Which method is management friendly? Managed or Redemption code?

[Jehanzeb]

Morning everyone,

 

Hope everyone is doing well.

 

I have a question regarding Apple's VPP deployment and management methods. I have read the two VPP deployment methods and am not sure which way to go. The managed app method requires individual apple IDs on devices but gives the freedom to assign revoke and re-assign apps; utilising the MDM system I am guessing we can remotely push updated apps, and also iOS updates without having to worry about bringing each device to the AC for an update. The other method requires no apple ID but manually configuring the apps using Apple Configurator - Apple iPad cart system. The second method although provides the freedom from creating an individual AppleID, it restricts the remote update as one would have to bring all iPads to update them every term or every end of year. I am not sure if redemption codes can be assign,reassign or revoked at any time from devices (are they organisation owned or device owned).

 

My question is, which method do you think is better from management point of view? Is there any Hybrid method that we can use?

 

Kind regards

 

J.

[Sibrows]

Can you elaborate on your deployment scenario? - 1:1 devices or class / bookable set?

[Jehanzeb]

Class bookable 'annoying trolley' setup. Would love to see the school going 1:1 one day.

[Sibrows]

Ok, so the advantage of managed is that you can move the code between App Store account but if your using using class bookable I'm assuming the school 'owns' the account in question its less of an issue

[Brimstone]

Ok, so the advantage of managed is that you can move the code between App Store account but if your using using class bookable I'm assuming the school 'owns' the account in question its less of an issue

 

What does " move code between App Store accounts" mean?

 

So first thing to say is, using an MDM does not let you push out iOS updates, no MDM does this.. When using an MDM iOS updates can only be applied on the iPad itself..

 

Apple Configurator can be used to "assign" VPP Paid for and free apps to devices, when you refresh those iPads and untick the paid for apps for those iPads you get the licences back..iPads MUST be supervised for this to apply.

 

Whilst upside is no Apple ID required, downside is iPads require coming back to configurator for all updates for apps and iOS.

 

Managed App Distribution requires an MDM solution and can not be used with Configurator and has a number of better and future proof advantages to using Apple Configurator.

 

Whilst the downside is you have to create Apple Id's for each iPad..

 

Upside is that this can scale easily, if you suddenly get another 50 iPads dumped on your desk, once Apple ID's are created for them just ENROLL into your preferred MDM solution, using managed distribution licences requires you do a few tasks before you can use them though.

 

Managed Distribution requires...

 

Unique Apple ID per iPad...please do not follow other advice on here that says you can use one, you will get into a mess otherwise as this NOT supported.

All iPads must be supervised.

For silent apps installation in Configurator you must ensure that there are no restrictions applied in iTunes Content ratings

and that " modification account settings" are unchecked for silent installation of apps. If you feel this is too much management then just let the students create their own Apple ID's

Download token from your VPP account and apply to your MDM solution

Invite enrolled iPads into managed distribution

Once invited accepted then buy managed licences from your VPP account, apply to your MDM and push out to devices, revolve licences you have bought as when you need to apply elsewhere.

 

Once other important advantage of using managed distribution is...DEP Device Enrollment Program which makes deploying iPads even easier with zero touch from you to deploy, activate and manage from your MDM.

 

https://www.apple.com/education/it/dep

 

Hope this gives a more complete picture...

Edited January 30, 2015 by elsiegee40
Language

[Brimstone]

I didn't mean to be derogatory to the OP but..........

 

Too many people post on this particular forum giving out completely wrong information on deployment of iPads, people then use this advice or go off doing whatever and then blame Apple saying that managing iPads is completely impossible, don't blame the vendor because you don't have clue what you are doing.

 

I been into soooo many schools that have iPads and are using them as 'just a research tool" because they have bought them from certain so called "iPad resellers" that just dump them at the door of the school and expect you as the IT person to deploy them without any help or support

 

Helpful initial advice and very cheap prices are one thing but I guarantee most of them have no clue about;

 

Planning for deployment with IT

Looking at existing infastructure, wifi

BYOD Options

Teacher and student on boarding plans

Talking to teachers about vision and planning

Safeguarding, Global Proxies

VPP Set up

Managed Distribution

DEP

 

 

Talking to somebody who knows about the above subjects is not difficult, thats why Apple have Certified Education Experts (ASE's) Deciding to ignore these and buy from "someone who can get iPads" from your usual supplier and then rely on this site to fill in the gaps is the wrong approach completely.

 

As I've had a message from a MOD it may be a good idea to sticky the following articles from Apple...

 

How do i create a free Apple ID?

Create an iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store account without a credit card or other payment method - Apple Support

 

How do I claim my free iMovie, iPhoto, Pages, Keynote, Numbers and Garageband for my iPads

Request free iLife and iWork apps for iOSthrough theVolume Purchase Program - Apple Support

 

I'm out of here....

[Sibrows]

Thanks @Brimstone for the lengthy response.

 

Too many people post on this particular forum giving out completely wrong information on deployment of iPads, people then use this advice or go off doing whatever and then blame Apple saying that managing iPads is completely impossible, don't blame the vendor because you don't have clue what you are doing.

 

While they will never officially admit it iPads, even when using 'Apple Configurator', were always designed to be used as a personal device. Using them in class sets will always be like trying to 'get a square peg to fit inside a round hole'.

 

The original question was:

 

My question is, which method do you think is better from management point of view? Is there any Hybrid method that we can use?

 

Can only be answered by how your organisation intend to manage and use the devices.

 

The reason for Managed App distribution is to all an organisation to keep ownership of an app license. Originally Apple only offered redeemable codes within the VPP scheme. This isn't an issue if your use Apple Configurator to manage the devices but you have to collect in all of the devices each time you want to distribute an app this isn't practical and its been found that anything over 100 iOS devices per Mac running Apple Configurator causes instability in the backend database. If pushed out using an MDM solution leaves the license associated with the end-users' iTunes/App Store account.

 

This is where I was going with post 4 while it was short sweet and to the point it was also factually correct. I'm sorry I don't have the time to write lengthy posts cross-refferanced with links to the relevant knowledge base articles I have better things to be doing with my Friday evenings .

 

[Jehanzeb]

Firstly thank you both of you, Sibrows and Brimstone, for taking part in the discussion and wealth of information. I did understand what Sibrows was referring to in his first few replies and didn't require further help, though at one hand I do understand the frustration from Brimstone, I am afraid I would disagree with the mode of communication. One can be "out of here" but the "attitude" and the way one communicates remains here, forever. The beauty of open public forum is that we all have different skills and experiences, where one has advanced in one field the other has in another, this should'n't mean we start to bash each other without understanding. Apple certainly has it's drawbacks/flaws/limitations, if one cannot set a default storage path on an Apple device, nor can disable "settings" option from the device in a school environment, who should we blame to? the answer is obvious. AC and MDM are not rocket science, especially not for those who have worked on Enterprise based systems.

 

My thinking suggest Apple has a long way to go in terms of "truly" Education System. One can clearly see the 'thought process' behind the system - still developing and struggling to understand the requirements.

 

Regards

 

J.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Jehanzeb