Using Apple Server to Manage multiple schools

[purpleoakley]

Hi,

 

I wondered if it was possible to set up the Apple Server MDM so you could manage multiple schools. The more I think about it the more complicated I think it may be. Linking in each schools VPP etc. I would assuming (not being networky) that a VPN could be setup and in theory connect to each school and manage their iPad's. Has anyone had any experience with this.

 

Thanks

[nikaso]

Funnily enough I was just thinking about this, I don't really want to have to shell out £700 each year to Lightspeed and was wondering if hosted mac mini running OSX Server on a static ip could be used with Profile Manager as our own homebrew MDM solution?

 

Or cheaper still use a spare mac mini we have and pay for a static ip from our ISP? Has anyone done anything similar?

[PR-UK]

We looked at this before purchasing Casper and our research and experience using Profile Manager was that it was possible but pretty flakey. We have 20 iMacs on ours and even just those will occasionally just stop talking to Profile Manager, at least twice I've had to delete the Server.app and reinstall it to get Profile Manager working again.

[nikaso]

Do you mind me asking how much Casper was? We've got about 150 iPads to manage so I am trying to identify the most cost effective solution.

[PR-UK]

I believe it was around £5 per device, but we are a 1 to 1 iPad school with nearly 1200 iPads so that may have led to a discount. The first year they will also charge for jumpstart which is them installing and setting everything up and providing some remote training, I think was around £1500.

[PR-UK]

I believe it was around £5 per device, but we are a 1 to 1 iPad school with nearly 1200 iPads so that may have led to a discount. The first year they will also charge for jumpstart which is them installing and setting everything up and providing some remote training, I think was around £1500.