[ipad] Apple VPP, how exactly am I ment to use it?

[galvocca]

Hi,

 

I'm from a school with 13+ iPads, we had them in use before Apple decided to get themselves in gear about licensing so we just had the 1 iTunes account (email address) attached to all the iPads.

I think I'm being blinded by my distaste for Apple products but I just can't find the answers to these simple questions anywhere.

 

1. Do all the iPads need to have there own individual email address/iTunes account?

2. Are we required to re-purchase all the payed for apps we had on the other iTunes account we used?

 

I have enrolled btw.

 

Thanks.

[AngryTechnician]

1. No, we have ours registered on a single account.

2. If you bought multiple copies of apps before, just leave them on the existing account and continue to use it. However, if you have been naughtily using a single purchase on multiple devices, then buy the correct number through VPP now. I'm not sure what to recommend if you later increase the number of devices using the single Apple ID, however.

[j224]

Hope you don't mind me adding another question to this thread-

 

What happens if I purchase 16 iPads- 15 to be used by the pupils (shared around the school on a rota basis) and 1 for the teacher of whichever class is using them.

 

I'd like to use one iTunes account to sync the same apps/settings to all of them, but I might also want the teacher one to have some extra apps. But how is this possible unless I use a different iTunes account for the teacher? Because when I plug them all in to charge 'n' sync, they'll all be made identical again.

 

However, if I've bought a bunch of apps for the pupil ones, I don't want to have to buy the same ones again with the teacher iTunes account.

 

Hope that makes sense!

[AngryTechnician]

I don't have any experience with iTunes syncing, but I'm pretty sure you'll need to use a different Apple ID. I should point out that if you are adding extra devices, you need to buy additional copies of the app again anyway. Only home users are permitted to share one purchase of an app on multiple devices. Outside of home use, you are in breach of the licence if you use it on more than one device.

[galvocca]

Thanks for the reply AT,

 

Just to be crystal, you don't really need to do anything with the code that are bought if you just use a single account on the iPads. All you need to do is add the purchase to your licencing records as proof of purchase?

[AngryTechnician]

When you buy through the VPP I think the redemption codes have to be allocated individually to each device using a MDM system. That's what we do (using Meraki Systems Manager), and I've not tried redeeming it any other way.

[galvocca]

Ah okay, I've signed up to Meraki gonna give that a go once our business manager has a credit card setup for school.

Shame we can't use the vouchers we have.

[Guest M0MST]

Let us know how you get on, We have had no success with it so far, as to this post

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/netbooks-pda-phones/105429-apple-volume-purchase-programme-vpp-problems.html

[GrumbleDook]

Be aware that with non-Apple MDM once you assign the serial to a device you can't retrieve that licence to re-use elsewhere, but you can do if you use Apple's own solution.

[mrforgetful]

Which is Apple's solution? Apple Configurator?

[Marci]

Apple ProfileManager / MyDevices - the MDM solution built in to OSX Server.

[mrforgetful]

Cheers will take a look.

[j224]

Be aware that with non-Apple MDM once you assign the serial to a device you can't retrieve that licence to re-use elsewhere, but you can do if you use Apple's own solution.

 

According to this blog post, you can get the code back in Meraki if you need to- Meraki Mobile Device Management | admin

 

Near the bottom it says- "Especially if it is a paid for app you are adding make sure you tick the ‘remove with MDM’ box as this will enable you to reclaim the redemption code back at a later day of required."

 

I've not used Meraki so I can't comment if it is correct. I'm trying to decide myself whether it is best to go with Meraki and push apps wirelessly or Apple Configurator and connect to sync and charge trolley. From that blog post, it sounds like Meraki works nicely but I've heard a lot of people had trouble with it.

[Max_Power]

About to use the Meraki app deployment with paid for appsfrom the VPP for the first time. Can anyone confirm which code I enter into the box?

I've downloaded the codes from the VPP site and I get a spreadsheet that contains

a code

and

a code redemption link?

 

Which do i enter in the meraki box? dont want to enter the wrong thing and mess it all up and end up being able to get back the licence etc

[mrforgetful]

Just learnt there's Microsoft inTune cloud management for mobile devices, going to investigate that.

[Max_Power]

Entered the correct codes in to the box, and deployed the app.

 

The ipad picks up the command to install and asks me to enter the apple ID and password. However it rejects the apple VPP account ive setup that i used to buy the apps in the first place and says that, that particular ID can only be used within the VPP store?

 

So which apple ID should i be entering on the ipad to install it?

[RTFM]

You'll have 2 VPP accounts, one is the master account, then a subadministrator account which you purchased with.

 

Neither of these are Apple ID's so neither will work, you'll need a third account which has been setup through iTunes, not VPP, to act as your Apple ID.

 

Are you using a MDM software or Apple Configurator?

[Max_Power]

You'll have 2 VPP accounts, one is the master account, then a subadministrator account which you purchased with.

 

Neither of these are Apple ID's so neither will work, you'll need a third account which has been setup through iTunes, not VPP, to act as your Apple ID.

 

Are you using a MDM software or Apple Configurator?

 

Thanks @RTFM

 

Using Meraki. Works well for free apps, just struggling with the VPP paid for ones at the moment and help documentation is limited.

[RTFM]

Thanks @RTFM

 

Using Meraki. Works well for free apps, just struggling with the VPP paid for ones at the moment and help documentation is limited.

 

This is how we've done it, rightly or wrongly.

 

Purchase our licenses through VPP. Done nothing with them but save them, bought an app once from the itunes store using a different account, put that onto a device and got that device exactly how we want it. Clone this x number of times (backup the original, restore it to the rest).

 

If Apple ever ask, we have our VPP licenses, the above is just the easiest way to do it. MDM solutions aren't upto the job and the Apple configurator is rubbish (at least from our experiences and with the end goals we wanted to achieve with the devices).

 

Maybe not the best but its worked for us.

Edited January 23, 2013 by RTFM

[AngryTechnician]

You can use any Apple ID that is NOT linked to VPP to actually do the install. We use a single ID per class set, and also use Meraki, so rest assured it does work once you've got it going.

[truebluesteve]

I set up the VPP this week and purchased a load of apps and deployed them through the Meraki MDM. The user of the iPad (in our case teachers) gets a message to install the app and they enter the passwork of the Apple ID they have set up on the device and thats it. It works a treat

 

Steve

[Bev]

Is there anyway to deploy apps without having to enter the password on each machine?

 

I've just got 8 ipads at the moment, so that's not too bad, but I can forsee a situation where we end up with 30 and I didn't expect to have to enter the password on each one? I assume Meraki would just send the app out.

[Ben_Stanton]

Is there anyway to deploy apps without having to enter the password on each machine?

 

I've just got 8 ipads at the moment, so that's not too bad, but I can forsee a situation where we end up with 30 and I didn't expect to have to enter the password on each one? I assume Meraki would just send the app out.

 

Here is what Meraki say...

 

When Apps are deployed via MDM, Apple requires an Apple ID and password for the app to be installed. Apps downloaded and installed via Apple Configurator do not require entering an Apple ID and password, however, the iOS device has to be physically connected to the OS X device running Apple Configurator.

With iOS 6, the device caches a users password for 15 minutes. If you install FREE apps in batches via Systems Manager with iOS 6, you will have to enter the password once instead of doing it for every single App.

Paid apps redeemed via VPP redemption codes still require the user to enter a password for EVERY app. Devices running pre-iOS 6 will be required to enter a password for every app regards of whether it is free or paid

[Andie]

We use a single ID per class set, and also use Meraki, so rest assured it does work once you've got it going.

 

I'm just looking at setting all this up and wanted one ID per year group. How did you do the setting up of the ID with date of birth and security questions, etc. Just choose something generic and write it down?

[j224]

Yes, that's what I did. Just a generic DOB and write it all down somewhere safe.