Centralized iPad Management - Using Apple Configurator

[FastGM3]

In our K-12 district, most of our sites are lacking training, time, money or all of the above to manage their iPads. Our district uses Casper MDM (Mobile Device Management) software but not all of the needs are met with one product alone. Some products are close but then there’s still the time and training piece missing to get everyone on board. We provide plenty of training and support for iPad use, just not the management aspect.

Apple Configurator is an excellent tool, but setting up individual computers (provisional nodes) for carts, for 72+ sites involves cost and time. How many districts have sites with a teacher or teachers trained to use VPP codes in Apple Configurator, so they can deploy applications to their iPads? Or even more important how many districts have sites with teachers that have time to deploy applications using Apple Configurator or a MDM? For most districts i guessing, a few, or none.

With MDM software, one by one you’re downloading applications on the iPads and even worse, one by one you’re entering Apple ID’s and passwords. The more iPads and applications you have, the longer it takes. MDM software helps, it’s better than using iTunes. Even with MDM software solutions, Apple Configurator hands down is the fastest way to push applications to iPads. And its “Supervised” mode is the best way to manage those applications and user data.

Unfortunately using Apple Configurator’s supervised mode on an iPad, links the iPads to the node/computer with Configurator. So now the site with 500 iPads has to hunt down that computer to check in the iPad, using even more valuable class time. Typically the provisional node should stay with the iPads, but in situations where you have more than one cart of iPads per node there will be some hunting around to do just to find that node. And we haven’t even tackled the importance of backing up the ~/Library/Application/Support/com.apple.configurator file on every one of those Apple Configurator nodes.

I know I can use Casper to manage the sites provisional nodes and Apple Configurator, and setting up a backup policy is pretty simple. However, the biggest problem using Casper to manage the site nodes is for one, making sure the node is powered on and plugged into an ethernet drop and another issue is making sure the iPads are all plugged in and the Cart is plugged into the node. So inevitably somebody has to be at the site to cover these potential issues, which is why a centralized Apple Configurator solution would make more since. At least in our district.

That’s just a brief description of our iPad dilemma in our K-12 school district. I could have written more details out and then turned this into a book sure to put insomniacs into the deepest sleep they’ve had in years. Fact is, I know we’re not the only one and I know most of you know exactly what I’m talking about. So what we all need is a solution, a better way, right?

Our district has some ideas, but we need developer help. So maybe someone already has a solution or maybe someone just needs the idea, and then can provide the know how.

An idea we’re working on is Ethernet to USB hubs. The idea would be having a centralized Apple Configurator node that has software installed that maps the Ethernet to USB devices back to this centralized Apple Configurator node. Then the sites plug these USB hubs into the Ethernet. That way they can plug the iPads into the USB ports and the iPads show up on the centralized computer over the Ethernet just as if the were plugged directly into the computer itself. So now we would have a centralized backup and our IT staff could mange the apps and iPads without going to the site. Only problem the USB/Ethernet devices we tried, “Silex SX-DS-4000” are not recognized by Apple Configurator. The Silex software recognizes the iPads, iPods, and iPhones over the Ethernet. Unfortunately the Silex software doesn’t talk to iTunes and Apple Configurator telling the Apple applications, “hey look what I have” So we need a developer to make Apple Configurator recognize these remote hubs. Or, why not a centralized OTA (over the air) Apple Configurator connections? Anyone?

[John_Wetter]

I've seen this considered many times over. the problem (as I'm sure you're well aware) is that basically every time iTunes updates, or Configurator is updated, it'll break this and you'll have to re-engineer it again. Why Apple doesn't have this kind of a tool, or the API for 3rd parties like JAMF to provide this solution is beyond me. They're in version 5 of the software now, time to step up the game!

As much as it pains me, I think we need to live with this until Apple provides the framework for this solution.