evice Manager fails to start on a macOS Server 5.2 Replica

[ZippyDan]

I have setup a working Open Directory Master on on Mac-Server-1 running macOS Sierra and macOS Server 5.2 (latest as of today). I have also successfully started the Device Manager and enrolled a client computer with no problem.

I have now also setup a working Open Directory Replica on Mac-Server-2 running MacOS Sierra and macOS Server 5.2. However, when I try to activate the Device Manager on the Replica, it stays Disabled.

Is this by design that Device Manager can only be active on the Master? Or is this a bug?

Steps:

1. In macOS Server -> Profile Manger -> Device Manager, status is `Disabled`
2. In macOS Server -> Profile Manger -> Device Manager, I click `Setup...` button
3. New window appears telling me I can manage devices. I click `Next`
4. The window now changes and asks me for a Name, E-mail, Telephone, and Address (presumably to generate a certificate?)
5. I enter the info, and click `Next`
6. The next window appears, telling me to click `Finish`. I do.
7. The window disappears, returning me to the macOS Server -> Profile Manger window, where the status of Device Manager still shows as `Disabled`

Ideas?

Note1 : I tried uninstalling Server.app and deleting /Library/Server/* and reinstalling the Replica from scratch. Same behavior.

Note2 : I tried reinstalling the entire server from scratch. Same behavior.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

From what I remember of earlier versions of OS X Server, you cannot run Profile Manager on an Open Directory Replica, only on the OD Master. Has Apple changed this in macOS Sierra Server 5.2?

I am not very familiar with Open Directory in OS X Server. However, if Apple has made the change above, I would double-check the following:
-Is DNS setup properly on both Macs?
-Do both servers have a static IP, Internet access, FQDN, etc.?
-Have you created valid SSL and Apple Push Notification certificates?

Hope that helps,

C

 

[ZippyDan]

After further research, apparently Profile Manager (or more specifically Device Manager) can only run on the Master, which is disappointing as it means macOS Server is not yet a good solution for situations that require redundancy or are multi-site setups.

I'm also disappointed that the macOS Server does not fail gracefully, and provide an informative error message that Device Manager cannot be run on a replica, instead of just failing to activate without any kind of message or explanation.