AppleShare IP
Mac OSbased computers usually can be counted on to rely on the AppleShare IP protocol (although, this is very much at the whim of a network administrator with a modern network, as both Mac OS clients and Mac OS servers support so many other protocols). When connecting Macintosh clients to a server of a different platform, it is often necessary to enable AppleShare services to provide backward compatibility to older workstations, or to provide effective security.
In the classic versions of the Mac OS, AppleShare functionality was provided by a suite of extensions and control panels providing configuration and core services for this networking protocol. As always, when integrating computers using older software onto a newer network, download and install the latest versions of the AppleShare software from Apple Computer's website, and make sure that the operating system is up-to-date. Download the latest version of AppleShare from Apple's support website at http://www.apple.com/support/.Mac OS X computers should be kept up-to-date with the Software Update utility accessible via System Preferences.
Although AppleShare IP provides a secure way for a user and server to exchange names and passwords, it is not an encrypted protocol. It is theoretically possible for an IP packet to be intercepted and its contents read by a third party. Therefore, care should be taken when exchanging sensitive data. Fortunately, AppleShare IP is a pure TCP/IP protocol, so it may be "tunneled" using any variety of encryption methods. The Mac OS itself supports L2TP over IPSec and PPTP, which are capable of encrypting network packets to prevent anyone from reading intercepted packets.