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Static Groups vs Smart Groups Usage

  • December 6, 2025
  • 2 replies
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JtheMac
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How does everyone utilize static groups and smart groups in your Jamf instance? Seems there's more ways than one to make it efficient. Would like to know particularly how it's used in a hospital or school environment where iPads or iPhones are the bulk of the devices being managed.

P. S. I know the difference between the group types. Just want to get ideas on how different orgs might use them more efficiently. 

2 replies

thebrucecarter
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Smart groups are significantly more costly in performance terms since they have to be evaluated at check-in.  Nested smart groups are the worst, according to both Jamf Professional Services and our migration consultants (Rocketman).  We only use smart groups for things that are truly dynamic, and try to stick to static groups for everything else as much as we can.


JtheMac
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  • December 6, 2025

Smart groups are significantly more costly in performance terms since they have to be evaluated at check-in.  Nested smart groups are the worst, according to both Jamf Professional Services and our migration consultants (Rocketman).  We only use smart groups for things that are truly dynamic, and try to stick to static groups for everything else as much as we can.

Interesting perspective as many will say smart groups should be used more especially for automation and static groups should be used only sparingly for tasks like pilot groups