Is the Mac ready for the enterprise?

Not long ago, Apple sent me a beautiful new iMac to play with and test in the hopes I would “convert” to the Apple world — or at least be more aware about what’s happening there. For a Windows pro like myself (that is, the author of this Enterprise Windows blog and the book “Tricks of the Vista Masters“), it may be too late. But I sure am tempted after two weeks of playing with this system.

I found plenty to like about the Mac platform, which you can read about right here. But there’s a real question that’s often tossed around: Is the Mac ready for the enterprise? More specifically, would it make sense for a Windows shop to consider moving to the Apple platform? In my opinion, you should consider three factors: training costs, hardware costs, and integration with servers.

Training costs: This may be a difficult sell. Users going from XP to Vista are crying because the Start button is round now. How ready are they for a Mac, which comes with a whole new OS, a new look, and new names for programs? For longtime Windows users, I wouldn’t say that the Mac OS is easy to learn. Intriguing? Absolutely, but it took me a while to match up in my mind what I normally use (Outlook, for example) and its counterpart (like Entourage). Some users may not be able to catch up to speed as smoothly, and that can be frustrating.

Users certainly will need training to feel comfortable. For individuals, Apple has stores set up with Genius Bars where you can learn tons of stuff for practically nothing. I believe it’s $100 for the annual subscription. On the enterprise level, though, with tens, hundreds, or thousands of users, that may not cut it.

Still, many users will embrace the new OS because, frankly, it’s beautiful. It has such a cool futuristic feel, in much the same way the iPhone wins people’s hearts because it’s sleek and feature-rich.

Hardware costs: I haven’t done all the price comparisons or priced out discount systems with Apple, so I cannot fully say the Mac is going to be a more expensive change. However, Mac Minis are in the $500 to $600 range (and you have to add a monitor, keyboard, and mouse), and you may need to purchase additional software to get it enterprise-ready. Thus, I expect the cost will be a bit more per system than deploying Windows boxes. However, these systems hold their value longer.

That is something many Windows admins don’t consider. A PC loses value from day one, whereas a Mac retains value and doesn’t require a tremendous amount of effort for upgrades. Torquato Tasso, a well-known Web developer with iSite5 said, “An average Mac notebook or desktop can upgrade to Leopard with no problems at all, nor do they need any hardware changes.” Moreover, the upgrade cost him a little more than $100 for the software. What a huge difference for those of us upgrading from XP to Vista: We need much better hardware, and the cost of the OS is off the charts. Additionally, Mac users happily went to Leopard with smiles, whereas Windows users are on the verge of a full riot over Vista.

Integration with servers: For me to fully endorse Macs in the enterprise, they have to be controllable. That implies being able to connect them to a directory to manage them through policies. Many enterprise environments are using Microsoft servers with Active Directory and Group Policy. You can utilize an Apple server, too, for a variety of reasons … but that is a different discussion altogether.

So how does the Mac fare in this regard? On the matter of connecting with Active Directory and offering identity management, file-server access, and so forth: No problem. On the matter of Group Policy control through AD on its own: It doesn’t work without help. Now, you can implement an Apple server, which allows you to control your Macs — but not with Group Policy. If you want the Group Policy side (and most Windows admins do), you need to look for third-party solutions that install on your Windows Servers.

However, here is where Centrify and other GP-related products come to the rescue. You can control Mac through Group Policy. No, not quite like you can on an XP or Vista box — but enough to say the Mac is ready for the enterprise.

All told, I give Apple and the iMac my thumbs-up. I’ve been impressed with the machine from day one. And even though I’ve had to learn a lot, it’s been fun. In fact, I think that’s what I’ve enjoyed the most. It’s just like when I was a kid playing the Hitchhiker’s Guide text-based game on my neighbor’s Apple.

I’m a Windows guy through and through. Still, I think it’s OK to acknowledge that Apple is worth investigating going forward. There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, right?