Mac OS X users are having an easier time of it when it comes to integrating their Jaguar-equipped computers with Microsoft corporate networks, but it’s still not seamless. Active Directory and Domain Security integration remains a stumbling block for some, and it’s some that DAVE maker Thursby Software Systems hopes to resolve with a new product called Goliath.
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According to a white paper posted to Thursby’s site, a Microsoft networking technology called Active Directory provides tight integration with Microsoft services. Jaguar, or Mac OS X 10.2, greatly enhanced the operating system software’s ability to integrate with Microsoft networks by using a protocol called LDAP, but Jaguar’s implementation can be lacking.
Thursby explained that Apple requires that users reconfigure their directory schema in order to use Active Directory controllers. Even by following Apple’s instructions, drawbacks still exist because of the way that network ID numbers are assigned and the way that file control attributes are handled. There’s more, too.
Thursby’s solution, Goliath, works with DAVE — the company’s PC and Mac networking software, which already supports Server Message Block, or SMB — a commonly used Windows and DOS network message format. Designed with a new Directory Service plug-in, Goliath works with Active Directory and older domain controllers, too, without requiring any reconfiguration on the client Mac or any special effort on the administrator’s part, either.
Goliath 4.0 was demonstrated last week at Macworld Expo and is anticipated to go into beta testing tout de suite.