Casper MDM (iOS) - App Definitions

[ndobric]

Can anyone explain to me exactly what this is? In the JSS, go to Mobile Devices tab>Apps>Add an App Store App>App Configuration.

[Emmert]

It's a spot where you can add a config file for apps that support it. The only one I know of is Self Service.

<dict>
<key>INVITATION_STRING</key>
<string>$MOBILEDEVICEAPPINVITE</string>
<key>JSS_ID</key>
<string>$JSSID</string>
<key>SERIAL_NUMBER</key>
<string>$SERIALNUMBER</string>
<key>DEVICE_NAME</key>
<string>$DEVICENAME</string>
<key>MAC_ADDRESS</key>
<string>$MACADDRESS</string>
<key>UDID</key>
<string>$UDID</string>
     <key>JSS_URL</key>
     <string>https://myaddress.blah:8443/</string>
</dict>

[john_miller]

Hey @ndobric

As @emmert mentioned, that allows an admin to define configuration options for an app that supports managed app configuration. The greatest part about this is for an end user, they launch the app and it's all ready to go. Self Service and Casper Focus both support this functionality, and there are others in the market that do but not an overwhelming amount.

If there are apps that you regularly deploy that require some configuration, please let us know who they are! We'd love to work with them to make this deployment easier for you as the admin.

There are lots of good discussions on JAMF Nation about managed app configuration and we're always watching and contacting vendors to add this functionality to ultimately make it very easy for you to deploy the apps to your users.

Thanks ahead of time for any ideas you have!

[ndobric]

Ok perfect. That's what I was thinking just wasn't sure based on the verbiage. I'm going to get back to tinkering around. Thanks a bunch and I will reach out as needed.

[Nick_Gooch]

@john.miller We have several apps we would love to support this. STAR is one. I asked their support about it but they didn't know what I was talking about. The other is Starfall.These are both Elementary level apps that makes it difficult for students to enter the proper information in. I'm sure there are more but these are two that take logging in on each iPad to get them to work.

[john_miller]

Great!

We'll reach out to Renaissance Learning and Starfall, respectively, to see what we can do to help go through what's possible and brainstorm specific set up that would help.

Thanks so much, @Nick_Gooch

[Nick_Gooch]

Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to look into that.

It would be really nice if there was a place that we could easily look up what the managed settings are for each app that supports. Whether that's by the developers in the vpp or itunes stores or something here on JAMF nation supported by the users. In Third-Party Products?

[ndobric]

Anyone know if Outlook for iOS is capable of this level of management?

[rickwhois]

@ndobric I'm interested in iOS Outlook app configs tool.

VMWare Horizon Client works with App Config as well. I haven't found another thread with configs so I'll just share this here in case anyone needs it. Can also add more servers by separating with a comma. i.e.: >server1.domain.com,server2.domain.com<

<dict>
<key>servers</key>
<string>server.domain.com</string>
</dict>

[mmcallister]

@john.miller Being able to auto-populate a school code for Dreambox would be helpful

[john_miller]

Hey @mmcallister

In order for managed configuration to work, the app itself must support it and have the keys defined, much like MCX in days past. From an MDM perspective, we're effectively deploying the configuration to the app, but the app needs to know to look for it. Feel free to reach out to them to see if they've already done some integration, as well.

We're also members of AppConfig.org, which is a standard around the definition of these keys and a general library of them. There are many vendors that are supporting app config already, and the population is growing.

Great stuff, and we're excited about how this makes everything more simple for deployment.

Thanks!

[fcrocnoc]

Hey @john.miller,

Do you know where I can find more information and documentation about Managed App Configuration?

And is the Outlook iOS app capable to be configured by Managed App Config?

[john_miller]

Hey @fcrocnoc

Great question. This has been one of the primary reasons for the starting of App Config community at appConfig.org

You can check members there. There are 60+ current members and many more coming. I'm not sure the state of Outlook, but didn't see anything last I checked.

Thanks!

[silvanet]

@john.miller ,

Did you ever get config information on Starfall? We contacted them but as with most front line support for applications, they say no because I do not think they understand what we are asking.

Lupe

[steelopus]

Ditto to what @silvanet said... Starfall implementation would be extremely helpful for our primary students.
You'd think a company that makes products focused on that age group would understand their needs...

[St0rMl0rD]

We use this for Casper Focus, that way we prepopulate the JSS address so the teachers only need to put in their LDAP credentials to get it working.

[theelysium]

Yeah, I need a username and password in App Config for Starfall too! Starfall support is ignorant to MDMs.