Apple Configurator or an MDM like Meraki

[ReverentCreature]

Hi all,

 

I have a MacBook pro here with Apple Configurator. The school seems to use it to manage their fleet of pupil and staff ipads. We must have about 60 odd here. I gather that with Apple Configurator its based on imaging the tablets and they have to be plugged in and on to get the image.

 

I was used to app deployment where I worked before through Meraki. I didn't have collect them all in to push the odd app out and it was full of asset and location features that this software doesn't appear to have. Also I believe the security might be better (e.g. stopping people adding wallpaper off the Internet).

 

Any thoughts on what I should do would be great.

[Jaymate]

Sorry for the quick response but have you had a look at Apple profile manager? Can do all over the air like meraki I believed and part of the Mac server.

[AlanD]

Apple's profile manager - which is an MDM - and free. Is it as good as Meraki? No - but Meraki is not free for new signups. It does the job. Using Apple's configurator was my first experience of using Apple Kit - and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Configurator 2 is fine for setting up a new set of tablets - but if you connect a random bunch at some later stage that may need different updates and different apps installing - its prone to getting completely screwed up.

[Brimstone]

Apple's profile manager - which is an MDM - and free. Is it as good as Meraki? No - but Meraki is not free for new signups. It does the job. Using Apple's configurator was my first experience of using Apple Kit - and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Configurator 2 is fine for setting up a new set of tablets - but if you connect a random bunch at some later stage that may need different updates and different apps installing - its prone to getting completely screwed up.

 

Profile Manager is not free, it's part of Apple's Server App on the Mac App Store. For small numbers of iPads Profile Manager is OK but if you start to buy large numbers then it does not scale well at all.

[Jaymate]

Profile Manager is not free, it's part of Apple's Server App on the Mac App Store. For small numbers of iPads Profile Manager is OK but if you start to buy large numbers then it does not scale well at all.

 

Just wondering what you mean when you say scale very well? How many is a small number now? Think we have 100 or so on it and all works well over the air!

 

Out of interest what does meraki do that profile manager doesn't? We went from meraki to profile manager but not missed anything so far. Can deploy apps and lock down iPads without touching them!

 

J

[AlanD]

Profile Manager is not free, it's part of Apple's Server App on the Mac App Store. For small numbers of iPads Profile Manager is OK but if you start to buy large numbers then it does not scale well at all.

 

Oops. Sorry forgot the one off £14 or whatever it was for Apple's server. I confess I do not have large numbers of iPads - I'm not a massive fan of using them as a shared device - although absolutely wedded to one for personal use. I'm guessing Profile Manager is not so great if you are across a multi site MAT or something....but I can't see why it wouldn't work for 100 iPads.

[snagrat]

Just wondering what you mean when you say scale very well? How many is a small number now? Think we have 100 or so on it and all works well over the air!

 

Out of interest what does meraki do that profile manager doesn't? We went from meraki to profile manager but not missed anything so far. Can deploy apps and lock down iPads without touching them!

 

J

 

We have school who have 70 iPads on PM and it's pants. Falls over all the time and constantly needs updating to work.

 

Most schools we now put on ZuluDesk and it's great.

 

I would never advise anyone to use Profile Manager again

[toffee_paul]

The previous incumbent of my role had the iPads set up on Apple Configurator but also had them enrolled with Meraki (as a backup, his handover notes mentioned)

 

Oh how I loathe that Configurator an it's terrible error messages and just plain awfulness! Tried Configurator 2 which wasn't much better then as I got more familiar with managing Apple devices I realised the previous guy hadn't enrolled in DEP or VPP so I sorted those out, ditched Configurator, wiped the iPads, and went the Meraki Systems Manager route and haven't looked back since. It's fantastic for me as I haven't got to recall and wait for iPads to be returned to install an app, as a previous poster also mentioned.

 

Not sure how new Meraki signups work but ours was in place, without being really used, for about 2 or 3 years and it allowed unlimited devices to be managed. As it was missing some features I really wanted I upgraded to a newer version of Systems Manager, the only caveat being a limit of managing 100 devices at a time for free. We fall way under that so it's ideal for us.

 

Not used Profile Manager so can't comment and compare with that.

[AlanD]

Yes, I agree Configurator and Configurator 2 would be among my "worst ever" pieces of software. Apple should be hung out for such awfully buggy and ill thought out software. Its fine for setting up new iPads - but as soon as you are handed a bunch of random ipads that need updating or applications adding you're better off wiping them and starting again. Apple needs to get some of their developers to work along side schools using and supporting stuff so they know where the problems are.

[MicrodigitUK]

If you want the features of Configurator and not the frustration give GroundCtl a trial. It's basically Configurator in the cloud that just works. There is a per device annual charge, however we found this well worth it compared to the time you will save with device resets and setups. https://www.groundctl.com

[tmoon-mint]

If you're not using DEP then why not both? AC2 to supervise the devices and MDM to manage them.