Mobile Device Management

[Valerie Truscinski]

I am looking for a MDM system that is cost effective and easy to utilize.  What are you using in your district, and how do you like it? We are looking to transition to a one to one environment this year, and I don't know where to start.  Any help....much appreciated!

[Brian Norman]

We have currently standardized on Filewave ($4.xx) /ipad/year.  We don't have enough experience yet to give a full endorsement, but so far it has been good.  Last year we used Airwatch which was cloud based and hated it.  The service was so slow you could go get a cup of coffee waiting for their webpage to update.  Filewave is in-house on our server and is super fast.  

On that same note, Apple VPP-App Store has been a never ending source of frustration, but that's another story.

Good Luck,

Brian

ps, if you want the filewave sales guys info just email me.

[Carolyn Schmitz]

Hi Val,  

We have Cisco Meraki and it is free for up to 100 devices. https://meraki.cisco.com/form/systems-manager-signup

You do not need to have Cisco hardware to use it, but we do have Cisco Meraki Wireless APs.  I have not really used it for pushing Apps, as I still use Apple Configurator for syncing Apps to our iPads, but plan to this year.  So far, I use it more for tracking use and reporting, for the iPads and MacBook Airs.  I am also looking into the Lightspeed MDM, as we do use the Lightspeed Content filter, but Lightspeed MDM is $4.00 per device.

-Carolyn

[Valerie Truscinski]

We don't utilize either Cisco or Lightspeed :-(  I know that Keith Nelson had a product that he used that he really liked, but I don't believe that he is the tech in Warroad any longer.

Carolyn Schmitz said:

Hi Val,  

We have Cisco Meraki and it is free for up to 100 devices. https://meraki.cisco.com/form/systems-manager-signup

You do not need to have Cisco hardware to use it, but we do have Cisco Meraki Wireless APs.  I have not really used it for pushing Apps, as I still use Apple Configurator for syncing Apps to our iPads, but plan to this year.  So far, I use it more for tracking use and reporting, for the iPads and MacBook Airs.  I am also looking into the Lightspeed MDM, as we do use the Lightspeed Content filter, but Lightspeed MDM is $4.00 per device.

-Carolyn

[Jon Bergeron]

We are using JAMF's Casper suite with Mac administration and their MDM with mobile devices.  It does work very well but you still have to deal with Apple's VPP items.  We currently use it with 209 devices and it works well in our environment.  

[Valerie Truscinski]

Jon,

When you say "you still have to deal with Apple's VPP items" what exactly are you referring to?  Trying to get ready to take the jump and I'm weighing out Casper and Filewave.  Any information you can offer would be much appreciated!

Valerie

Jon Bergeron said:

We are using JAMF's Casper suite with Mac administration and their MDM with mobile devices.  It does work very well but you still have to deal with Apple's VPP items.  We currently use it with 209 devices and it works well in our environment.  

[Jon Bergeron]

You need accounts with apple if you want to use find my ipad and for installing free software, licensed software, and find my ipad.  Not sure how our process has changed with iOS 9 but before that we have about a three page document to enroll, manage, and distribute applications and get our ipads all set up correctly.  I'll send you the document if that helps.  

Jon

[Valerie Truscinski]

We are already a VPP customer, so that shouldn't be an issue I would assume?  Documentation would be very helpful! Thanks, Jon!