Mac storage issues

[mbl]

We’re experiencing ongoing issues with students saving their work locally to their profiles on the Macs, which keeps filling up the storage. We’re using JAMF School — is there a way to prevent users from saving files locally and instead force them to save directly to their home directory on the file server?

[loxford01]

We have setup a Synology, and through Jamf under login items have mapped the network share where all student work is saved, have docked the shortcut for all students. Also use guest login as opposed to AD for students so once logged off the profile is cleared. 

[DalekSec]

5 minutes ago, loxford01 said:

We have setup a Synology, and through Jamf under login items have mapped the network share where all student work is saved, have docked the shortcut for all students. Also use guest login as opposed to AD for students so once logged off the profile is cleared. 

 

Last place did similar, had a Synology where the files were stored, but users still logged in with AD users

[AlphamaleZed]

46 minutes ago, loxford01 said:

We have setup a Synology, and through Jamf under login items have mapped the network share where all student work is saved, have docked the shortcut for all students. Also use guest login as opposed to AD for students so once logged off the profile is cleared. 

Hey mate, what did you do to get guest logins?

I currently have a student account only and an admin account with an auto sign in so its actually one account shared to whoever is in lesson, be interesting to see how yours works.

 

I have got Jamf connect licenses but never used.

[loxford01]

configuration profiles, login window, options theres option to allow guest user. So we have a separate teacher admin account for all macs and then the guest user for students. It doesnt allow saving any local data and cleans the profile during log off. 

[AlphamaleZed]

On 13/11/2025 at 14:33, loxford01 said:

configuration profiles, login window, options theres option to allow guest user. So we have a separate teacher admin account for all macs and then the guest user for students. It doesnt allow saving any local data and cleans the profile during log off. 

Hey mate thanks for this, currently testing but struggling to mount smb share on guest account, how did you get it going? if you could let me know be really appreciated!

[loxford01]

Under configuration profiles for the imacs, dock, dock items, you can add the smb share for guest users. They will see the share as a globe icon when they login. 

 

smb://192.168.33.118/music-shared

Edited November 25, 2025 by loxford01

[AlphamaleZed]

I have done that but its authenticated share and disconnects randomly any way to make it persistent?

I am using a windows server as the file share.

Edited November 25, 2025 by AlphamaleZed
wrong info

[loxford01]

Can you access the share on a mac? can you save and retrieve files from the windows share, if so you may need to look at SMB3 compatibility between Windows/Mac. Finder → Go → Connect to Server → smb://server/share.

 

I cant provide much more on this we use Synology and works well. 

[AlphamaleZed]

Does your synology use credentials? i wonder if its to do with that?

[loxford01]

Yes we have a separate account to access the share on Synology

[AlphamaleZed]

5 hours ago, loxford01 said:

Yes we have a separate account to access the share on Synology

Ah okay so it’s 

 

SMB://creden:tials@fileshare/studentdrive? 
 

must be windows server the inconsistency with mapping maybe?

[loxford01]

Accessing windows shares normally does require account but not sure how this works on a mac as havent tried due to our currnet working solution.