new mac setup

[mrstrong]

We've just got a new mac mini for admin use, e.g. for adding old ipads to DEP via apple configurator

and to use as a cache server for ipad app downloads

 

Having never setup a mac before I'm looking for a bit of advice.

 

First impressions, nice and shiny but it only has two usb ports, so after adding PC mouse and keyboard I've got none left

for a backup drive / plug an ipad in ?

 

It's on Big Sur (not updated to Monterey yet, should I?).

 

We have apple school manger (ASM) and a login account (not sure if this coutns as an apple id ?), so on the new mac should I

use that ASM account to get apps from the app store or is it better to just create another appleid ?

E.g not sure if I need/should link this mac to our apple school manager / DEP in any way.

[Brimstone]

1. New M1 Mac Mini has 2 x USB 3.1 ports there are plenty of cheap USB 3.0 drives and USB Hubs around.

 

2. You don't need to sign into or create an Apple ID to set up the caching server, you'll only need to sign in when using AC2.

[leeshellard]

I would upgrade before doing much. Going to be worth getting a usb c hub to give you a few more USB ports.

[mrstrong]

1. New M1 Mac Mini has 2 x USB 3.1 ports there are plenty of cheap USB 3.0 drives and USB Hubs around.

 

2. You don't need to sign into or create an Apple ID to set up the caching server, you'll only need to sign in when using AC2.

 

thanks, would you create a new apple id for AC2 and for getting apps from app store or should i just use our existing apple school manager (ASM) login ?

 

bit more info, we have a lightspeed (payed) mdm but I'm also wanting to look at some free options e.g. mosyle

 

Hopefully will be able to have ASM connected to two MDMs. E.g. have some old ipads I might add to DEP on new mac then load into a free MDM.

[Brimstone]

thanks, would you create a new apple id for AC2 and for getting apps from app store or should i just use our existing apple school manager (ASM) login ?

 

bit more info, we have a lightspeed (payed) mdm but I'm also wanting to look at some free options e.g. mosyle

 

Hopefully will be able to have ASM connected to two MDMs. E.g. have some old ipads I might add to DEP on new mac then load into a free MDM.

You will need to use the same VPP Apple ID, as long as this is what you use to buy content in ASM.

 

You can have as many MDM's in ASM as you need, I would recommend deleting one of them after you have Mosyle in place though.

[mrstrong]

so, slightly odd one: I used our appledid (from ASM, originally from the volume purchase program)

to sign in to app store ok but won't let me click Get to download apps like Apple configurator, I can

see the Get button but clicking it does nothing

 

So created another appleid and signed in to app store with that, sure enough I can download new apps like apple configurator

but it's also telling me I have updates (garage band, imovie, numbers, pages, keynote)

 

When i try to update with the this new appleid it prompts me to "sign in to itunes store" (with the original ASM appleid).

If I use the new appleid and click download it just pops up another download box saying "sign in to itunes store"

and nothing happens.

 

I tried the old ASM appleid to update garage band and it works!

 

So am I stuck having to use two appleids going forward ?

 

Note credit card credentials on ASM appleid have expired and the new appleid also doesn't have any payment / credit card setup on it.

 

[edit: just thought maybe I need to get apps by logging into ASM rather than using app store on mac ?]

Edited January 20, 2022 by mrstrong

[armadillo]

so, slightly odd one: I used our appledid (from ASM, originally from the volume purchase program)

to sign in to app store ok but won't let me click Get to download apps like Apple configurator, I can

see the Get button but clicking it does nothing

 

So created another appleid and signed in to app store with that, sure enough I can download new apps like apple configurator

but it's also telling me I have updates (garage band, imovie, numbers, pages, keynote)

 

When i try to update with the this new appleid it prompts me to "sign in to itunes store" (with the original ASM appleid).

If I use the new appleid and click download it just pops up another download box saying "sign in to itunes store"

and nothing happens.

 

I tried the old ASM appleid to update garage band and it works!

 

So am I stuck having to use two appleids going forward ?

 

Note credit card credentials on ASM appleid have expired and the new appleid also doesn't have any payment / credit card setup on it.

 

[edit: just thought maybe I need to get apps by logging into ASM rather than using app store on mac ?]

 

 

Hi, I ma in the same situation, bought 20 x iMacs and thinking of best ways to install apps; how did you manage to get it done in the end? I'm thinking in using the free version of Mosyle with Apple School Manager.

 

Thanks for your help in advance.

[Brimstone]

so, slightly odd one: I used our appledid (from ASM, originally from the volume purchase program)

to sign in to app store ok but won't let me click Get to download apps like Apple configurator, I can

see the Get button but clicking it does nothing

 

So created another appleid and signed in to app store with that, sure enough I can download new apps like apple configurator

but it's also telling me I have updates (garage band, imovie, numbers, pages, keynote)

 

When i try to update with the this new appleid it prompts me to "sign in to itunes store" (with the original ASM appleid).

If I use the new appleid and click download it just pops up another download box saying "sign in to itunes store"

and nothing happens.

 

I tried the old ASM appleid to update garage band and it works!

 

So am I stuck having to use two appleids going forward ?

 

Note credit card credentials on ASM appleid have expired and the new appleid also doesn't have any payment / credit card setup on it.

 

[edit: just thought maybe I need to get apps by logging into ASM rather than using app store on mac ?]

 

You are confusing a Personal Apple ID on a Mac with a Managed Apple ID used to login to ASM and then access the Apps and Books Store in ASM. You should be using ASM to buy an Apps for your Macs and push this software out using your MDM, some MDM's are far superior than others when it comes to managing and creating .pkg's for distribution to your Macs.

 

Signing into Macs with the same Personal Apple ID is against iTunes and App Store T & C's

[JATSO]

All apps are purchased in Apple School Manager, then once they are in your ASM account, Mosyle Manager syncs with your ASM and then you can deploy them via Mosyle Manager to your devices.

You will need an active credit card tied to your iTunes account or you can raise PO, neither have worked for me so far because it wont accept the school credit card and we haven't yet tried the PO route which would be the simplest method its in the pipe line of jobs to do when the school business manager is in during the holidays.

[armadillo]

All apps are purchased in Apple School Manager, then once they are in your ASM account, Mosyle Manager syncs with your ASM and then you can deploy them via Mosyle Manager to your devices.

You will need an active credit card tied to your iTunes account or you can raise PO, neither have worked for me so far because it wont accept the school credit card and we haven't yet tried the PO route which would be the simplest method its in the pipe line of jobs to do when the school business manager is in during the holidays.

 

Thanks for this.

Is the free version of Mosyle enough to deploy apps onto devices?

 

Thanks

[Aprice]

Mosyle's definitely, more than enough for most setups I've come across. We've used it to manage trusts with 1000+ devices with no real issue with the free one.

 

The paid for version allows some 'Bulk operations' but I can't say I really miss them, and still think it's the best platform we've come across. None of the bigger setups we had used the paid for version.

[Brimstone]

All apps are purchased in Apple School Manager, then once they are in your ASM account, Mosyle Manager syncs with your ASM and then you can deploy them via Mosyle Manager to your devices.

You will need an active credit card tied to your iTunes account or you can raise PO, neither have worked for me so far because it wont accept the school credit card and we haven't yet tried the PO route which would be the simplest method its in the pipe line of jobs to do when the school business manager is in during the holidays.

Many school cards are blocked from using ASM and Apple won't accept a school PO you need to buy VPP Credit from your authorised Apple reseller..

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT203043