Apple discontinued the macOS Server product on April 22, 2022. The last remaining services were the Profile Manager and Open Directory. Profile Manager was Apple’s reference MDM server. It configures security controls and other settings on Apple devices. Open Directory was Apple’s version of OpenLDAP. It provided a staff directory, used for authentication and user entitlements.
I had set up macOS Server for one of my clients a few years ago. Given that these two services are critical IT infrastructure, a replacement for the macOS Server was necessary. We decided to use a Synology NAS, which provides an enormous amount of functionality in a small box. I’ve completed most of the system engineering on the following services:
- File Services: This is the Synology’s core function, to provide SMB file sharing for office documents.
- LDAP Directory: This is a direct replacement for Open Directory. It is used internally by the NAS for File Services permissions. We’ll be deploying it shortly for Mac user authentication and FileMaker Server group permissions. For Mac authentication, the Synology LDAP Directory requires a bit more configuration than Open Directory, which was seamlessly integrated into macOS.
- VM Manager: The Synology can host VMs and Docker containers. I deployed a self-hosted MDM product called AppTec360 to replace Profile Manager. I’ll save AppTec360 for another blog post.
I’m a big fan of Synology’s products. I’ve been using a Synology router for several years in my apartment. While its routers don’t provide the same flexibility as its NAS devices, they still provide significantly more functionality than the typical home router. I’m using my Synology router to provide threat intelligence and a DNS server for my home network.