Apple Computer,
Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) today announced the Apple Network Administrator Toolkit, a
comprehensive suite of software applications for managing networked Macintosh
computers. The product helps network administrators be more productive and
offers educators a powerful tool for managing collaborative learning in
classroom computer labs.
Expected to ship
in the U.S. later this month, the Apple Network Administrator Toolkit consists
of three applications -- At Ease for Workgroups 4.0, Apple Network Assistant
and Apple User and Group Manager -- that together provide a powerful, complete
and easy-to-use solution.
With the Toolkit,
a school network administrator can now set security access privileges for files
and applications, control computing and print resources, distribute
applications, and manage groups and user lists all from a central workstation.
Educators will also find the Toolkit's interactive screen sharing and remote
software capabilities valuable for collaborating with students and managing
student Internet usage.
"For nearly
two decades, Apple has provided solutions designed specifically for
schools," said John Hanay, senior product manager at Apple. "The
Apple Network Administrator Toolkit continues that tradition by combining a
powerful suite of tools that educators have been asking for with the
ease-of-use students and teachers have come to expect from Apple."
Doug Snow,
education technology facilitator for Floodbrook Union School in Londonderry,
VT, has used the Toolkit on the school's network of more than 100 Macintosh
computers. "The only way to deliver technology access is to make it so
easy and so invisible that teachers and students don't even have to think about
it," said Snow. "The Apple Network Administrator Toolkit enables me
to effectively -- and invisibly -- provide a seamless and smooth gateway to
using technology as part of the learning process. This product will be on the
wish list of anyone who manages a network, whether it's for a school, district
or university campus."
At Ease for
Workgroups 4.0
At Ease for
Workgroups 4.0, a new version of the popular Apple security and access
management software, has been enhanced with significant new features that make
it easier than ever to control access to computers and documents, and remotely
manage all operations. A new central server-based file storage architecture
enhances the student computing experience by allowing students to use different
computers each day, yet always gain access to their files, applications and
Internet preferences. New printer page limits and disk space quotas have been
added so administrators can more effectively manage printing resources and
costs. And version 4.0 is PowerPC native, enabling faster processing and
increased functionality.
With At Ease for
Workgroups, the network administrator can control access to applications and
workgroup resources, control which CDs students have access to, and prevent
unauthorized users from deleting files or copying data or software from the
network. The software also offers three different interfaces tailored for the
experience level of the user.
Apple Network
Assistant
The Apple Network
Assistant is designed for managing distributed software and providing remote
assistance. Its remote software distribution and deletion capabilities make it
simple to keep all the Macintosh computers on a network up-to-date. From a
single location, a new or updated application can be easily added to an
individual Macintosh system, or broadcast to an entire computer lab.
Using the remote
system status report function, an administrator can gather details about RAM,
available disk space, installed applications, system software and other
information about individual workstations or servers, then make necessary
changes. For example, if an inventory report reveals that a workstation is
running out of disk space, the administrator can inventory that machine's hard
drive and remotely delete duplicate or obsolete files and applications. The
Apple Network Assistant also supports remote shutdown and restart of computers.
Collaborative
computing functions make the Apple Network Assistant ideal for use in the
classroom or computer lab. A teacher can observe a remote user's screen,
control the screen to demonstrate an action, view several screens at once, or
share someone's screen with a group to create a collaborative computing
experience.
Additional
features designed for classroom usage include a request function that enables
users to signal the teacher for real-time help and telephony support. All the
sharing functions are controlled from the teacher's Macintosh so the teacher
always manages the level of collaboration in the classroom. A screen locking
function also helps teachers manage computer use -- it is ideal for starting
and stopping tests or simply reverting student attention from the computer to
the teacher.
Apple User and
Group Manager
The Apple User and
Group Manager simplifies import and export of users and group lists between
AppleShare, At Ease for Workgroups 4.0 and First Class services, maintaining
user names, groups and passwords across servers. Through an intuitive
drag-and-drop interface, administrators can easily create new groups, change
group members, compare groups, enable new users and perform other routine
tasks.
System
Requirements, Pricing and Availability
The Apple Network
Administrator Toolkit requires a server system with AppleShare file server
software version 3.0 or later. The client systems require any Mac OS-based
computer (except Macintosh Plus), Mac OS version 7.1 or later, at least 4 MB of
RAM and an AppleTalk network connection (Ethernet required for screen sharing).
The administration system shares the client system requirements, except it
requires 8 MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive and a 640 by 480 pixel display (for
viewing multiple screens).
The three
applications in the Apple Network Administrator Toolkit work together
seamlessly and share one interface design. They can be installed separately but
complement each other to provide a complete solution.
The U.S. estimated
retail price of the Apple Network Administrator Toolkit is $599 for a 10-pack;
U.S. upgrade pricing for previous At Ease users is $499. The U.S. estimated
education price is $349 for a 10-pack; U.S. upgrade pricing for previous
education At Ease users is $149. The Toolkit is scheduled to ship in the U.S.
in June and will be available from Claris Corporation, a subsidiary of Apple,
and Claris resellers in the U.S. For more information about the Apple Network
Administrator Toolkit, call 1-800-293-6617 in the U.S. or visit the Claris home
page on the World Wide Web .
Apple Computer,
Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in
multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use
personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, personal digital assistants
and Internet content. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple develops,
manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and
services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and
engineering and government customers in more than 140 countries.
http://ed.info.apple.com/education/commitedu.html
Apple's home page
on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com
NOTE: Apple,
AppleShare, At Ease, LocalTalk, the Apple logo, Mac and Macintosh are
registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. PowerPC is a trademark of
International Business Machines Corporation, used under license therefrom. All
other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders and are hereby acknowledged
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