Brian Stucki over at Macminicolo has compiled a list of seven iPhone applications he uses regularly as an IT guy. It's a great start to putting together your own server-wrangling kit on your iPhone.

Brian includes Network Ping Lite (Free [iTunes]), Web Tools ($1.99USD [iTunes]), and iSSH ($4.99 [iTunes]), among others. He also somewhat reluctantly admits to frequently using the infamous (and now technically unavailable) tethering app, Netshare. We'd like to add a few applications to the list, and I'd love to hear about any additions from your own arsenal in the comments. Our top picks include a few iPhone apps, some of which are alternatives to entries in Brian's list and some which are additions:

• FTP On The Go ($9.99USD [iTunes]), because sometimes you need to get in there and your iPhone is your only choice ...
• TouchTerm ($2.99USD [iTunes]), another good terminal emulator with SSH
• 1Password (Free [iTunes]), keep track of all of those server passwords
• SleepOver ($2.99USD [iTunes]), another Wake-On-LAN utility which comes out a little cheaper than iWOL (mentioned in Brian's list)

A few web apps should also make the list, such as Inco (TUAW coverage), Webmin and iNagios, all of which are free and can be set up to allow server monitoring and/or administration from your iPhone. Take a look at Brian's list, have a peek at our additions, and then fill us in on what you're using on your iPhone to keep your server(s) up and your IT fires under control.

Years ago, Macs didn't even acknowledge the presence of Windows networks, which made those LAN wine-and-cheese parties pretty awkward. Now, however, OS X machines are exemplary network citizens, and apparently can even manage Windows workstations under the right circumstances.

TidBITS linked to a roundtable discussion at Cornell University, where Philip Halcomb, of Cornell's Mann Library ITS staff, demonstrated managing user accounts in Active Directory. Now, this wouldn't be very exciting, except for the fact that he was using Mac OS X Workgroup Manager to do it. Sweet.

Phil's part starts at about 7:30. It's a long QuickTime video, too -- almost an hour -- but for IT folks, especially in an education environment, the roundtable series is a must-see.

(Thanks, MHA, for Phillip's name!)

Apple has posted a listing of the sessions which will be offered at this summer's World Wide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.

There are three tracks to choose from: Mac, IT and new this year, iPhone. Of course, the Mac track has the greatest number of sessions available, and poor IT is dead last.

Early bird registration has begun, so purchase your ticket and make your hotel reservations. And if you're an iPhone developer, we're really waiting to see what you come up with.

The long history of the Parallels Server release is moving ever closer to an end: SWsoft (which is changing their name to Parallels) has announced that the product has moved into beta. This thing is the holy grail for Mac server administrators, apparently-- it's supposed to not only be the first virtualization solution to run on Apple hardware, but will also allow admins to run multiple versions of Leopard on one box, and even on Windows or Linux servers. I'm pretty clueless at fine art of administering servers, but even I can see how that would have all the IT guys in a tizzy.

It's still a closed beta at this point, so you've got to sign up if you want to experience the magic for yourself. And apparently the Parallels folks work fast, so odds are we're headed for an open beta within a few weeks. Soon, Mac OS Server will be at the mercy of any IT overseers to bend and use at their will.

CIO magazine recounts a Forrester Research report from last week on "The iPhone is Not Meant for Enterprises," a $280 piece of critical business intelligence that tells IT departments something they a) wanted to hear and b) already knew: the iPhone is not a Blackberry (quel suprise!). Without key features such as remote kill, data encryption, and full Exchange support, Forrester says the iPhone is DOA in BigCo environments; despite this, IT folk need a strategy for handling the iPhones that make their touchable way in the revolving doors.

Nobody expects IT to embrace the iPhone with both arms, but the tale of the numbers suggests that the warmth of the welcome may be irrelevant: the iPhone is here in a big way. With sales data suggesting that the iPhone has passed Windows Mobile in share, vendors like Visto promising full Exchange integration, and an SDK around the corner for blessed development, corporate technologists may have to settle for a policy of benign discontent as the shiny pretty things invade.

Update: Some well-phrased and funny debunking of Forrester's stance by the Macalope and John Welch.

[via Macworld]

Like They Might Be Giants, the Mac blogosphere has two big Johns: Gruber and Welch. While both are highly informative/informed and entertaining writers, there are some key differences. Welch's blog has to be described as Not Safe For Work. Still, he cleans up right nice. His recent Top 22 Mac Products article for InformationWeek was a considered, cogent and eye-opening take on the "software you can't live without" story.

As we've noted for the past couple of weeks, thanks to writers like Welch, Tom Yager, Seth Weintraub and Ryan Fass, there's more and more rosy Mac coverage in the IT industry trade publications. From the perspective of Mac-centric IT folk like yours truly, this is definitely a Good Thing.

Last week was a good week for Mac press in the IT weekly trades. Over at ComputerWorld, Ryan Fass chimed in with an opinion piece on how OS X is ideal for small business.Meanwhile, John Fontana in Network World had a long article about how IT pros are beginning to "discover Mac platforms that are being transformed into realistic alternatives to Windows and Linux." With the Intel platform switch, Boot Camp and virtualization options, a Mac purchase is more flexible and futureproof than ever before.

Sure, it's not news to us, but as the costs associated with this upgrade cycle to Vista are coming into clearer focus, it's an opportunity for Apple (and for Linux vendors) to make inroads with an alternative to Microsoft Everywhere. Obstacles to this vision of happiness? Well, aside from FUD and inertia, both writers point out that Apple's support and sales infrastructures are not really oriented towards the needs of the enterprise... yet.

[via MacFixit]

Apple, of course, boasted how fantastic of a deal they're offering on stage with these new Xserves, but it's always prudent to hear it from the actual community these products are targeted at. Fortunately, reader Jonathan Fingas pointed us towards just such an article from IT Jungle that analyzes the offering and opportunities of new 64bit, Intel-based Xserves that can run Not only Mac OS X and Linux, but now Windows as well. They do their own price breakdown between other Enterprise server software offerings, as well as a hardware match up with a (somewhat) comparable HP server. They conclude that Apple has quite a killer offering on the table, no matter how you slice it.

Check out the IT Jungle article for yourself, and since most of us aren't exactly Enterprise gurus, keep tips like this rolling in, as they're a great window into how this particular community is reacting to Apple's big changes.

Beyond a doubt, Apple's retail stores have been and still are making headlines of all kinds - from business magazines hailing the stores' sleek design, to consumer reviews giving the stores high marks for their unique and (ideally) helpful Genius Bar feature. However, as some of you may know - not everyone's trip to the genius bar wraps up with a happy ending, and I'm not just talking about the customers; the Geniuses don't always have it so peachy-keen either.

Hence, Ungenius - a blog by "JC" who apparently has some stories to tell of his adventures "aton[ing] for the sins of a multinational corporation during nearly four years as a Mac Genius". JC delves into all sorts of topics surrounding the world of the Genius including QA, the obvious defects that have made headlines as of late, and even some thoughts as to why Class Actions might be bad for consumers.

Whether you've made a shrine for the last Genius who helped you out of a pickle or you're putting the finishing touches on a Genius Voodoo doll as you read this, Ungenius might be an interesting read from the other side of the cheery Apple retail store fence.