MAC on windows domain

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Hi

This may be an age old question but I'll ask it anyway

We currently run an all windows setup:

Windows 2008 Server
Exchange 2007 (outlook clients)
Windows xp and windows 7 Desktop
Office 2007 (heavy PowerPoint and publisher use)

And we have about 100 users across 3 sites

A couple of our directors have asked about having Macbooks instead of pc's.

If we did get a Macbook running the latest OS, would I need to do anything to my domain \ network to allow the Macbook to connect and authenticate from AD - share and edit files from the network drives (NTFS).

I would want users to be authenticated from our 2008 Active directory, and use full microsoft office (for compatibility with other office users)

Also how will a Macbook effect load of the exchange and servers (is it the same as a PC)

And finally are the any other things that I will need to look out for.

Thanks in advance
 
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Closer than you think.
Your Mac's Specs
Performa 6116 2GBSCSI 8MB OS 7.5.3
It can be done.

But make no mistake it is not going to be the same. You will have a certain level of compatibility but Windows is Windows and Mac is Mac.

Office for Mac does not include Publisher and there is no replacement. You could however implement RDS which would require server resources and MS RDS CALs.

Macs can join a domain and use AD user accounts to login, though you cannot manage Macs with group policy without third party products.

Network shares will be accessible but .PUBX files will be useless to a Mac directly unless you implement an RDS or Citrix server with O2K7 installed there.

Most likely more trouble than it's worth to get complete integration for a handful of Macs. I face these challenges all the time. Especially when the CEO of XYZ corp says they want a Mac and then we end up selling them the farm to get him/her totally integrated.

Again, it can be done, but there will be a level of success and it might not be acceptable.

You may want consultation before going too far.
 
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HI,

thanks for the reply i thought as much, i didn't think it would be quite that simple.

I'll try and fend them off for now.

Thanks

Again
 

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