Migrating Mac to Windows file server

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timberdoodle

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We are migrating our central file server on our primarily OSX/win 7 domain. It is currently running on Xserve but we are moving to server 2008.

We would like to have both the old and new server running so we can move shares over time. Is it possible to run these in a DFS like structure such that we could have shares x,y,z on the new server while leaving a,b,c on the old server? Better suggestions on how to do it?
 
You could do it that way, however the way I usually do it is move everything on a Friday night, and let it copy all weekend. Once everything is done run robocopy with the /mir switch to verify the copy brought over everything, then change my login script for the domain to be

NET USE * /DELETE /Y

net use H: //homeshare
net use I: //othershare

Monday morning everyone is on the new shares and if they have any problems we run on a per user per case basis. The problem I have found is that when you run split servers like that you end up with data all over the place and it can be a PITA to cleanup. I have found that the over the weekend swap to be the most effective.
 
Login scripts don't work on domain OSX without third party tools. The biggest issue is what you outlined. All our Mac users will no longer have shortcuts. It might not work anyways since they need (I think) to use SMB:\\ to connect
 
Yes they will use SMB to connect, which isn't a problem. You just use smb://server.ip.address to map the drives.
 
How do I actually get the login script to deploy to the Macs? With typical schemma they don't seem to pick up any group policies or anything.
 
timberdoodle said:
How do I actually get the login script to deploy to the Macs? With typical schemma they don't seem to pick up any group policies or anything.
Click to expand...

That also throws a wrench into the works. I assumed your workstations were PCs not Macs. In that case through windows active directory I don't know of a way to get macs to run login scripts. I know using open directory that you can specify mapped drives, deploy login scripts etc to macs.
 
We are migrating for a few reasons. Primarily because of the discontinuation of Xserve but also we have ongoing issues such as permissions breaking constantly and performance problems.

We have about 140 users, about 25 Windows clients, the rest are OSX so it would be nice to get something automated to the macs without having to get a third party tool. I'm having a hell of a time finding resources that indicate a methodical way to do it. The only way might be to have people reconnect to the new shares.
 
When you manually connect to the share you can use the option to create an alias so that there is an icon on the user's desktop to reconnect to the share after a restart.
 
What about a shell script in the users/systems login startup applications folder? Or if you need to automate something for all the systems to do just once you could look at Applescript or Automator.
 
I was looking at that as a possibility but am not quite sure how to do it. What about the home folder in OSX? Is that something I could use to map at least one folder?
 
If you add the schema extensions for OSX to Active Directory you can manage all AD joined Macs with the server manager thingy on OSX Server. I've set this up twice for a few mixed environments and it works well for the most part. You'll still have to have a Mac Server. You can map drives, setup the equivalent of roaming profiles on a Mac, etc.
 
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