Can anyone give me a quick run down of Apple School Manager?

[Duranis]

I have to admit I haven't looked into it much yet but can anyone give me a brief run down of Apple School Manager so I know if it's worth looking into more?

 

Basically it's looking increasingly likely that we will at least get about 20 iPads here soon. Last time I looked into things (which was probably a year ago) I set up a deployment/management plan based around Meraki and Apple Configurator which would allow me to lock down devices and provision app's.

 

However now it seems that Apple School Manager might be an easier solution?

 

What I need it to do:

*Rebuild devices ideally to a preset image/configuration.

*Provision apps.

*Lock down devices so for example remove access to the app store.

 

Is this something that ASM can do? Also what is the min spec of device that it will work with?

 

Sorry I know it's a bit of a cheat asking but I have 3 other big projects going on at the moment and I don't want to waste time looking into ASM if it is a pile of junk

 

Thanks!

[adamtate]

I'm also just getting started with it but I use the profile manager on the apple server to do the things that you are looking to do. Apps etc are rolled out through the profile manager here from the server. We just set up a certificate on our first apple server, and install that on the devices. It's then allowed to push settings / Apps to the devices. School Manager, as far as I know is more for the classroom side of things? I think it was apples way of tapping into to Googles 'Classroom' market?

 

Adam

[PR-UK]

Apple School Manager doesn't really do any of that.

 

Apple School Manager is made up of several parts:

 

1) Provision Managed Apple IDs either by syncing with your MIS (forget it, only two US systems are supported) or you build reports from SIMS that export to CSV and upload to ASM, from there it will create a managed AppleID for each person, they are not normal Apple IDs, they cannot make purchases App/iTunes (even teacher IDs) they cannot use Find My iPhone, Activation Lock, Apple Pay, iCloud Mail, iMessages, or FaceTime.

 

2) Classroom Management. Using your MIS data you can create classes containing Teachers and Students, in conjunction with an MDM they can push management configuration to the Teachers iPad allowing them to send commands to their students iPads such as remote view, open app, open iTunes U courses, open iBooks. Lock devices, AirPlay devices

 

3) iTunesU, if your school is enrolled in iTunesU then you can manage your iTunesU courses here and push them out

 

4) Apps and Books, if unlike us Apple hasn't bungled your upgrade from separate VPP and DEP accounts you can also purchase apps through ASM

 

However it's important you realise Apple School Manager is not a replacement for a Mobile Device Management system. The devices must still be enrolled in a Meraki, Profile Manager, Casper, Lightspeed, or other MDM for the above to work. The MDM must also have support for ASM otherwise the above won't really work. The MDM does all the heavy lifting of managing the device, setting restrictions and distributing apps and books.

 

Hope that helps.

[PR-UK]

Apple School Manager doesn't really do any of that.

 

Apple School Manager is made up of several parts:

 

1) Provision Managed Apple IDs either by syncing with your MIS (forget it, only two US systems are supported) or you build reports from SIMS that export to CSV and upload to ASM, from there it will create a managed AppleID for each person, they are not normal Apple IDs, they cannot make purchases App/iTunes (even teacher IDs) they cannot use Find My iPhone, Activation Lock, Apple Pay, iCloud Mail, iMessages, or FaceTime.

 

2) Classroom Management. Using your MIS data you can create classes containing Teachers and Students, in conjunction with an MDM they can push management configuration to the Teachers iPad allowing them to send commands to their students iPads such as remote view, open app, open iTunes U courses, open iBooks. Lock devices, AirPlay devices

 

3) iTunesU, if your school is enrolled in iTunesU then you can manage your iTunesU courses here and push them out

 

4) Apps and Books, if unlike us Apple hasn't bungled your upgrade from separate VPP and DEP accounts you can also purchase apps through ASM

 

However it's important you realise Apple School Manager is not a replacement for a Mobile Device Management system. The devices must still be enrolled in a Meraki, Profile Manager, Casper, Lightspeed, or other MDM for the above to work. The MDM must also have support for ASM otherwise the above won't really work. The MDM does all the heavy lifting of managing the device, setting restrictions and distributing apps and books.

 

Hope that helps.

[Brimstone]

If you are partnered with an Apple Education Solutions Expert they can set you up with a webex direct with Apple in Ireland...

[Brimstone]

If you are partnered with an Apple Education Solutions Expert they can set you up with a webex direct with Apple in Ireland...

[Duranis]

Thanks so much guys, saved me a ton of time looking at it further, can't tell you how amazingly useful that saved time is right now . Will dig out my original plans and update them.

 

Thanks again!