Basic administration of a few iPads

[The_Jackal]

I've been asked to set up a few independent iPads within an office.
They will be using Dropbox to share documents, but is there a simple way to administer them without an Apple infrastructure. I am basically looking at maybe unlocking accounts or checking what apps are installed for when I get the inevitable calls that they can't login.
I am not a professional consultant, this is on a casual basis. But I am from a Network Adminstrator background. I just dont have much experience with iPads and their networking abilities.
No I don't own a Mac.

[randlemarcus]

Quite a PITA, can you dodge the task?
Choices if you already have, and know, Intune... https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/enrollment...

Whatever you do , do not let the little feckers use their personal AppleIDs, otherwise you end up with a box of paperweights.

[.:ian:.]

You really need to supervise the devices with configurator 2, which, of course means you need to buy a Mac!

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

Either that or you need a full MDM like airwatch, mobileiron or if you must, intune... probably overkill for a few devices though.

[The_Jackal]

.:ian:. said:

You really need to supervise the devices with configurator 2, which, of course means you need to buy a Mac!

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

Either that or you need a full MDM like airwatch, mobileiron or if you must, intune... probably overkill for a few devices though.

Was afraid of that, never gonna happen.
I will setup custom accounts for each of them and keep a record of them.
Can I block them from changing their passwords?
I was thinking of at least sitting with each of them to properly setup FaceID to login.
It really is as basic as giving your family a load of iPads and looking for some ideas to help with administration.

[cw2k]

Couple of cloud based mdm options without the need of a Mac for management

Jamf Now - 3 devices for free then $2 per month per device

Mosyle Business - $1 per month per device.

[shopper150]

Meraki MDM might also be an option for use without a MAC

[therams]

Another recommendation for jamf now from me

[anonymous-user]

Good luck with that. Apple devices do not lend themselves to office management. Even when Xserve' existed it was a royal pain.

Everything you do in an administrative context will be met with a brick wall. They are "creative" not "business" devices. Really.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 17th October 22:48

[MYOB]

Another option is set up the iPads as a shared family set up. You will need your own device to administer. Then use screen time and set up the required restrictions, including preventing users from changing accounts, stopping them changing passcodes, and seeking permission from downloading apps etc.

This is what I do for my kids and see no reasons why you could not do the same.

[maccas99]

MYOB said:

Another option is set up the iPads as a shared family set up. You will need your own device to administer. Then use screen time and set up the required restrictions, including preventing users from changing accounts, stopping them changing passcodes, and seeking permission from downloading apps etc.

This is what I do for my kids and see no reasons why you could not do the same.

I agree with this option, it's the most appropriate for the scenario. MDM or the like for a few iPads is overkill.

[macstorm73]

Jamf or meraki are both great, unfortunately meraki MDM is no longer free for <100 devices. Also look at buying apps centrally, that way you get to keep the licence when people leave rather than having them buy and expense back.

[hyphen]

.:ian:. said:

You really need to supervise the devices with configurator 2, which, of course means you need to buy a Mac!

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

Either that or you need a full MDM like airwatch, mobileiron or if you must, intune... probably overkill for a few devices though.

Why 'if you must' for intune?

[Australiam]

Another vote here for Jamf. Definitely worth looking at.

[geeks]

randlemarcus said:

Quite a PITA, can you dodge the task?
Choices if you already have, and know, Intune... https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/enrollment...

Whatever you do , do not let the little feckers use their personal AppleIDs, otherwise you end up with a box of paperweights.

While troublesome not the end of the world as long as you have proof of purchase.

RogerDodger said:

Good luck with that. Apple devices do not lend themselves to office management. Even when Xserve' existed it was a royal pain.

Everything you do in an administrative context will be met with a brick wall. They are "creative" not "business" devices. Really.

Edited by RogerDodger on Thursday 17th October 22:48

Not even remotely true!

hyphen said:

.:ian:. said:

You really need to supervise the devices with configurator 2, which, of course means you need to buy a Mac!

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

Either that or you need a full MDM like airwatch, mobileiron or if you must, intune... probably overkill for a few devices though.

Why 'if you must' for intune?

Because the interface is clunky and not very intuitive when compared to almost any other MDM on the market.

In the OP's scenario I would look at JAMF and Apple Business Manager and Supervise them over the air. Will avoid the Apple ID issues that come when someone enables Find my i[Device].

Australiam said:

Another vote here for Jamf. Definitely worth looking at.

You come up with some sensible suggestions in these threads, are we in a similar business? (I am an EMM/EUC Tech Consultant)

[The_Jackal]

MYOB said:

Another option is set up the iPads as a shared family set up. You will need your own device to administer. Then use screen time and set up the required restrictions, including preventing users from changing accounts, stopping them changing passcodes, and seeking permission from downloading apps etc.

This is what I do for my kids and see no reasons why you could not do the same.

Thanks I will look into this, to see what functionality is there.
This really is just a favour rather than a paid job, so the full MDM solutions just arent an option.

[randlemarcus]

The_Jackal said:

Thanks I will look into this, to see what functionality is there.
This really is just a favour rather than a paid job, so the full MDM solutions just arent an option.

If you aren't doing it for money, decline politely. That's not something i feel comfortable doing, but thanks"

[The_Jackal]

I'm trying to make him fully aware of the problems and things that can go wrong. He is treating it like buy everyone an Ipad and access a shared drive on Dropbox.
I'll probably just end up setting up their accounts and iPads and letting the boss and his better workers just use dropbox a bit to get used to it. Then he can decide when to give them to the others. No doubt I'll get a few calls but they will have to do most of it on their own. Hopefully I'll get an iPad out of it lol.

[shopper150]

geeks said:

randlemarcus said:

Quite a PITA, can you dodge the task?
Choices if you already have, and know, Intune... https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/enrollment...

Whatever you do , do not let the little feckers use their personal AppleIDs, otherwise you end up with a box of paperweights.

While troublesome not the end of the world as long as you have proof of purchase.

RogerDodger said:

Good luck with that. Apple devices do not lend themselves to office management. Even when Xserve' existed it was a royal pain.

Everything you do in an administrative context will be met with a brick wall. They are "creative" not "business" devices. Really.

Edited by RogerDodger on Thursday 17th October 22:48

Not even remotely true!

hyphen said:

.:ian:. said:

You really need to supervise the devices with configurator 2, which, of course means you need to buy a Mac!

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

Either that or you need a full MDM like airwatch, mobileiron or if you must, intune... probably overkill for a few devices though.

Why 'if you must' for intune?

Because the interface is clunky and not very intuitive when compared to almost any other MDM on the market.

In the OP's scenario I would look at JAMF and Apple Business Manager and Supervise them over the air. Will avoid the Apple ID issues that come when someone enables Find my i[Device].

Australiam said:

Another vote here for Jamf. Definitely worth looking at.

You come up with some sensible suggestions in these threads, are we in a similar business? (I am an EMM/EUC Tech Consultant)

Is it still try that Apple Business Managers can only supervise devices over the air that have been purchased directly from Apple?

I have set up from a few years ago where devices were supervised using Configurator2. We then used Meraki MDM but over the years as functionality has increased, it’s become a pain as to update some things we need to plug the device into the original machine that Configurator2 is on.

Can you think of an easy way to ‘replatform’ these devices so that EVERYTHING can be controlled over the air? Not all the devices were purchased directly from Apple.

[Carl_Manchester]

The_Jackal said:

I've been asked to set up a few independent iPads within an office.
They will be using Dropbox to share documents, but is there a simple way to administer them without an Apple infrastructure. I am basically looking at maybe unlocking accounts or checking what apps are installed for when I get the inevitable calls that they can't login.
I am not a professional consultant, this is on a casual basis. But I am from a Network Adminstrator background. I just dont have much experience with iPads and their networking abilities.
No I don't own a Mac.

microsoft intune, part of office365 is easy to use and apply.

[geeks]

shopper150 said:

Is it still try that Apple Business Managers can only supervise devices over the air that have been purchased directly from Apple?

Unfortunately that has never been the case, I am afraid you have been given duff info. They do have to be an Apple approved reseller but that is almost everybody these days in the early days when it was still DEP then it could be tricky at times but not so now.

shopper150 said:

I have set up from a few years ago where devices were supervised using Configurator2. We then used Meraki MDM but over the years as functionality has increased, it’s become a pain as to update some things we need to plug the device into the original machine that Configurator2 is on.

Can you think of an easy way to ‘replatform’ these devices so that EVERYTHING can be controlled over the air? Not all the devices were purchased directly from Apple.

Simple answer is yes you can add these devices into ABM using Apple configurator, once linked to your MDM you configure items such as Supervision as part of your enrollment profile.