Do we need an apple server to manage iPads

[TwistedHelixis]

Sorry for my ignorance as I have never set a school up with iPads, but if the primary school does get some do I need some kind of apple server to manage them or can it all be done like Chromebooks through a free web based system.

[computer_expert]

Don't use profile manager (part of the server app for mac) - it caused me no end of trouble with both iPads and macs.

 

Apple school manager, DEP (device enrollment program) and Mosyle MDM are so much better. If your iPads aren't enrolled in DEP you can use Apple configurator (mac only last time I checked) to add them.

[DalekSec]

As above, don't use Profile Manager go for DEP with a MDM, we use Mosyle also and never had any issues.

[Guest Guest]

We have a mac and it's only ever used to add devices to DEP which weren't added by suppliers

[DGardiner]

Sorry for my ignorance as I have never set a school up with iPads, but if the primary school does get some do I need some kind of apple server to manage them or can it all be done like Chromebooks through a free web based system.

 

If your ipads are all DEP enrolled you can get by.

 

If not, you need A mac to enroll them into dep(one off) and then theyre just controlled by whatever mdm you kick them into, that said if its any significant quantity having a macmini run as a cache server will make your life a bit easier when it comes to them updating/downloading apps

[Brimstone]

1. Enroll into Apple School Manager, how to do this is below

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/apple-school-manager/apd402206497/web

 

2. Buy into a decent MDM, Mosyle or Jamf are the best

3. Create links in ASM to your chosen MDM, see below

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/apple-school-manager/asm6a88f692e/web

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/apple-school-manager/asm1c1be359d/1/web/1

[TwistedHelixis]

Thanks,

 

So what's the process for getting new iPads in DEP, is this something you need to request when purchasing?

[DGardiner]

Thanks,

 

So what's the process for getting new iPads in DEP, is this something you need to request when purchasing?

Yep, you need your org ID for them from ASM and their reseller key authorisaed in your ASM.

 

If the orders are recent most places will push them into DEP for you on request, anyone being difficult here is just being difficult..

[mavhc]

If you have <=25 ipads then Manage Engine is free.

 

On a related note, how do you buy credit for VPP?

[Jamman960]

They don’t do Mac servers as such any more, we have a Mac mini setup as a caching server to speed up app installs but you shouldn’t need this for a small number unless you want to use them in shared mode or don’t have a high speed internet link in place. We also use this to run configurator for recovering iPads occasionally although iTunes can do it in most cases.

 

Vpp credit can be purchased via Apple approved suppliers

Edited October 6, 2020 by Jamman960

[TwistedHelixis]

They don’t do Mac servers as such any more, we have a Mac mini setup as a caching server to speed up app installs but you shouldn’t need this for a small number unless you want to use them in shared mode or don’t have a high speed internet link in place. We also use this to run configurator for recovering iPads occasionally although iTunes can do it in most cases.

 

Vpp credit can be purchased via Apple approved suppliers

When you say shared mode do you mean more than one pupil using them as I think they will be shared between different pupils around the school. Does that mean they have to get a Mac mini?

[DGardiner]

When you say shared mode do you mean more than one pupil using them as I think they will be shared between different pupils around the school. Does that mean they have to get a Mac mini?

 

Apple have a mode where the kids get profiles to log into the ipads, this means all the icloud data is downloaded and that when they move between, this can be cached on an apple cache server.

 

It requires they be setup ina specific way https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mdm/mdm71124b400/web

 

ive never touched it though.

 

Their classroom stuff is kinda cool though, but again requires a bit of prep/setup

[Jamman960]

When you say shared mode do you mean more than one pupil using them as I think they will be shared between different pupils around the school. Does that mean they have to get a Mac mini?

 

Here’s a guide on setting up shared iPad, essentially pupils have to login to each iPad rather than each iPad having multiple students work accessible or sites being logged in to other pupils accounts etc

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mdm/mdm71124b400/web

 

For our shared set we currently don’t use shared iPad, it didn’t work out very well when we tried it in its early days, we didn’t have a cache server either so logging on took too long to be usable. I’m tempted to try again at some point