server as nfsv4 server?

Nov 30, 2015 3:26 AM in response to christian667

NFS software is included with OS X (client) and the Server.app but Apple no longer provide a GUI means of using it. If you use the 'NetBoot' service there is an option to use NFS for that and it will then turn on NFS and configure it specifically for use with NetBoot. However the only way to set NFS up for other purposes would be via the command line. Unfortunately matters get worse, again it used to be possible to configure using Apple's software 'network home directories' to use NFS instead of AFP or SMB, this option is also no longer available. It might be possible to do this by hand again via the command line but frankly by now you should see this is far too much pain for too little gain.


On a related topic, if by remote you mean literally outside your main office then this will introduce addition latency to network traffic even if you have a comparatively high-speed Internet link. As such this makes network home directories even more painful.


I think the nearest options to consider are making sure each Mac is as much as appropriate identically configured with the same apps etc. to use Xcode Server, and to use a GIT repository. Users can then 'check out' and 'submit' code to and from the server from any Mac. See https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/xcode_guid e-continuous_integration/ and alternative or even addition is Jenkins, see http://www.cimgf.com/2015/05/26/setting-up-jenkins-ci-on-a-mac-2/

remote home directory recommendation

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