JAMF Nation Monthly Challenge Solutions Archive

APRIL '08

• Q: As you are looking to upgrade your users from Mac OS 10.4 to Mac OS 10.5, you might need to know how much data your users are storing on their local workstations. Describe the steps you would take using the Casper Suite to gather the size of a user's home directory, so it can be reviewed prior to performing an upgrade.
• A: Calculating Home Directory Size
• It is possible to enable the Casper Suite to calculate the size of home directories for any local or cached user accounts on Mac OS X workstations managed by the Casper Suite.

Enabling the Inventory Preference

• Log into the JSS with a web browser.
• Click on the Admin tab.
• Click on the link for Inventory Options.
• Click on the link for Inventory Preferences.
• Click on the Software tab.
• Check the box labeled Calculate Sizes for User Home Directories
• Note: The setting change to enable calculation of home directory size will take affect the next time inventory is collected (Recon).



Viewing Home Directory Size

• In your web browser with the JSS open, click on the Inventory tab.
• Type one or more search terms into the search box.
• Click the button labeled Search or type the Enter key.
• Click on the Details link next to the computer you wish to view.
• Click on the Local User Accounts link.
• The Username, Home Directory, and size of the Home Directory on disk will be displayed for each account present on the Mac OS X workstation.



References

• Casper Suite 5.1 Documentation PDF
• Inventory Preferences - Pages 52-57
• Viewing Details of a Computer - Page 111

MARCH '08

• Q: In Mac OS X 10.5, mounted file servers no longer show up on a user's desktop by default. If you want to change this setting for your users, but not overwrite their existing Finder preferences using a User Environment package, the best way to do this would be through a script that uses the "defaults" command. Write a script that can be run at Login that updates the proper key in the "com.apple.Finder.plist" file that will turn this feature on for your users.
• A:
• #!/bin/sh
• #### showNetworkMountsOnDesktop.sh
#### 18-April-2008 - JAMF Support
#### This script should be used as a logon or logoff policy from the Casper Suite
• #### Read in the parameters
• mountPoint=$1
computerName=$2
username=$3

• #### Modify the plist
• echo "Modifying Show Mounted Servers Preference for $username...\n"
defaults write /Users/$username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder ShowMountedServersOnDesktop TRUE
• echo "Setting user privileges for preference...\n"
chown $username /Users/$username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
• echo "Complete."

FEBRUARY '08

• Q: Management has asked that you find a way to prevent a new piece of
  software that you have discovered from continuing to cause network
  problems. Submit a plan to eliminate 'LimeZerusRadiostreaming
  WarcraftQuisition.app' from your managed network, and describe the steps you would take to update the configuration on your client machines.
• A: You can use the Restricted Software functionality in the JSS to eliminate unwanted applications from running and even have them deleted
• 1: Logon to your JSS website
• 2: Go to the 'Management' tab
• 3: Click on 'Restricted Software'
• 4: Click on 'Add Restricted Software'
• 5: Fill in the fields as follows:
1. Display Name: LimeZerusRadiostreamingWarcraftQuisition.app
   Process To Look For: LimeZerusRadiostreamingWarcraftQuisition
   (Note: You'll want to check the name in Activity Monitor)
   Send Email Notification: Checked
   Kill Process: Checked
   Delete: Checked
   Display Message to User: "Don't ever run this software again! You got me? - The Boss"
• 6: Click 'Save'
  If you wanted this to take effect immediately and not wait for your clients to check in the next time you could open Casper Remote, select all machines, and click 'Go' to update your Enforced Management Framework on any clients you can currently talk to.
  
  Optionally you can make some computers or users exempt from this restriction on the other available tabs in the restricted software entry you created.
  
  Craig Ernst
  University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

JANUARY '08

• Q: Using Composer, describe the process to create a custom preferences package for any application (such as a package that would change the default format to 'Plain Text' in TextEdit, or change the 'Ruler Units' from inches to pixels in Keynote).
• A: Preference files can be packaged with Composer by taking a New and Modified snapshot.
• 1: Launch Composer, select New and Modified, and take your snapshot.
• 2: When Composer is finished, launch TextEdit (or any other
  application) and set your preferences.
• 3: Quit the application and go back into Composer.
• 4: Set the package name and click Build Package.
• 5: Verify the contents, making sure to include only the preference
  file for the application. Typically this is found in:
  /Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.vendor.appname.plist
• 6: Save your package and drag it into Casper Admin to create a
  deployable object, making sure to assign it a lower priority so it
  installs after the actual application.

DECEMBER '07

• Q: Describe the process you would go through to enable a JSS user to add printers, reset passwords, and remotely observe a Casper managed workstation, but only if the end user allows them to.
• 1: Login to the JSS
• 2: Go to the Admin tab and click Accounts
• 3: Find the appropriate user and click Edit Account
• 4: Click the Privileges tab
• 5: Make the Setting changes
  1. a. Under the Casper Remote Privileges Section check
     1. i. Map Printers Remotely
     2. ii. Reset Passwords Remotely
  2. b. Under the VNC Privileges Section check
     1. i. Observe Remote Computers
  3. 6. Click Save User
  4. 7. Now that your task is complete, you may log out of the JSS by clicking the “Log Out” button.

NOVEMBER '07

• Q: With Apple's release of Mac OS X 10.4.10, many users were confronted with a large number of question marks in their docks. Using the Casper Suite, what is the easiest way to fix this problem?
• A: The Casper Suite gives you a quick fix to this issue by running the following UNIX Command using a Policy or the Casper Remote window: /usr/sbin/jamf fixDocks
• The JAMF binary goes through every Dock plist file on the computer and forces it to redraw the icons so that they show up properly.