[ipad] VPP, DEP and iPads

[localzuk]

Can someone clear this up for me?

 

We've signed up to VPP and DEP, which I understand allow me to buy bulk licenses for apps, then distribute them via MDM (in our case, we'll be using Meraki). It also allows us to revoke a license.

 

The question I've got is - when I issue a new iPad to a member of staff, do they sign up with whatever Apple account they want? Meaning they can fund their own apps if they so wish? Does that mean staff can have a hybrid of personally bought and centrally issued apps?

[fairm010]

When we configured our iPads with Apple Configurator it removed the App Store from the iPads, so no app purchases are possible. I don't know if this will be the same with Meraki

[localzuk]

Apple Configurator is a very different beast as far as I know. With VPP and DEP, there's no "admin" side of the setup beyond adding the machines to the MDM using either an Apple order number or their serial numbers. The staff themselves are the ones that open the boxes etc... (Well, theoretically, we'll be asset tagging them so will be opening boxes).

[Sam_Brown]

The "Layered ownership model" as described in the iOS for Education Deployment Guide should be what you're after.

 

https://www.apple.com/uk/education/docs/ios_6_education_deployment_guide.pdf

 

Not sure if there's a more recent version of the Guide or not but the fundamental workflo should be the same.

[wedemire]

With Meraki MDM and Apple VPP you first have to invite the apple ids to join your managed distribution from the Meraki MDM. You can then purchase licenses (for managed distribution - not codes) and assign them to those Apple ids. You can revoke/reassign those apps using the MDM.

So it's not exactly as you want unless you know the Apple ids in advance. The staff would get the invite and have to agree to join. But yes, there is the potential for the hybrid you want.

[howartp]

Can someone clear this up for me?

 

The question I've got is - when I issue a new iPad to a member of staff, do they sign up with whatever Apple account they want? Meaning they can fund their own apps if they so wish? Does that mean staff can have a hybrid of personally bought and centrally issued apps?

Yes and yes.

 

Our staff have school iPads which are managed in Meraki. They have a personal apple account on them. They were bought pre-DEP and pre-VPP so do have some school-bought apps on that I cannot revoke and re-use; they permanently belong to that apple account now.

 

However any apps bought in the last 6-9 months have been bought by school as VPP. In Meraki, under VPP, is a list (auto-synced from Apple) of what licenses we own, how many are issued and how many are still available. In the same place is a list of apple IDs I've invited to our VPP - about 20 so far. I can assign any unused license to any of these IDs, and the app will then show up in their App Store as 'Not on this device' as though they've previously bought it; they then download it free.

 

If they leave and/or I revoke a license, they are given 30 days to purchase the app themselves before it disappears from the device and their App Store.

[biz]

Can someone clear this up for me?

 

We've signed up to VPP and DEP, which I understand allow me to buy bulk licenses for apps, then distribute them via MDM (in our case, we'll be using Meraki). It also allows us to revoke a license.

 

The question I've got is - when I issue a new iPad to a member of staff, do they sign up with whatever Apple account they want? Meaning they can fund their own apps if they so wish? Does that mean staff can have a hybrid of personally bought and centrally issued apps?

 

That is how it'll work if you want it to. We have some set up with generic Apple IDs that I created and some with personal or school-email-based Apple IDs.

 

The hardest part was getting staff to accept the Meraki invites, even after telling them to expect the email and explaining what to do and why upmteen times!

[RLR]

Yes and yes.

 

Our staff have school iPads which are managed in Meraki. They have a personal apple account on them. They were bought pre-DEP and pre-VPP so do have some school-bought apps on that I cannot revoke and re-use; they permanently belong to that apple account now.

 

However any apps bought in the last 6-9 months have been bought by school as VPP. In Meraki, under VPP, is a list (auto-synced from Apple) of what licenses we own, how many are issued and how many are still available. In the same place is a list of apple IDs I've invited to our VPP - about 20 so far. I can assign any unused license to any of these IDs, and the app will then show up in their App Store as 'Not on this device' as though they've previously bought it; they then download it free.

 

If they leave and/or I revoke a license, they are given 30 days to purchase the app themselves before it disappears from the device and their App Store.

 

If you have any codes which haven't been redeemed yet from the old style of distribution, you can send apple a support request to convert the codes to VPP codes. We also managed to get our iPad supplier to add the iPads we bought last year to DEP. I think if the iPads have been bought within the last year or 2, you can do this.

[howartp]

If you have any codes which haven't been redeemed yet from the old style of distribution, you can send apple a support request to convert the codes to VPP codes.

Ah, that's useful to know - thanks!

 

We also managed to get our iPad supplier to add the iPads we bought last year to DEP. I think if the iPads have been bought within the last year or 2, you can do this.

Yes, I knew this bit but haven't got around to it yet; the devices are with staff and don't often need rebuilding.

 

I will be adding the student lease devices onto DEP soon - we bought them just before DEP codes were issued to resellers.

 

Peter

[Stevecee]

Hi

 

We have about 60 staff ipads, when we gave them out we gave them a instruction booklet giving step by stpe instructions on how to set them up (we had already done some pre setup work in Configurator). The instructions took them step by step setting up their work email and also setting up an Apple ID with their work email, The Meraki profile was added in configurator and we invited them to join our VPP at that time.

 

Once done we can send / remove apps but they can also add their own apps, this allows them to research apps etc. but we didn't restrict use to this as we wanted to encourage their use and therefore the staff skills!

 

Steve

[localzuk]

Ok, so now that I've got the iPads and have signed up to DEP and VPP, I can confirm it as follows.

 

1. Your reseller/Apple add your bought iPads to the DEP portal

2. You then assign those iPads (either automatically or manually) to your MDM solution (in my case Meraki)

3. In Meraki, you assign settings to the iPads

4. You issue the iPad to whoever will have it. In box, untouched by you.

5. They turn it on and follow the usual process. The iPad calls home to Apple, and then your MDM to get the settings automatically.

6. They log in or sign up to their own Apple ID.

7. All done.

 

No need to touch the iPads themselves from a management POV.