Ipad App Deployment

[Homeland]

I am sure there is an easy way of doing this so thought I would ask,

 

I have set up deployment of apps through iTunes over wifi and it works well, sadly though I have to go through each one to deploy the apps, is there anything third party etc I could install on a mac or run cloud based to install a single app on all apple devices without having to go through them one at a time.

[SovietRussia]

Yeah...

 

You are looking for a MDM (Mobile Device Management). Cloud based ones like Meraki are awesome and I would recommend it (Also free!)

 

What you do is "Enrol" the devices into Meraki so they can be managed externally, then using the Meraki Dashboard, push apps to the devices using Apple's Push Notification Service.

 

If you have a mac, even better option is Profile Manager, this allows you also to push apps via APNS but does not require you to enter a password for the Apple ID on the devices.

 

If you need any help, feel free to drop me a PM.

[iom100]

Yeah...

If you have a mac, even better option is Profile Manager, this allows you also to push apps via APNS but does not require you to enter a password for the Apple ID on the devices.

 

And an even better option is Apple Configurator. Lots of other threads about this...

[SovietRussia]

And an even better option is Apple Configurator. Lots of other threads about this...

 

You cant push apps wirelessly via Configurator. Configurator is a first time deployment model.

[iom100]

You cant push apps wirelessly via Configurator. Configurator is a first time deployment model.

 

Not wirelessly, no. How you want to use is it obviously depends on what model you're using, but I use Apple Configurator to return class sets of iPads (64 in total) back to a known good before giving them out again. Apple Configurator works really well for us and certain not just for first time deployment. By 'supervising' the devices it means we can deploy paid apps and keep hold of the licenses so we can re-use them on whichever devices need the apps next. I wouldn't want to use Meraki for app deployment as you need to enter in credentials on device every time. Horses for courses.

[SovietRussia]

I wouldn't want to use Meraki for app deployment as you need to enter in credentials on device every time. Horses for courses.

 

That is why, personally we use Profile Manager along with Configurator for the supervision.

[iom100]

That's a new one for me - care to explain how it fits together?

[SovietRussia]

That's a new one for me - care to explain how it fits together?

 

Sure;

 

1. Supervise the devices using Configurator adding in the Enrolment profile that Profile Manager generates for you
   
2. The devices appear in Profile Manager
   
3. Push apps and restrictions wirelessly via APNS
   
4. Because the source is identifyed as a MAC SERVER, Apple do not require a end password on the devices for app installs.
   

 

Perfecto.

[Jerred91]

In our school we use Apple Configurator to deploy apps and keep the iPads supervised. Using Apple Configurator we install the Meraki profile so we can manage restrictions over the air. We use it all the time to enable/disable the camera for example. It happens instantly so is really useful. We were originally using Profile Manager but Meraki seems much quicker.

[Jerred91]

Sure;

 

1. Supervise the devices using Configurator adding in the Enrolment profile that Profile Manager generates for you
   
2. The devices appear in Profile Manager
   
3. Push apps and restrictions wirelessly via APNS
   
4. Because the source is identifyed as a MAC SERVER, Apple do not require a end password on the devices for app installs.
   

 

Perfecto.

 

Although this is also a very good way to do it.

I guess it depends on how often you will be installing new apps and where the devices are kept. For us using Configurator is not an issue as we have the devices back after each lesson they are used. If you don't have them back then the method SovietRussia uses would be much more beneficial.

[Squip]

http://www.meraki.com/lib/pdf/meraki_whitepaper_ios.pdf

 

This is the setup we follow across multiple sites. Use AC to install apps and a single Meraki profile, then use Meraki for further profiles and auditing