Apple Xsan 2 (Third Edition) - Manual (Page 38)

Using Server Assistant to Configure Controllers
You can use the Mac OS X Server setup assistant, Server Assistant, to configure servers
as Xsan metadata controllers. Server Assistant runs when you start up a new server or
a server on which you have performed a clean installation of Mac OS X Server v10.5.6
or v10.6. When using Server Assistant to set up your primary metadata controller,
you can choose how to manage Xsan users and groups.
Managing Users and Groups with Xsan Admin
When using Server Assistant to set up your primary metadata controller, you
can choose to manage SAN users and groups with Xsan Admin. This option is
recommended if you don’t have a directory server and you expect to have up to 20
SAN users. These users will have local home folders on their computers (not network
home folders on the server).
Important: You can choose to manage users and groups with Xsan Admin only
when you use Server Assistant to set up your primary metadata controller. You can’t
configure this option after setting up the primary controller with Server Assistant.
If you choose this option, Server Assistant makes the primary metadata controller an
Open Directory master. Then Xsan Admin configures standby metadata controllers
as Open Directory replica servers. For the Open Directory master and replicas, the
directory administrator’s user name is Directory Administrator, the short name is
diradmin, and the password is initially the same as the password of the administrator
account that you create with Server Assistant.
Xsan Admin also configures client computers with Xsan 2 to connect to your Xsan
primary metadata controller for Open Directory user and group accounts.
Using an Existing Open Directory Server
If you have an Open Directory server, you can have Server Assistant configure your
primary metadata controller to get users and groups from it. Then when you set up
your SAN, the Xsan setup assistant configures standby metadata controllers and client
computers with Xsan 2 to connect to the Open Directory server for users and groups.
Using Another Directory Server
When using Server Assistant to set up your primary metadata controller, you can
also choose to connect to a directory server later, including Active Directory or Open
Directory, after you finish setup. In this case, you use System Preferences > Accounts >
Login Options > Edit Network Account Server on each metadata controller and client
computer to configure a connection to your directory server.
38 Chapter 3 Setting Up a Storage Area Network