ExtremeZ-IP Overview

Achieve Enterprise Harmony: One Secure Network Serving Mac and PC computers

See what's new in ExtremeZ-IP 8.0

Apple's traction in the enterprise is accelerating rapidly - the growth of Macs is far outpacing that of Windows PCs. Not only in its traditional markets, such as advertising, publishing, media & entertainment, and education, but also across other industries as well, like financial services, manufacturing, and pharma, for example. In a large number of enterprises the Macintosh is being deployed to employees, driven by the consumerization of IT and bring your own device (BYOD) trends. The Mac is becoming a staple of the enterprise IT ecosystem and, as a result, access to enterprise file and print resources is now essential.

Mac computers offer a rich user experience that helps improves employee productivity and efficiency. And with GroupLogic's ExtremeZ-IP, IT administrators can easily manage Mac users within their Enterprise server and storage environments. This drives higher productivity and efficiency for Mac users by opening up the enterprise to these users in a seamless and transparent way, while making life easier for IT administrators.

It’s easy with ExtremeZ-IP from GroupLogic.

With a simple server install and configuration process, ExtremeZ-IP empowers enterprise IT to seamlessly integrate Macintosh computers into existing Windows infrastructure, allowing Mac users to have the same access to Windows file and print servers as PC users and without the IT headache of overwhelming help desk calls and inaccessible and corrupted files. In addition, with the new ExtremeZ-IP 8.0, IT can now make files available that reside on NAS devices. This greatly extends the productivity of the Mac user and the IT organization by increasing access to greater numbers of storage devices within the enterprise. And all still controlled by Active Directory.

With over a decade of experience and more than 7,000 organizations worldwide, ExtremeZ-IP has become the industry standard for seamlessly integrating Macs into enterprise environments. ExtremeZ-IP is the solution of choice for thousands of production workflows and is the only Windows AFP server product being actively maintained and supported since 1999.

Compatibility:

• ExtremeZ-IP eliminates problems with file corruption, file permissions, application incompatibilities and files disappearing.
• ExtremeZ-IP provides Mac users with the same access to file and print resources as PC users.
• ExtremeZ-IP includes support for Mac features, such as Time Machine backup and Network Spotlight full content search.
• ExtremeZ-IP remains the only Windows server to be fully compatible with the Mac OS X AFP protocol.

Speed and Performance

• ExtremeZ-IP consistently provides a higher performing experience than built-in solutions, such as the SMB client.
• ExtremeZ-IP provides the best performance and reliability for Mac clients on the market.

Management and Security

• For the IT organization, management is made easy and security is maintained with integration with Active Directory.
• ExtremeZ-IP provides DFS file share access to Macs running OS X 10.5 or later.

Reduce Help Desk Calls

• Mac users retain the full range of the Mac experience, resulting in a reduction of help desk calls, giving you more time to focus on other projects.

Features and Benefits

ExtremeZ-IP is the industry standard for seamlessly integrating Mac clients into Windows Server environments. ExtremeZ-IP 8.0 takes this to a whole new level. With our new Network Reshare capability, enterprises can now deploy an ExtremeZ-IP server that provides AFP access to files on other on NAS storage devices.

Only ExtremeZ-IP provides you with advanced features and capabilities that guarantee compatibility, reliable performance, and maintaining the integrity of the Mac user experience.

With over a decade of experience and more than 7,000 organizations worldwide, ExtremeZ-IP has become the industry standard for seamlessly integrating Macs into enterprise environments empowering Mac users and simplifying IT management and administration. ExtremeZ-IP is the solution of choice for thousands of production workflows and is the only Windows AFP server product being actively maintained and supported since 1999.

What's new in ExtremeZ-IP 8.0?

GroupLogic is proud to introduce ExtremeZ-IP 8.0, which will move enterprises with Macs into a new era. With ExtremeZ-IP 8.0, enterprises can now enable Mac users to access files on NAS storage systems, such as those from NetApp or EMC Isilon.

This greatly extends the flexibility of both the Mac user and the IT organization by opening up access to virtually any file server or NAS storage device within the enterprise. And access is still controlled through Active Directory.

ExtremeZ-IP 8.0 includes:

• Network Reshare support. Network Reshare allows an ExtremeZ-IP server to make files available that reside on other Windows servers or NAS devices.
• DFS namespaces can now be made available as ExtremeZ-IP Network Reshare AFP volumes.
• ArchiveConnect is now compatible with ExtremeZ-IP Network Reshare AFP volumes.
• Optimized how ExtremeZ-IP initially accesses files and folders to provide an improved client experience with ArchiveConnect. This change prevents files from being unnecessarily scanned by anti-virus applications or brought on-line..
• Additional performance optimizations, Spotlight search fixes, and Bonjour fixes.

Compatibility

• Proven & Supported
• Network Reshare
• Full Support for the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP)
• Integrates with Active Directory
• File Name Policy Enforcement
• No Client Software is Required
• Reconnect Seamlessly
• Support for Microsoft DFS Namespaces and Home Directories
• Supports Apple's Innovative Network Spotlight feature
• Supports Windows Server 2008
• IPv6 Compatible
• Bonjour Networking Support

Scalability & Performance

• Most Scalable AFP Server on the Market
• Supports Microsoft Clustering
• Immediate Startup
• Blazing Search Speeds
• Unlimited Number of Files
• Tuned for Mac Clients

Print Features

• Full Support for ExtremeZ-IP Zidget™
• Force PPD Download
• Built in Accounting
• Flexible Print Spooling Destinations

ExtremeZ-IP System Requirements

Take a closer look "under the hood" of ExtremeZ-IP, the most trusted solution for complete compatibility between Mac desktops and Windows servers. While the following are minimum systems requirements, the recommended systems requirements for a particular implementation or application can vary.

File & Print Server:

• Windows Server Platforms: 2012 (inc. Essentials), 2008 (inc. R2), 2003 (inc. R2), Windows Storage Server, Windows Powered NAS*
• Currently not compatible with: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials
• Windows Professional Platforms: Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP Pro, XP Embedded*
• Minimum processor - Pentium 4; Minimum RAM - 1 GB
• Switched TCP/IP based network provides best performance - 100BaseT or 1000BaseT
• ExtremeZ-IP volumes must be on NTFS formatted drives

File Server Client:

No additional software is installed on the client for file sharing

• Mac OS Classic
• Mac OS X
  • Mac OS X 10.2.3 or later supported
  • Mac OS X 10.3 or later recommended
  • Mac OS X 10.3.5 or later recommended for single sign-on / Kerberos support
  • Mac OS X 10.4 or later required for Zidget support
  • Mac OS X 10.5 or later required for DFS and Network Spotlight support

File Server Client:

• Optional for basic printing, required for Print Accounting feature
• Mac OS Classic
  • Mac OS 9.0 or later
• Mac OS X
  • Mac OS X 10.3 or later recommended
  • Mac OS X 10.4 or later required for Zidget support
  • Print Accounting is not compatible with applications running in 64-bit mode on Mac OS X 10.6

ExtremeZ-IP Free Triall

• Network Reshare: Enables Macs to access to virtually any file server or NAS storage device within the enterprise.
• DFSConnect: DFS support for Mac clients.
• ShadowConnect: Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) Support.