macOS

What we integrate on macOS workstations

On macOS workstations we connect Outlook and OneDrive to the same Microsoft 365 tenant used across the rest of the business, so mail, shared calendars and files stay in sync regardless of the operating system on the individual machine. We configure access to shared network folders over SMB, with the same permissions that apply to the Windows fleet, and set up the VPN connection for staff who work remotely or on the road.

We apply consistent security policies across the whole fleet: disk encryption with FileVault, automatic screen lock after a period of inactivity, and system updates that are scheduled rather than left to the user's discretion. Where antivirus or endpoint protection is required we extend it to macOS workstations too, not just to Windows PCs, so the entire fleet runs on the same level of protection.

• Outlook and OneDrive on the company Microsoft 365 tenant
• SMB network shares with the same Windows permissions
• Disk encryption with FileVault
• VPN for remote access

When a mixed fleet makes sense and what to weigh up

A mixed Windows and macOS fleet is common in creative studios, technical firms using macOS specific software, and businesses where some departments simply prefer the platform out of established habit. In these cases it makes no sense to treat macOS workstations as an unmanaged exception: we integrate them into the same network, the same backup and the same security policies as the rest of the business, with the same level of attention.

The limitation concerns management software built for Windows only and tied to a local Active Directory domain: a macOS workstation can access shared data but cannot always run the management software directly, which may require remote access to a Windows session. We assess this case by case before proposing solutions that turn out to be inconvenient in daily use, especially for staff who rely on the software throughout the day.

How we support a mixed fleet

We review the existing fleet, Windows and macOS together, before proposing security policies or centralised management tools. We configure access to Microsoft 365, network shares and the company VPN on new macOS workstations following the same testing process we use for Windows PCs, without improvising a different setup just because the operating system changes. Testing happens in our Melzo lab whenever possible, otherwise directly on site at the client.

Ongoing support covers the entire fleet, not just Windows PCs: we handle both in warranty and out of warranty hardware and software issues on macOS workstations, with the same contact who supports the rest of the company infrastructure. This stops the department running Apple hardware from being left uncovered because it is treated as a separate case handled by a different provider than the rest of your IT.

Security and backup for the macOS fleet

Backup for macOS workstations follows the same strategy used across the rest of the fleet: scheduled copies of local data, verified periodically, kept independent from the backup of mail and shared files on Microsoft 365. An unmanaged macOS workstation, left on the operating system's default backup settings, is as much a weak point as a Windows PC with no controls and no verified copies.

We update the operating system and core applications on an agreed schedule, not at the first notification that pops up on the user's screen, to avoid both updates that interrupt work without warning and workstations left several versions behind. We also support clients who need to comply with the NIS2 directive by extending the required access controls and monitoring to the entire fleet, macOS included.