13 Dec December 2024 – MacAdmins Meeting
December 18th, 2024 – University of Utah, MacAdmins Meeting
The University of Utah, MacAdmins Meeting is held monthly virtually on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 11 AM Mountain Time. Presentations cover Apple technology and integration in a heterogeneous university enterprise environment. This month’s meeting will be held on Wed, December 18th, 2024 at 11 AM MT and we will provide live broadcasts and archives that will be made available 2-3 days after the meeting.
macOS Software Updates with S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N. – Kevin White, Macjutsu
This presentation will highlight the latest release of S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N. version 5.x, a powerful open-source solution for macOS update management.
SUPERMAN 5.x introduces significant enhancements, including support for macOS 15 Sequoia and new scheduled workflows that let administrators or end users set specific dates and times for macOS updates, Jamf Pro Policies, or enforced system restarts. Maintenance windows can now be precisely defined, while SOFA integration ensures schedules align with macOS release dates, not just when updates are detected.
The core logic has been rearchitected for greater flexibility, supporting both permanent workflows via configuration profiles and temporary workflows until completion. Software update discovery has been vastly improved, offering enhanced reliability, performance, and native macOS deferral restriction support. Alternate workflows for Jamf Pro Policies and system restarts now fully integrate with deferral, scheduling, deadlines, and customizable display options.
S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N. (or “super”) is deployed via a single script and optional configuration profiles, creating a background agent (LaunchDaemon) that minimizes user interference during updates. Its customizable dialogs, notifications, and scheduling options make it a better experience for users and administrators alike. These updates position SUPERMAN 5.x as the ultimate solution for managing macOS updates efficiently.
About Kevin White
Kevin M. White has dedicated his career to mastering Apple technologies so he can share them with the world. Through his company, Macjutsu, Kevin provides professional consulting for Apple’s education and enterprise customers. Macjutsu is also part of the Jamf Services Partner program; providing professional services specific to the Jamf Pro management platform.
Elevate Your Shell Game with Swift CLI – Ryan Ball, Alectrona
The presentation introduces the concept of building Swift Command Line Interface (CLI) tools to streamline Mac administration tasks. It highlights the benefits of using Swift over traditional shell scripts, such as improved maintainability, readability, and reusability. The speaker demonstrates how to create a basic Swift CLI tool using Xcode, including setting up the project, adding dependencies like Swift Argument Parser, and embedding version information in the Info.plist. A practical example of creating a subcommand to get the currently logged-in user is presented, showcasing how to use the System Configuration framework and handle optional flags. The presentation emphasizes the value of creating custom CLI tools for common administrative tasks, making them more robust, efficient, and easier to manage
Open Discussion
Questions, comments, problems, and fixes.
Directions
This meeting will not be held in person but virtually via Zoom video communications architecture.
- Require a Password to Join This meeting will require a password to join the meeting. Information will be emailed via a campus internal list, but if you are external and want to attend the meeting, please use the Contact Us form to receive details. Else, the archive of the meeting will be available 2-3 days after the live meeting.
- Waiting Room When joining the meeting you will be placed in the Waiting Room by default and the hosts will give you access to the live meeting.
- Miscellaneous We will also implement other settings and safeguards to secure the meeting.
Archived Presentation(s)
- Archives of the presentations will be available on this web page.
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