Deploying and managing Google Chrome devices

[Sonic007]

Hi all,

 

We are beginning bto have more Chrome OS devices and wonderd how best to manage them.

 

The school is currently using GSuite.

 

What is the best way of getting all my Chromebooks setup, limit options, user restrictions, etc so that it can be panned out to all Chrome OS laptops?

 

 

Thankyou.

[paulkerton]

Buying Chrome Education Licenses for each device, and enrolling them so you can manage them using the Google Admin Console

https://admin.google.com

 

Do you have a Google Partner that you buy from? They'll be able to help you.

[Ditto]

Absolutely the above - don't be daunted, it's actually a fun journey and there is so much help out in interwebland.

[Sonic007]

Thankyou.

Do you have to buy licenses? We use GSuite free for eucation and wondered if there was a free version?

[colly72]

Yes, you have to buy management licenses (around £27 per device from memory). These are essential for any rollout in my opinion. The Google Workspace Fundamentals Education package is free (100TB pooled storage).

[TwistedHelixis]

If you get the management licences and set all the settings in Google Workspace, they are a breeze to look after. Just sign in on a new device and Google will set all those settings you previously set in Google Workspace automatically.

 

We also have the Play Store with just the apps we want the pupils (primary) to be able to download / access.

[paulkerton]

Yes. To manage them remotely you really need to buy the licenses.

You can still dish out devices and log in without them, but you'll almost immediately regret it when you have to manually roll out new wifi settings to 100+ devices or explain to someone that you can't push an app to the kids because you didn't buy the licenses.

 

If you're buying a device that lasts for 8 years, it works out at about £3.50 a year at most.

They're no different than purchasing an MDM or CAL licenses.

[Sonic007]

I can see it makes sense to buy the licenses but as I basically need just web browser machines I think I’m going to try Porteus Linux install.

 

The plan is to use the dell laptops we got handed to us during the pandemic. Unfortunately we got the slow hard drive ones and generally low spec so Windows just crumbles.

[Ditto]

Another advantage of centralised managed devices is the ability to roll out filtering/monitoring solutions. As browsing devices, you will need to ensure proper safe-afeguarding steps are in place. It's worth considering how to achieve that with a Linux approach. As often is the case, there will be more than one solution. I would suggest although mostly browsing, you may find a few teachers would soon want app X or y and managed chrome devices make that a doddle. Whichever way you go, do let us know how it pans out.

[paulkerton]

I can see it makes sense to buy the licenses but as I basically need just web browser machines I think I’m going to try Porteus Linux install.

 

The plan is to use the dell laptops we got handed to us during the pandemic. Unfortunately we got the slow hard drive ones and generally low spec so Windows just crumbles.

 

Ultimately, if you've got 100 machines, its about £3000 for the life of the devices - which if they're brand new is 8 years. That's £375 a year, or to put it in context 8 weeks working for someone on the living wage.

[Sonic007]

Another advantage of centralised managed devices is the ability to roll out filtering/monitoring solutions. As browsing devices, you will need to ensure proper safe-afeguarding steps are in place. It's worth considering how to achieve that with a Linux approach. As often is the case, there will be more than one solution. I would suggest although mostly browsing, you may find a few teachers would soon want app X or y and managed chrome devices make that a doddle. Whichever way you go, do let us know how it pans out.

 

These are student only laptops and all go through our filtered Internet connection.

I've found a version of Porteus that creates locked down kiosk style machines so going to trial that today.

[Sonic007]

So I've just finished testing Porteus Kiosk and it is great. No need for licensing and it boots straight into Google Chrome. Have been able to customise it too.

Perfect for what I need.

[jthompson]

Like with Group Policy, Chrome settings in Google Workspace can be applied to users or to devices. To apply to devices, each device will need a Chrome Enterprise upgrade license in order to be enrolled into your Google Workspace domain.

 

Chrome settings applied to users will apply regardless of whether the device they're using is enrolled into your domain with a Chrome Enterprise license or not. Their user settings will therefore apply to their use of a personally-owned Chromebook, so take that into consideration when applying user settings like WiFi networks and proxies.

 

From the sounds of it, the sorts of restrictions you want to have in place are going to need the Enterprise upgrade licenses for the devices. For school-owned devices, I'd say the upgrade licenses are a no-brainer.

 

The licenses can be used in whatever tier of Workspace you have, but they should be considered non-transferable. If a device is replaced under warranty, I believe it can transfer to the replacement, but otherwise, they can't be released from one device to be reused with another. You'll therefore want to limit which users are able to perform enterprise enrollment of devices, to avoid any getting wasted accidentally on Christmas presents.

 

Automatic re-enrollment is also an imortant device setting to apply. Anyone can initiate a Powerwash, but automatic re-enrollment prevents any devices from escaping your domain.

[Sonic007]

Thanks for this, but I've now found a sollution that is free and works for me.

All I needed was web terminals for my users so Porteus has solved this. It's like a Kiosk system so easy to customise too so users cant change anything.