With Munki, IT can standardize Macs operating Mojave whereas nonetheless sustaining the flexibleness of permitting customers to handle their very own gadgets.

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With the highly effective, open-source software Munki, programs directors can handle software program, settings, and configurations. Boasting a powerful consumer assist neighborhood, Munki could be put in, configured, and run on macOS Mojave to handle all the Apple computer systems within the enterprise—regardless of how massive or small. After all, Munki was developed by Walt Disney Animation Studios to aide within the administration of the 1000’s of Macs they use day by day when engaged on the whole lot from animated shorts to function movies.

Best of all, Munki solely depends on Apple’s native software program packages, learn and write permissions for shared deployment directories, and an internet server to ship the packages to shopper computer systems.SEE: System replace coverage template obtain (Tech Pro Research)In this text, I am going to define the steps essential to arrange Munki on macOS Mojave.Before we leap in, there are a couple of necessities obligatory to make sure that Munki can run correctly. Munki 3 helps all variations of macOS. However, attributable to Apple eradicating the net server part from its newest model of macOS Server, the set-up course of for Munki operating natively on macOS Mojave is barely totally different from prior variations in arrange (Specifically operating regionally on the shopper variations of macOS—deprecating the necessity for a macOS Server.). Regardless of the underlying model of macOS, Munki will handle all variations of macOS and OS X shopper a lot the identical.

The necessities are:Apple pc operating macOS Mojave 10.14 or laterMunki 3 bundle (newest v3.5.3, as of this writing)Google Chrome.dmg installer bundleInternet AccessSwitched NetworkAdmin credentialsCreating the Munki repositoryLaunch Terminal and enter the next instructions to create the directories on the foundation location that will likely be used to create the listing construction for the Munki repository. When naming the repository, the phrase “repo” was used within the instance, however it may be named to something you want (Figure A).cd /Server/SharedFoldermkdir repomkdir repo/catalogs

mkdir repo/pkgsmkdir repo/pkgsinfomkdir repo/manifestsThe closing command beneath, when run, will change the permissions to guarantee that it is accessible.chmod -R a+rX repoConfigure Apache2 net serverNext, enter the next command to configure the native Apache2 part to serve the newly created repo through HTTP:sudo ln -s /Server/SharedFolder/repo /Library/NetServer/Documents/By default, the Apache2 part serves recordsdata hosted in its DocumentRoot, which could be situated on the listing path: /Library/NetServer/Documents/. The command above creates a symbolic hyperlink to the repo in that listing, so these recordsdata will likely be delivered over the community.To begin the Apache2 server, execute the command beneath in Terminal:sudo apachectl beginBy distinction, to cease the service, substitute “start” with “stop” if the service requires or not it’s stopped or restarted.Installing Munki toolsExecute the Munki Tools bundle and comply with the prompts to finish the set up (Figure B).By clicking on the Customize button, the person instruments that make up the bundle could also be chosen (or deselected) for set up. For the admin workstation arrange, putting in all of the instruments has its benefits. Click the Install button to finish the set up (Figure C).A reboot will likely be required as soon as Munki Tools is put in (Figure D).Configuring the Munki repositoryAfter rebooting, launch Terminal and enter the next command to vary directories and configure the Munki repository’s settings (Figure E).cd /usr/native/munkimunkiimport —configureThe command will ask a collection of questions to be able to set the right configuration. First up is to enter the Repo URL. Depending on how the repo will likely be hosted, the entry might change from both a regionally hosted (ex. file:///path/to/repo), a shared drive (ex. smb://path/to/repo), or net hosted (ex. http://area.com/path/to/repo). For the aim of this text, we’ll go along with our file-hosted arrange and enter the next:file:///Server/SharedFolder/repoThe second query is the pkginfo file’s extension. These recordsdata comprise configuration info for every bundle that’s imported. While usually not edited, it might be, and you might discover some packages do require some mild modifying to make them deploy silently. The most typical extension is .plist, so we’ll enter that right here.Third, we’re prompted to decide on a default app to edit the configuration recordsdata. You can enter the trail or title of any put in software you favor. To hold issues easy, I’ve chosen the built-in TextEdit.app native to macOS.Next, we should create a catalog to retailer the bundle info for Munki. The catalogs will likely be learn by Munki and used to offer context as to what purposes can be found for deployment. You can enter any title you select, and a couple of catalog might exist. Here I’ve entered Default because the catalog title.Last, a repo entry plugin have to be chosen. Unless there’s a desire, FileRepo is the default selection. You might depart the entry clean, and the system will robotically default to that plugin’s configuration. The repository is now configuredImporting the preliminary bundleWhile we’re virtually performed with the Munki arrange, we will need to have at the least one bundle within the catalog earlier than finishing the method. To add the preliminary bundle, we’ll use Google Chrome for example. From Terminal, enter the next command to get the method began (Figure F).munkiimport /path/to/googlechrome.dmg2.Again, Munki will immediate for a collection of data relating to the bundle being imported, reminiscent of Item Name, Display title, Description, and so forth. Some of this info will auto-populate, some won’t. That which does not ought to be added manually. By observing Figure F above, a lot of the info is fundamental and doesn’t affect Munki an excessive amount of apart from the Catalogs part. Here you have to enter the title of the catalog created in part IV above or else the bundle won’t be linked to Munki for distribution.Additionally, you’ll be requested whether or not to import the merchandise or not. Select Y to import it, in addition to creating product icons and rebuilding the catalog. This will replace the catalog with the newly imported bundle. You might; nevertheless, choose N to skip the modifying of the pkginfo file as Google Chrome doesn’t require any further syntax to deploy it.Note: Typically, drag-and-drop-style installs don’t require modifying of the .plist configuration file. Installer-based PKG recordsdata might require further syntax or switches to be handed alongside to finish the set up course of. In these circumstances, you’ll need to edit the pkginfo file to manually add these parameters.Configuring the repo’s manifestThe manifest file in Munki acts as a form of map that tells the repo the place catalogs are situated and due to this fact what’s in these catalogs, permitting Munki to handle software program deployments with ease. By default, no manifest exists so one have to be created. In Terminal, enter the next command to start (Figure G).manifestutilBegin by creating the brand new manifest and giving it a reputation with this command:new-manifest site_defaultNext, hyperlink the catalog created in part IV to the newly created manifest:add-catalog Default —manifest site_defaultThe Llast step is so as to add the bundle created in part V to the manifest:add-pkg Chrome —manifest site_defaultMunki is formally put in, arrange, and prepared to be used. To take a look at net connectivity, launch a browser and enter http://localhost/repo/manifests/site_default. You ought to obtain a affirmation of the entries add to the manifest in part VI above (Figure H).Alternatively, by coming into the next command in Terminal to confirm the software program repo URL is configured accurately (Figure I).
defaults learn /Library/Preferences/ManagedInstalls Lastly, to check how Munki works at retrieving the packages and putting in them, name the command from Terminal (Figure J).
sudo managedsoftwareupdate The above command will learn the knowledge saved within the catalogs and determine what purposes can be found and able to be put in when put next in opposition to the stock on the native machine. To set up these apps, rerun the identical command, however add the “—installonly” suffix to really carry out the set up (Figure Okay).

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