Amidabrian

Q: Access network accounts remotely

Hi I want my daughter to access her network account from school. Is there a way of doing this? Or are the network accounts on OSX server designed to be accessed on a internal network.  The reason for this is that she would be using a Mac Book Air and that is limited in terms of space.  Where as having a network account would give her access to more space.

Posted on Jun 26, 2016 12:17 AM

Close

Q: Access network accounts remotely

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by cdhw,

    cdhw cdhw Jun 26, 2016 5:39 AM in response to Amidabrian
    Level 4 (2,623 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Jun 26, 2016 5:39 AM in response to Amidabrian

    There are no limitations in OS X Server preventing this so it's definitely 'possible'. Whether it's reasonably practical, however, depends on where the server is located, the ISP providing its connection to the internet and any restrictions the school put on network access.

     

    It would probably be easier just to buy an external USB drive of some type.

     

    C.

  • by John Lockwood,

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Jun 27, 2016 3:17 AM in response to Amidabrian
    Level 6 (9,215 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Jun 27, 2016 3:17 AM in response to Amidabrian

    There are multiple types of user account possible on a Mac.

     

    1. Network Login with Network Home Directory
    2. Network Login with Portable Home Directory
    3. Mobile Account
    4. Local Account

     

    With a Network Login with a matching Network Home Directory all the users files are stored on a server. Yes this could potentially be accessed remotely but the practicality of this depends on the speed of the remote link, whether access is blocked or not - typically you would also have to do this via a VPN link and in this case it would also mean the network login account could only be use if the laptop has an Internet link. If the laptop has no Internet link you would obviously not be able to access the server and hence not be able to access the users home directory.

     

    You have until now been able to have a form of Network Login where the users home directory is 'synced' to a copy on the local computer, this helps with the speed or lack of on a remote link and also helps if the remote link is not available some of the time. However it would require enough local space to hold the entire users home directory which you have said is your concern. Furthermore Apple have announced that this feature is being discontinued. This approach can be considered half-way between a Network Home Directory setup and a Mobile Account setup.

     

    With a Mobile Account the users files are only stored locally on the computer but the password is synced to the server. Again as you have said space is the worry this will not help.

     

    Local Accounts have no link to a server at all so again everything is stored locally.

     

     

    Something different that may help is a new feature Apple have announced for macOS Sierra. This is the automatic moving of less used files to Apple's iCloud service and then removing them from your Mac. This frees up space on your Mac. See http://www.imore.com/what-optimized-storage-macos

     

    This new feature is not necessarily going to solve things for everyone and almost certainly will require paying for additional iCloud storage but might work for you.