Boston-area JAMF User's Group

[jarednichols]

The Iowa group post got me thinking that having a Boston area group would be really great. Myself, I focus in high-security environments but I wouldn't want to limit to any particular user area. Depending on size, we can have sub-groups and areas of interest.

Being Fidelity, we have loads of meeting space and we've hosted things like this in the past (sometimes with the help of Apple) and I could likely kick off something pretty easily.

[mm2270]

Hi @clifhirtle. Unfortunately my schedule has changed a little and next Wednesday is not possible for me personally. I'll be out of town then.
If possible, the following Wednesday 2/12, would work for me. But I understand if the majority of the group wants to do this this coming Wednesday instead.

[Chris_Hafner]

Unfortunately, the 5th is too short a notice for me. I might be able to make the 12th (Last day of my vacation... have to think on that). Otherwise, these would normally be great dates for me.

[clifhirtle]

With two nea's on next week, we're likely looking at 2/12. I can push out further, but given training here week of 2/24, we're talking March timeframes, which are pretty far out.

Wed 2/12/14: any conflicts from others? @simbimbo @dgreening @Cataldo @bcunning @Eyoung @ctangora @sggr57a @allyn_martin

Speak now or... :)

[allyn_martin]

I am in!!!! Book It, Danno! I will make myself available

[Eyoung]

Either date would work for me.

[clifhirtle]

OK. February 12, 2014 is on. Just posted up off the user group section, though appears earliest I could set RSVP start date was tomorrow @ 9am. Look forward to meeting some new and existing faces!

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/userGroup.html?id=9

[Chris_Hafner]

Quick question Clif, what's the story on parking?

[mm2270]

That'a a very good question.
I see the location is just a few blocks from Back Bay station. I might be parking elsewhere and taking a train in.

[clifhirtle]

We are 1 block from back bay station or you can walk across the square from the Copley station on green line. Transit in might not be a bad option if you cannot get work to cover parking.

There's parking all over here but I'd recommend checking http://parkme.com (they have a mobile app too) for the best rates by time arriving and departing. Put in 200 Clarendon St Boston, MA as the location.

[Thomas_B]

Just joined up and plan to attend. Looking forward to it. Times listed as CST on the invite. Is it actually 3-6 Eastern Standard Time?

[clifhirtle]

Thanks for the heads-up @ThomasB. Time is definitely 3-6PM EST. User group creation workflow does not appear to allow me to update it now and when I try to make other changes I get an Internal Server Error.

[Chris_Hafner]

Good call, see you all there!

[dgreening]

Registered! See you there!

[jarednichols]

I may have a customer or two attending so I've registered.

[Chris_Hafner]

Thats funny! Full circle eh?

[jarednichols]

It happens. :)

[Chris_Hafner]

Unfortunately I will not be seeing you all this afternoon. Fatherly responsibilities dictate. Sorry for the sudden drop out. I'm in for next time regardless. Could anyone forward me any interesting topics you mention?

[mm2270]

Chris, sorry you won't be there. I'm sure at least one of us will be taking some notes to pass along.

[clifhirtle]

No problem /url][/url">@Chris_Hafner][/url][/url. If you end up finishing up Mr Mom duties early (below), I'm throwing out a post-meeting bacon-guacamole offer for any interested parties at a nearby establishment (details on EB page: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boston-area-jamf-user-meeting-spring-2014-tickets-10457840683).

external image link

[dgreening]

Clif, thanks for hosting us (and thanks to JAMF for the burritos)! It is always great to sit down with like-minded folks and have an open forum to discuss our environments and challenges. I look forward to the next meet-up! It was great to meet you all!

-Dan

[Chris_Hafner]

Really, I missed Burritos! Did anyone discuss the next meeting? The earlier it's planned the better. I like how these are starting to roll. How was meeting #3?

[clifhirtle]

Thanks for coming @dgreening @mm2270 @jarednichols @Thomas_B @Eyoung and all else who's JN handle I do not know for coming out. Lively discussion, good balance of newer/veteran Casper admins, and (as always) wealth of tips/tricks from fellow CAs. Force of the educational-side Casper Jedis as was strong in this one!

Here's basic recap of what I caught in discussion (others please feel free to chime in!):

App Store Licensing - How do I deploy my AppleID-tied Apple apps?
- Changes in iOS 7/10.9 retractable, permit token-based licensing through VPP - issue to any user's personal/biz ID, retract license on departure. Manageable via OS X Server or 3rd party MDM solutions
- Challenge of managing student/lab machines at scale still problematic

Licensing Resources (others may have more):

• http://www.apple.com/education/it/vpp/
• http://www.apple.com/business/vpp/
• http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6015
• https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=4911

How are you managing mobile devices?

• Most maintaining distinction between org and personal devices (BYOD = on your own)
• Systems in use: Casper, Lightspeed, MobileIron, ZenPrise
• Heavy discussion of Configurator. Extensive use for "imaging" school-issue mobile devices. Supervised mode off external HD running Configurator. Always backing up your DB! Some students dropping to DFU mode to wipe devices, but end up at Activation Lock anyway and return anyway in shame. <insert sad face student emoticon here>.

Software Updates

• Most heavily leveraging policy "triggers" to initiate updates/deployments on demand.
• Phased rollouts generally split between test and production. Not too much time spent in heavy evaluation or multiple tiered rollout phases.
• Big concern over breaking the big wig's Macs within organizations.

Remote Access

• Many using ARD over Casper Remote (we heard this at last JUG as well)
• Often due to habit or existing workflows. Send Unix command feature called out (in Remote as well).

Self Service

• Most using for basic software installs, but all interested in learning more about how to leverage better.
• Questions on logistics of giving techs access to sysadmin policies/tools in SS, while restricting from users. One method: scope by AD/LDAP group.

Next Meeting

• Topic came up. I mentioned the idea of rotating. Eric, did you say you were interested in hosting? Not a ton of discussion around this so feel free to respond inline here so we can get the ball rolling.

Postscript

• Oldie but goodie resources and slides on many topics we discussed off the JNUC 2013 page below. Enjoy!
• https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/jnucEvents.html?type=1

[spraguga]

Thank you for hosting Cliff! It was great to meet you all!

Few other things that were mentioned:
50/50 split between Admins using Casper Imaging and DeployStudio
No Casper Remote for Windows users, specifically for call center support.
FileVault computer login lockouts if the user doesn't change their password using the Mac login or System Pref Pane.
Only one Admin in the meeting has upgraded to Casper 9. The majority are still seeing too many issues to upgrade at this time. MySQL headaches for major release upgrades were brought up as well.

-Galen

[mm2270]

Good recap on everything, and good meeting! Thanks @clifhirtle for hosting! And thanks JAMF for the food!

Also wanted to mention that on the issue of upgrading to Casper Suite 9, it seemed like at least a handful of us are getting very close to making that jump. The current 9.23 release seems like a solid release that has addressed most issues so far. Perhaps by the next meeting for this group some more of us will be running version 9 in our production environment.

If I recall anything else that we discussed, I'll post it here.

[Chris_Hafner]

I'd be happy to share on that one next time. We've been every flavor of 9 since it came out. So far, 9.23 has solved many many issues for us.

[Chris_Hafner]

Duplicate

[Chris_Hafner]

triplicate!

[clifhirtle]

Thanks /url">@spraguga][/url and @mm2270][/url for additional notes. On topic of Casper 9 upgrade, I did hear back from JAMF Support regarding missing parameter values changing up my JAMFHelper scripts ([https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=9667). Confirmed as bug, but workaround of entering anything in the blank parameter fields of the JSS does enable a present workaround.

[vishal_345]

Hello Everyone!!

I would like sign up for this user group. Can you please notify me for the next meeting.

[joe_conte]

Hi Jamf nation. I just joined as well

[joe_conte]

Hi Jamf nation. I just joined as well

[joe_conte]

Hi Jamf nation. I just joined as well

[gordoncollege_o]

Greetings,

Has there been a date/location set yet for the next meeting? Thanks in advance for the update.

Regards,

Robert

[clifhirtle]

Nothing yet @gordoncollege. While @simbimbo and I could likely repeat host, it would be great to offer the opportunity to host if interested as well. Based off responses from last survey both @Eyoung and Olimpia @ MIT (sorry don't have your JAMF ID) mentioned possible interest in hosting a smaller group meeting. Any volunteers there?

[Eyoung]

I would still be able to host. I'd say the limit would be about 20 people due to the size of our conference room. I am at Thayer Academy in Braintree Ma. about a 4 or 5 minute walk from the Braintree T station. Plenty of parking.

[clifhirtle]

@Eyoung][/url AFAIK we have not yet capped 20 attendees for any Boston area event yet so that should work fine. In fact, it may even be an incentive to get RSVPs in early ("limited time opportunity!").

For yours (as well as all future JUG Hosters edification), JAMF has a whole section of JN where you can post up JUG meetings. This automatically generates a new EventBrite event, which is great help in tracking RSVPs, wait listing, etc. See: https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/userGroups.html.

JAMF's produced an entire guide outlining best practices for running the user group meet that can answer some of the basic questions you might have in hosting an event. I was also contacted by Emelia Carroll from JAMF HQ, who was wonderful in offering to take care of all the food/drink logistics.

[Chris_Hafner]

Sounds like a plan to me! I'm in any time, especially since I missed the last one!

[sggr57a]

Sounds great to me!!

[Eyoung]

rats they read my post.. now I'll have to do work :-)

I'll go through the items Cliff mentioned and look at a a few times in the near future. Ill try to post something next week.

[cdenesha]

Is anybody in this thread going to the Apple Tech Update for Education in Natick on April 30?

chris