Sheridan Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 It looks like ibooks (free or otherwise) simply cannot be installed onto iPads using the Configurator 2. This looks like another pointless Apple restriction for the sake of it. AC2 can install Apps only, whereas an MDM can install Apps and Books - why? Is there a way around this apart from an MDM? Apple obviously don't want people to use AC2 as its so flakey and inconsistent.
Sheridan Posted January 5, 2016 Author Posted January 5, 2016 Ha, this is a classics case of Apple. They are so incapable of producing a method of mass deployment its almost comical! We've setup Meraki MDM and Apple Vpp. We've 'purchased' some free books through the VPP which you cannot deploy with AC2. So I tried with Meraki, but there is no way to deploy books in there either. If you try and deploy using a URL you're told its invalid, if you search by ID you can find the book you've bought but cannot deploy it as 'Identifier cannot be blank' or 'Vendor cannot be blank'. Why on earth we can't deploy whatever we've bought (free or otherwise) through AC2 is beyond me, apple seemed to have tied themselves into knots with this. I'll be glad when the ipads in education fad has died out.
Brimstone Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 Free books can be distributed via AC2 using managed distribution, just like apps via the VPP store. Paid for iBooks can not be revoked from a user due to copyright restrictions (this is not down to Apple but the authors themselves) so would require an Apple ID on each iPad and MDM.
Sheridan Posted January 5, 2016 Author Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) Free books can be distributed via AC2 using managed distribution, just like apps via the VPP store. Paid for iBooks can not be revoked from a user due to copyright restrictions (this is not down to Apple but the authors themselves) so would require an Apple ID on each iPad and MDM. I wish I could work out how then! I can deploy Apps purchased with VPP but not books, how did you manage this? From the look of this, I have to have a VPP account to download and distribute free or paid Apps, which I can deploy to iPads using AC2 or Meraki. However when it comes to free or paid books I have to purchase them under the VPP account but then can ONLY push them to Users (not devices) so each ipad will need a seperate iTunes account. Thats not ideal as we're trying to manage iPads that aren't on a 1:1 basis. Edited January 5, 2016 by Sheridan
Brimstone Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 You buy "free" books in exactly the same way you buy "free" apps in VPP Why on earth are trying to deploy a "book" via a URL just buy the books via your VPP Portal, wait until they appear in your list in either Meraki or AC2 and deploy them. You may be going wrong if you are trying to use the embedded VPP store inside your Meraki MDM console, do not use this. You should be using the VPP Store, buying managed distribution licences and then waiting for your MDM to poll your VPP account so the licences then appear in the Meraki MDM console. Most embedded stores inside 3rd party MDM's do not see all the content from Apple's VPP.
Sheridan Posted January 5, 2016 Author Posted January 5, 2016 You buy "free" books in exactly the same way you buy "free" apps in VPP Why on earth are trying to deploy a "book" via a URL just buy the books via your VPP Portal, wait until they appear in your list in either Meraki or AC2 and deploy them. You may be going wrong if you are trying to use the embedded VPP store inside your Meraki MDM console, do not use this. You should be using the VPP Store, buying managed distribution licences and then waiting for your MDM to poll your VPP account so the licences then appear in the Meraki MDM console. Most embedded stores inside 3rd party MDM's do not see all the content from Apple's VPP. The books I bought through VPP appear in the MDM VPP section - but these can only be deployed to Users. The purchased books do not appear in the AC2 - but the Apps do. I think I'm doing it the right way - but books never appear in AC2, and they only appear in the VPP section of Meraki - which can only be deployed to users (which means they will need an itunes account)
Brimstone Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 Are you not able to device assign iBooks in Meraki by checking here....? https://documentation.meraki.com/SM/Apps_and_Software/VPP_App_Licensing_by_Device_Serial
Sheridan Posted January 5, 2016 Author Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) Are you not able to device assign iBooks in Meraki by checking here....? https://documentation.meraki.com/SM/Apps_and_Software/VPP_App_Licensing_by_Device_Serial All of the books bought through VPP show 'N' for device assignable - which is the problem I guess. These are just standard free books from the VPP store so I'm assuming all books are user assignable only. No books ever show in AC2, I don't think it works with anything other than Apps. Have you actually managed to do this with Ac2 or Meraki? I can't find any specific documentation for books, only Apps Edited January 5, 2016 by Sheridan
Sheridan Posted January 6, 2016 Author Posted January 6, 2016 Well, I've tested this thoroughly with our AC2,Meraki and VPP setup now and as far as books go: 1) You cannot deploy books with AC2, they do not show up. 2) You can only deploy books with Meraki to users, not devices so deploying books in Meraki effectively only works on 1:1 devices I assume other MDM's will be the same as far as books go as this is obviously an apple restriction or policy. We can deploy Apps (vpp) fine with both AC2 (well, when it works anyway!) and Meraki but books for some reason are a whole different method. So I think its Kindle time for those who need eReaders.
ztwtso Posted March 20, 2017 Posted March 20, 2017 Having the same problem with Meraki but at another school where they have Lightspeed I can reply to devices.
Garacesh Posted March 6, 2019 Posted March 6, 2019 @Sheridan did you ever get a solution for this? Now that we're set up with School's Manager rather than VPP I had hoped we could give the English dept. some books. I've 'bought' 32 copies of Jane Eyre, but they're not showing up in the Add Apps list, and Documents wants me to upload a file from the MacBook Configurator is running on. (Sorry to necrobump, but this thread's the first result if you Google 'Configurator 2 add books')
Brimstone Posted March 6, 2019 Posted March 6, 2019 iBooks MUST be user assigned, either using a Personal Apple ID (Using Managed Distribution) or a Managed Apple ID (Created in ASM) via an MDM solution, I wouldn't even bother with AC2. iBooks can not be revoked from a user, this is not caused by Apple but publishers such as Pearson etc. https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202995 1
Garacesh Posted March 6, 2019 Posted March 6, 2019 Oh. Well.. That's annoying. We don't do any Apple user accounts here
Sheridan Posted March 7, 2019 Author Posted March 7, 2019 Oh. Well.. That's annoying. We don't do any Apple user accounts here To answer your original question, we simply gave up, adding yet another set of accounts wasn't worth the effort! 1
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