[ipad] Apple Schools Manager - Apple Classroom - SIMS - Meraki

[jcraig]

hi all

 

what are other peoples experience of this?

 

I have been working on apple Classroom for our staff iPads to control our student iPads for a while now and finally got it all working on a site with over 1000 ipads.

 

I wanted to offer my help to people should they need it.

 

James

[RLR]

We've got it setup at our place for our senior school and sixth form. Some staff use it and some don't depending on how well they can control their class. We're using casper and seems to work well.

 

We're next going to look at turning on Bluetooth for all the students when we get the chance. There is a config profile which does this but doesn't allow it to be on/off. Just stops them changing what Bluetooth is currently set to. So need to get all students to turn it on and then apply this restriction.

Edited December 2, 2016 by RLR

[jcraig]

yes this is a drawback we have come across i would be interested to see this profile if you have a copy you could send me as this might be a viable fix for us.

[RLR]

yes this is a drawback we have come across i would be interested to see this profile if you have a copy you could send me as this might be a viable fix for us.

 

This is available under the restrictions payload on configuration profiles you can push out to iPads. In casper it is a tick box called: Allow modifying bluetooth settings (supervised only)

 

Once we're comfortable all students have Bluetooth on we can turn this setting on and the students can't change Bluetooth settings. We have found airplane mode forces bluetooth off but once airplane mode is turned off it works again.

[Jehanzeb]

Hi James,When I read your thread I thought that's what I need too. We have Meraki(free), SIMS, Apple Configurator (1.7x) and we opted for Apple School manager last year summer (2016 summer) but unfortunately Apple School Manager didn't work for us. Mainly because (that's what I think) we use free version of Meraki so no option for device enrolment apps push instead it's based on Apple IDs. The Apple IDs were created in Apple School Manager, the iPads were setup as DEP and they sync nicely on Meraki but I could not install/push any apps onto the device(s). This created a massive issue and due to inability to push any apps I scrapped the idea.Although I am still optimistic to make this work somehow as the "teacher controlling students iPads" idea is the main reason why I opted for Apple School Manager. We get so many cases where students are simply either messing around on website playing games or unnecessarily opening different apps, changing settings like wallpaper or adding a accessibility options like Assistive mode. I wish Apple would allow admins to simply hide the settings app along with other Find Friends/Message etc. out from the iPads.P.S. I know we can use AC 2.x which allows restricting wallpaper change and some other settings but it doesn't allow us to restrict Accessibility modes or other key options like history deletion on Safari/Chrome. It also messes up the iPad Name size when we set the wallpaper on the iPad - the iPad Name appears too small and perspective zoom makes the whole wallpaper really pixelated.Kindest regardsJehanzeb

[RLR]

Hi James,When I read your thread I thought that's what I need too. We have Meraki(free), SIMS, Apple Configurator (1.7x) and we opted for Apple School manager last year summer (2016 summer) but unfortunately Apple School Manager didn't work for us. Mainly because (that's what I think) we use free version of Meraki so no option for device enrolment apps push instead it's based on Apple IDs. The Apple IDs were created in Apple School Manager, the iPads were setup as DEP and they sync nicely on Meraki but I could not install/push any apps onto the device(s). This created a massive issue and due to inability to push any apps I scrapped the idea.Although I am still optimistic to make this work somehow as the "teacher controlling students iPads" idea is the main reason why I opted for Apple School Manager. We get so many cases where students are simply either messing around on website playing games or unnecessarily opening different apps, changing settings like wallpaper or adding a accessibility options like Assistive mode. I wish Apple would allow admins to simply hide the settings app along with other Find Friends/Message etc. out from the iPads.P.S. I know we can use AC 2.x which allows restricting wallpaper change and some other settings but it doesn't allow us to restrict Accessibility modes or other key options like history deletion on Safari/Chrome. It also messes up the iPad Name size when we set the wallpaper on the iPad - the iPad Name appears too small and perspective zoom makes the whole wallpaper really pixelated.Kindest regardsJehanzeb

Everything you have asked for can be done. I'm not sure if the free version of meraki can do it but I'm pretty sure the paid version can. I defiantly know Casper/Jamf pro can do this. The only thing that can't be done is hide the settings app but MDM's have control over most things in the settings app now. You can also hide apps so students can't use them by using the restrictions payload to only allow some apps. Again, this may only be possible in the paid version of Meraki.

[Brimstone]

Hi James,When I read your thread I thought that's what I need too. We have Meraki(free), SIMS, Apple Configurator (1.7x) and we opted for Apple School manager last year summer (2016 summer) but unfortunately Apple School Manager didn't work for us. Mainly because (that's what I think) we use free version of Meraki so no option for device enrolment apps push instead it's based on Apple IDs. The Apple IDs were created in Apple School Manager, the iPads were setup as DEP and they sync nicely on Meraki but I could not install/push any apps onto the device(s). This created a massive issue and due to inability to push any apps I scrapped the idea.Although I am still optimistic to make this work somehow as the "teacher controlling students iPads" idea is the main reason why I opted for Apple School Manager. We get so many cases where students are simply either messing around on website playing games or unnecessarily opening different apps, changing settings like wallpaper or adding a accessibility options like Assistive mode. I wish Apple would allow admins to simply hide the settings app along with other Find Friends/Message etc. out from the iPads.P.S. I know we can use AC 2.x which allows restricting wallpaper change and some other settings but it doesn't allow us to restrict Accessibility modes or other key options like history deletion on Safari/Chrome. It also messes up the iPad Name size when we set the wallpaper on the iPad - the iPad Name appears too small and perspective zoom makes the whole wallpaper really pixelated.Kindest regardsJehanzeb

Your comment "teacher controlling students iPads main reason why I opted for Apple School Manager" is confusing....Apple School Manager has nothing whatsoever to do with enabling support for Apple Classroom, all of this is configured via your "Classes" in your MDM Solution, I've been using Apple Classroom configured via Casper since before Apple School Manager even arrived.

 

All the restrictions you mention (apart from Settings App) are available with the latest download for Meraki.

[biz]

The free version of Meraki can assign apps directly to devices (rather than the Apple IDs) and hide/restrict apps. Meraki has beta support for ASM, but as Apple still call it a preview that's about the best any MDM can offer.

[Bev]

I deploy apps automatically via the Free version of meraki - I did upgrade to the latest version but I have under 100 iPads so it's still free. The iPads do have to be supervised first.

 

eI would love any advice on how best to set up School Manager for a 1:1 deployment, we will be using Lightspeed with 63 students in 3 classes at the start of January. I'd lik to get it all set up correctly at the start, as the ipads will belong to the students so if I need to get my hands on them to change something manually it will be challenging! We are buying them from Jigsaw24 and they should be linked via the DEP program so they have all the settings added automatically.

[jcraig]

hi i use the paid version of meraki so am unsure on the support for some aspects of this with regards the free licences.

 

".Apple School Manager has nothing whatsoever to do with enabling support for Apple Classroom,"

is not strictly ture

 

yes you can do it in MDM but you will be setting the classes teacher associations manualy from what i gather(correct me if im wrong)

 

with ASM you can use ASM to import DEP devices and also classes/staff and students apple provide a set of templates to do this Via SFTP and i have made sims reports and written a set of PHP scripts to populate the templates so its nice and simple to update now. im happy to share these but people using them need to no how to customize what you need out of them they are not the best but do the job for us.

 

we are currnetly running the 1-1 ipads using meraki with full site apple classroom

[jcraig]

Hi James,When I read your thread I thought that's what I need too. We have Meraki(free), SIMS, Apple Configurator (1.7x) and we opted for Apple School manager last year summer (2016 summer) but unfortunately Apple School Manager didn't work for us. Mainly because (that's what I think) we use free version of Meraki so no option for device enrolment apps push instead it's based on Apple IDs. The Apple IDs were created in Apple School Manager, the iPads were setup as DEP and they sync nicely on Meraki but I could not install/push any apps onto the device(s). This created a massive issue and due to inability to push any apps I scrapped the idea.Although I am still optimistic to make this work somehow as the "teacher controlling students iPads" idea is the main reason why I opted for Apple School Manager. We get so many cases where students are simply either messing around on website playing games or unnecessarily opening different apps, changing settings like wallpaper or adding a accessibility options like Assistive mode. I wish Apple would allow admins to simply hide the settings app along with other Find Friends/Message etc. out from the iPads.P.S. I know we can use AC 2.x which allows restricting wallpaper change and some other settings but it doesn't allow us to restrict Accessibility modes or other key options like history deletion on Safari/Chrome. It also messes up the iPad Name size when we set the wallpaper on the iPad - the iPad Name appears too small and perspective zoom makes the whole wallpaper really pixelated.Kindest regardsJehanzeb

 

hi there

to install apps for devices you need to check this box in meraki for the app assignment "Use VPP device assignment: " this will then assign the app to the device not the user(owner) for this you dont need any owners or apple id's just need vpp setup

[Jehanzeb]

Thank you jcraig for your kind input. I would love to see the templates you have created and see if I can apply them in our environment if you don't mind sharing them. With regards to VPP Device assignment, this can only work in a paid Meraki version not the free one. We are one of the oldest account holders of Meraki (Free) version so I am running well over 200 iPads on it. The issue lies in Apple and not Meraki as once those Managed IDs were setup in ASM, when I tried to push the apps it came up with the error "The Apple ID cannot be used to make purchases". So I was stuck really

[jcraig]

We had the old Merak set up like you have, and yes only way to make app store

 

That's correct the ASM Apple id's ids are not "Apple IDs " that can be used on the app store this is where the vpp device assignment comes to push corperate apps. apple id's in asm are intended for corporate icloud and schools manage use only so its not really an issue so to say.

 

Our students use persona apple ids to get anything extra they want. Its a pain that you cant BULK make apple ids what would be the ideal solution for that side of things.

[Jehanzeb]

We have VPP account setup and integrated with Meraki MDM so it wasn't the case of buying apps on managed IDs, it was just a case of pushing the apps on managed Apple IDs that I created using ASM. Nevertheless, the Apple's answer to classroom management was not as good as I thought (especially it is still under preview since Summer 2016).

[jcraig]

correct but the way the old vpp worked is it linked to an apple to the vpp account using the VPP invite system(sends an email) you can not do this with a managed apple id as they cant access the app store

so you have to use VPP Device assignment in meraki or use none managed apple ids and the invite system.

 

we use both like i said managed id for classroom vpp Device assignment and also use personal apple ids for the extra bits works a treat like this.

[Brimstone]

Thank you jcraig for your kind input. I would love to see the templates you have created and see if I can apply them in our environment if you don't mind sharing them. With regards to VPP Device assignment, this can only work in a paid Meraki version not the free one. We are one of the oldest account holders of Meraki (Free) version so I am running well over 200 iPads on it. The issue lies in Apple and not Meraki as once those Managed IDs were setup in ASM, when I tried to push the apps it came up with the error "The Apple ID cannot be used to make purchases". So I was stuck really

 

 

The issue lies with the fact you are using a fee "legacy MDM" that does not support device assignment, if you had a paid for MDM you could use the new features, nothing to do with Apple as managed Apple ID's we never intended to allow access to buy apps and books

[Guest MD5T]

You can only use the free version of meraki for up to 100 devices. I currently have meraki setup with VPP and DEP and it works brilliantly. Edited December 7, 2016 by MD5T

[sloisa]

Long and hard struggle behind. Now in use but we have still some serious problems.

 

We have 24 shared-mode ipads. Meraki as MDM with manually entered 7 classes and 150 students for Classroom configuration. ASM import did'nt work and as teachers use their own appleid:s manual configuration is the only way.

 

Owner of ipad have to be appleid witch belong to every configured class. This is only way to see classes in login. So owner of all 24 ipads is one of the teachers.

 

Problem: Every time a student log in it changes ipads owner to students appleid. Then next student can see only previous students class. We have to manually change ipad owners back every time they are used. Students can still log in with entering their appleid:s but it breaks the whole idea.

[misterharrison]

This is available under the restrictions payload on configuration profiles you can push out to iPads. In casper it is a tick box called: Allow modifying bluetooth settings (supervised only)

Once we're comfortable all students have Bluetooth on we can turn this setting on and the students can't change Bluetooth settings. We have found airplane mode forces bluetooth off but once airplane mode is turned off it works again.

We are using paid Meraki but this new restriction doesn't seem to have reached Meraki yet.

 

Can anyone else confirm this?

[PR-UK]

We tried implementing the Bluetooth option but it's a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a walnut setting, if the student turned Bluetooth off before applying the restriction they cannot turn it back on, also we found students had got Bluetooth keyboards for Christmas but weren't able to pair a new device while this restriction was enabled.

[RLR]

We tried implementing the Bluetooth option but it's a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a walnut setting, if the student turned Bluetooth off before applying the restriction they cannot turn it back on, also we found students had got Bluetooth keyboards for Christmas but weren't able to pair a new device while this restriction was enabled.

Yep, it's one or the other when the setting is applied which is why we haven't implemented it yet. We're thinking about doing each year group individually during assembly and using an Apple Classroom classroom to make sure all the students have bluetooth turned on. The keyboard information is interesting.

[misterharrison]

If the devices have already been deployed, then I agree that the Bluetooth restriction could lock it off rather than on!

 

However it will be useful, I think, when deploying new devices or when re-deploying devices at the beginning of the school year. You can configure all the devices with Bluetooth on and then apply the restriction before handing them out to students.

 

It's a shame that it prevents pairing with a keyboard though.

[Primus]

Yeah the restriction hasn't been implemented very well at iOS level, it should simply force Bluetooth on and disallow turning it off rather than disabling bluetooth control for pairing etc.

[kmartin]

We are using a paid version of Meraki, to manage 6,000 iPads. We create Apple ID's for all students using Apple School Manager, so they have managed Apple ID's. This year, when setting up an iPad for new students we get the message: "This Apple ID can not be used to make purchases" on every single iPad we set up. last school year we would get it occasionally, and if we waited a short time, the Meraki App;'s would eventually install. This year not even the Meraki SM app will install. Is anyone else experiencing this issue, and do you have a work around? Thanks for any help/suggestions

[misterharrison]

Change the deployment type to VPP device assignment and the Apple ID won’t matter maybe?