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148 Chapter 9 Client Management Overview
Using Network-Visible Resources
Mac OS X Server lets you make various resources visible throughout your network so
users can access them from different computers and various locations.
There are several key network-visible resources:
 Network home folders. A home folder, often referred to as a home directory or simply
home, is a place for each Mac OS X user to keep personal files. A user with a record in
a shared Open Directory domain may have a home folder that resides on the
network, often on the same server where the user account resides.
A home folder contains several folders—such as Desktop, Documents, and Public—
to help organize information. After logging in, users access their network home
folders by clicking the Home icon in the Finder.
 Group folders. When you set up a group account for network users, you can
associate a group folder with the group. A group folder is a place for group members
to exchange information electronically. By default, it contains three folders—
Documents, Library, and Public. The Public folder contains a Drop Box folder, which
allows users to easily share their files.
By residing on the server for easy access throughout the network, a group folder can
be shown in the Dock for access from wherever a user wants to work on group
activities.
 Other shared folders. You can set up other folders on the server to provide users
access to applications, handouts, announcements, schedules, and other files.
 NetBoot and NetInstall images. You can use NetBoot images and NetInstall images
on the server to simplify the setup of network users’ computers.
A user’s computer can start up from a NetBoot image stored on the server. You can
use the same computer for a science lab booting from one image and for a French
lab booting from a different image. Each time a lab computer restarts, the system
reflects the original condition of the selected boot image, regardless of what the
previous student may have done on the computer.
A NetInstall image installs preconfigured software on users’ computers, making it easy
to remotely deploy the operating system, additional applications, and even custom
computer settings, without user interaction.