Meraki basics

[Novalee]

So I have just signed up with Meraki.

 

Long term plan is each student has their own iPad (not set in stone yet, but the potential of), but this means they will own the device and it will have their own apple ID.

 

So for now, I just have the one iPad here for testing purposes.

 

Is there a way using Meraki, or another MDM solution which allows you to push out apps etc without needing to know the devices apple ID?

[Sibrows]

Is there a way using Meraki, or another MDM solution which allows you to push out apps etc without needing to know the devices apple ID?

 

Apple supports to ways to purchase apps 1) redeemable codes 2) managed distribution

 

Redeemable codes are used like gift cards and are then permanently owned by the iTunes account that it was purchased through.

 

Managed Distribution allows the school to assign the license to a user and then take it back once they've finished with it. For this the MDM system needs to know about each user's iTunes/App Store account. In Meraki you can send the email out to a school owned email address and the end user can sign in to their own iTunes account whether its associated with their school email or not.

 

A word of warning: Meraki are now charging for updates and support. See here.

[Novalee]

Thanks @Sibrows

 

So in our situatiuon, I think that Managed Distribution would be best as we obviously want to keep the apps for the use with future students etc.

 

Thanks for the info on Meraki too. Is there another MDM I could try? The thing is, we will probably end up going down the paid route ultimately anyway, but I don't want to 'waste' the 30 day free trial most of them offer just whilst we are getting to grips with what we are actually doing.

[Sibrows]

Is there another MDM I could try?

 

We decided that there was very little that we couldn't do using Apple's Profile manager running on a Mac Mini hosted on-site.

 

Thus far we have 250 devices enrolled and working with another 600 running off of Meraki that we plan need to transition away from over the next few months...

[Novalee]

Thanks @Sibrows - I'm just taking a look at that now you've mentioned it. I hadn't really considered it as everyone else always speaks of other MDM solutions, and never Apples, so I had actually assumed they either didn't have one, or it was rubbish.