Big Lion Server 10.7.3 Update adds config features

Along with yesterday's Lion client update, Apple released Mac OS X Server 10.7.3, a significant update that not only fixes dozens of bugs, some of which we have reported, but also adds new settings, user interface items, and new administrative features. Some of these features were available in Snow Leopard Server and earlier but were stripped out of Lion Server. Apple also released Server Admin Tools 10.7.3, which includes Server Admin and Workgroup Manager.

The 10.7.3 update fixes several bugs seen with Windows clients accessing Lion Server SMB shares, including saving files to Windows 7, opening files with Microsoft Office 2003, and creating new folders in Windows Vista. It also fixes another bug we've reported dealing with copying a file that has extended attributes.

The Server app adds some new features to the File Sharing pane in the form of a new tab, called Connected Users. This provides a display of AFP and SMB users connected, including IP addresses. The new tab also enables administrators to disconnect specific AFP users. You can also send a message to AFP users as well as create an automatic greeting when AFP users first connected.

iPad users can now edit pages hosted by the Wiki Server, which was not previously supported. Administrators can now add Active Directory groups to the wiki permissions list.

Lion Server 10.7.3 Update improves authenticated binding to Open Directory servers in Directory Utility, and improves the reliability of setting up Open Directory replicas.

The Server App's Web pane restores some features that were available in versions previous to Lion server. You can now select a different SSL certificate for different web sites being hosted on the server, and administrators can once again configure redirects and aliases. You an also map multiple domain names to a single site, as well as edit the domain name for a site after it is created. The update adds the ability to specify custom index files for sites and to use .htaccess files by checking the "Allow all overrides" box.

The Profile Manager, which was new to Lion Server, fixes some problems and adds some minor features. Importing iOS apps is now said to be improved. The update makes it faster to enroll over 100 devices at once using the web administration interface. There are some new settings for iOS Mail and Exchange mail payloads.

The VPN pane of the Server app adds the option to enable VPN over PPTP. You can also save a PPTP configuration profile for distribution to clients. Apple posted a new tech article about configuring the new features called " Lion Server: Configuring and enabling PPTP." Administrators can also now set DNS server addresses and search domain names to VPN clients.

Mac OS X Server 10.7.3 Update a large download that can be over a gigabyte in size, depending on the server's configuration.

If you've tried this Lion Server update