Mac OS X Lion Server For Dummies®

Installing Mac OS X and Updates from the Server

When you're upgrading a bunch of Snow Leopard clients to Lion, downloading from the App Store on every Mac isn't the most effective use of your time or your network bandwidth. Two more Lion Server features, NetInstall and Software Update Server, let you deploy client installations of Mac OS X from the Server, as well as provide Apple's updates from your server. NetInstall uses the NetBoot service (see the preceding section) but uses a different image created with the System Image Utility. Where a NetBoot image is a server-based boot drive, a NetInstall image acts as a server-based installation DVD. The client Mac boots from it and launches the Mac OS X installer. You need a volume license from Apple to install multiple copies of the OS on all your Mac clients.

The Software Update Server downloads Apple's software updates to your server, providing them to users. This feature lets you control the software versions on users' Macs and prevents them from installing updates that your organization may not be ready for.

1. First, enable Software Update Server: Select your server, click the Settings icon in the toolbar, and then click the Services tab.
2. Click Software Update under your server, and select the Settings icon in the toolbar.
3. Change any settings you like.

   You can change the location of where the downloads are stored. It's a good idea to use a volume other than the start-up drive. You can select Automatically Enable Copied Updates ...