Mac OS X Server: Admin tools compatibility information
Summary
Learn about the compatible combinations of Server Admin Tools and system software for administering a Mac OS X server from another Mac OS X computer.
The Server Admin Tools are available on the Admin Tools disc included with Mac OS X Server, and online from Apple Support Downloads.
Products Affected
Mac OS X Server 10.3, Mac OS X Server 10.2, Mac OS X Server 10.5, Mac OS X Server 10.4.x (Universal), Mac OS X Server 10.4.x (PowerPC), Mac OS X Server 10.6 , Server Monitor, Server Admin
Mac OS X Server v10.6
To administer a Mac OS X Server v10.6-based server, you must use the Server Admin Tools 10.6 on a Mac OS X v10.6 (client) computer.
Note: If you have the Server Admin Tools 10.5 installed on Mac OS X v10.5 and upgrade or migrate to Mac OS X v10.6, the 10.5 Tools will be removed because they are not compatible with Mac OS X v10.6. You can download the Server Admin Tools 10.6 from Apple Support Downloads.
Mac OS X Server v10.5
To administer a Mac OS X v10.5 Server-based server, you need either the Server Admin Tools 10.5 on a Mac OS X v10.5 computer, or the Server Admin Tools 10.6 on a Mac OS X v10.6 computer. You should match the version numbers of the server, tools, and admin workstation as closely as possible, but note that the latest version of the Admin Tools for 10.5 Server is 10.5.7.
Note: The Server Admin Tools 10.6 cannot be used to administer certificates on Mac OS X Server v10.5. To create and administer certificates on Mac OS X Server v10.5, you must use the Admin Tools installed on the server, either directly or by screen sharing, or Apple Remote Desktop.
Mac OS X Server v10.4
To administer a Mac OS X v10.4 Server-based server, you need either the Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools or the Mac OS X 10.5 admin tools (except DNS). The Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools only run on 10.4 systems. They do not run on previous or later versions of Mac OS X.
Note: Mac OS X 10.5 admin tools only work with Mac OS X Server 10.4.11 or later. Mac OS X 10.4 DNS service is not compatible with the Mac OS X 10.5 admin tools; to administer the DNS service you need the Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools on a Mac OS X 10.4 Mac. The Mac OS X 10.5 admin tools are limited to one share point for a given name when managing a 10.4.x server. This limitation does not apply to Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard.
Mac OS X Server v10.3
To administer a Mac OS X v10.3 server, you can use either Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4 admin tools. If you manage users, groups, or computers with the Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools once, you must continue to use the 10.4 admin tools. To use 10.3 admin tools, the admin computer must be running 10.3; to use 10.4 admin tools, the admin computer must be running 10.4.
For example, you can administer a 10.3 server from a 10.4 admin computer using 10.4 admin tools, but you can't administer a 10.3 server from a 10.4 admin computer using 10.3 admin tools.
Note: Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools may show some features that are not present in or supported by a 10.3 server. Additionally, Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools save managed settings in a way that is not compatible with the 10.3 admin tools. This means that once you've used the Mac OS X 10.4 admin tools you must keep using them.
Mac OS X Server v10.2
To administer a Mac OS X v10.2 server, you need to use Mac OS X 10.2 admin tools on an admin computer that has either Mac OS X v10.2 or v10.3 installed. For example, you can administer a 10.2 server from a 10.3 client using 10.2 admin tools, but you cannot administer a 10.2 server from a Tiger computer.