[ipad] Newbie using Apple Configurator 2, feeling overwhelmed

[bethany4143]

Hi all. New to the forums and new to my technology department and IT altogether.

 

I've been tasked with finding a new way to set up our district's 200+ iPads. What I've currently got is Apple Configurator 2 set up on my Mac, VPP and iTunes accounts set up for each school site (to keep funds separate), and Meraki as our MDM (which was used to previously, and messily, manage our iPads). I think I've got the process down, but I'm not sure. Does anyone have a good link to the step-by-step for this? I tried searching the forums, but there are a lot of posts.

 

Very basically, here's what I think I have so far:

 

1. Set up student and teacher profiles in AC2, with security and usage settings.

2. Purchase apps using VPP account.

3. Create blueprint for each school on AC2.

4. Push out iPad configuration with syncing cart.

 

I know I'm missing a lot of stuff, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

 

One of my biggest questions to start off is that when using the VPP account, it says that free apps must be managed using your MDM. Does this mean I need to run these apps through Meraki and push them out to the iPads? If so, how do I get them on to each of the blueprints?

 

Thanks in advance for the help. I've been doing lots of reading and researching the last few weeks (in between all the other jobs), but I'm having a hard time getting this all straight in my head.

[mrnoisy]

Apple DEP is your friend here lots of info on Apples website

[RLR]

What you've said is correct but you really need to look into Apple DEP if these are 1:1 devices. If they are shared/class devices then AC might be the better option.

 

DEP allows devices to be setup by the user themselves. You may need to create a guide to go with it but it makes your job easier in the long run as you won't have to keep putting devices through AC.

[Bev]

I've been fighting with this for a week or two.

 

I think I've got it setup in a way that makes sense for me.

 

This is for shared student ipads that are in a cart.

 

I am using Apple Configurator 2 to update ipads to ios9 and enroll them in my MDM. (meraki).

All I do in Configurator is add a profile with the wifi password, and then 'prepare' which adds the meraki profile.

 

Then in VPP you need to buy all your apps - including your free ones.

 

In Meraki, you go to the VPP screen and sync it, and all the purchased apps appear.

 

Then you go to the Apps screen and add them again - this took me a while to work out. The VPP screens knows that you have a license, and the App screen knows you want to install it.

 

I have then ticked Use VPP device license, and they are installing without any usernames/passwords being required.

I also have a restrictions profile set up in Meraki which prevents them changing the ipad name/wallpaper/installing any apps etc.

 

 

What I haven't quite managed yet, is to push out paid apps without the DEP program. As we bought our iPads from PCWorld/Dixons it looks like we can't use the DEP program. So, that is still a stumbling block.

 

But things much better than they were last week.

 

 

If the ipads are individually owned and all have Apple Ids then it should be even easier.

[tmoon-mint]

To add these to a blueprint just make sure you sign in to the VPP account in AC2. You can then browse the "purchased" apps and deploy them as part of your blueprint.

[Brimstone]

I've been fighting with this for a week or two.

 

I think I've got it setup in a way that makes sense for me.

 

This is for shared student ipads that are in a cart.

 

I am using Apple Configurator 2 to update ipads to ios9 and enroll them in my MDM. (meraki).

All I do in Configurator is add a profile with the wifi password, and then 'prepare' which adds the meraki profile.

 

Then in VPP you need to buy all your apps - including your free ones.

 

In Meraki, you go to the VPP screen and sync it, and all the purchased apps appear.

 

Then you go to the Apps screen and add them again - this took me a while to work out. The VPP screens knows that you have a license, and the App screen knows you want to install it.

 

I have then ticked Use VPP device license, and they are installing without any usernames/passwords being required.

I also have a restrictions profile set up in Meraki which prevents them changing the ipad name/wallpaper/installing any apps etc.

 

 

What I haven't quite managed yet, is to push out paid apps without the DEP program. As we bought our iPads from PCWorld/Dixons it looks like we can't use the DEP program. So, that is still a stumbling block.

 

But things much better than they were last week.

 

 

If the ipads are individually owned and all have Apple Ids then it should be even easier.

 

Apple's DEP program has nothing to do with paid for apps, DEP only tells your iPad which MDM you have set up, enrols it and then pushes any free or paid for apps assigned for that iPad in your MDM.

 

PCWorld/Dixons are not part of DEP, and are the last place on earth I would goto for iPads in a school.

[Bev]

PCWorld/Dixons are not part of DEP, and are the last place on earth I would goto for iPads in a school.

That may be the case, but when our iPads were purchased 3 years that was the decision made so I am stuck with it.

 

I thought I needed to be part of the DEP program to transfer VPP codes to managed distribution, but it sounds like that's not the case. I am still wary of how this is going to work as I don't want to lose access to our paid for apps.

[Brimstone]

That may be the case, but when our iPads were purchased 3 years that was the decision made so I am stuck with it.

 

I thought I needed to be part of the DEP program to transfer VPP codes to managed distribution, but it sounds like that's not the case. I am still wary of how this is going to work as I don't want to lose access to our paid for apps.

 

If you are using an MDM solution you should always be using managed distribution, otherwise redeem codes sent to iPads for paid for apps are being redeemed by the Apple ID and are now owned by it not the school. I would guess that you must be using a combination of both configurator and Meraki which would confuse the hell of me. I would enrol on DEP and ditch configurator altogether.

[CommodoreS]

I am wondering if there are any online videos\guides anywhere on the best way to configure iPads using AC2 and Meraki as the MDM for shared use iPads.

 

Specifically I would also like to group Apps into subject folders, without having to do this on each iPad individually.

 

Like above DEP is not an option. Is there any reason why DEP is restricted to iPads purchased from Apple and participating Apple Authorized Resellers. It seems a little restrictive, and I am guessing those iPads have no physical differences.

[Mr_Jiminy]

ditch configurator altogether.

 

I agree, but it's still very handy for mass iOS update deployment.

 

Can't speak for Maraki, but I'm sure Configurator compliments LightSpeed Mobile Manager, in that additional MDM features are provided on the basis of the iPad being in Superised mode.

[Bev]

These are the instructions I have followed.

 

How to deploy apps with Meraki and Device Assignment | Support Expert

 

Before that, I supervised the ipads using Apple Configurator and added them to Meraki.

There are some instructions here, but this isn't exactly how I did it.

 

I don't think Meraki or any MDM supports folders on the ipads unfortunately.