Configurator: Deploying Wifi profile and Casper MDM

[nextyoyoma]

We have been trying to find the most efficient method to set up iPads using Apple Configurator. As others on jamfnation have reported, there is a problem with deploying a custom wifi payload as well as Casper MDM. This happens because at setup time, the iPad does not join the network specified by the profile quickly enough, and the device cannot communicate with JSS when the MDM profile is installed. This causes the MDM profile installation to fail. There are numerous suggestions out there, but we had not found any that enabled us to perform a handsfree configuration...until now!

We had attempted to create a backup of an iPad joined to an unsecured network (created by an Airport Extreme in bridge mode connected to our network), but the iPad never remembered to join the network after restoring from backup. However, iPads have baked-in connectivity with networks named "Apple Store." This is to simplify the activation process during in-store setup. While an iPad which is restored from backup will not automatically join the "Apple Store" network, this special situation allows backups to remember the "Apple Store" network reliably, while other networks do not reliably restore from backup. This will allow the iPad to have immediate network connectivity while preparing in Configurator, which in turn allows the Casper MDM to install properly. Follow the steps below to automate your supervised iPad Configurator workflow.

1) Create an unsecured wireless network with SSID "Apple Store". Make sure you can connect to the JSS through this network.

2) In the "Prepare" tab of Apple Configurator. Change the settings to the following before proceeding.

Name: <Your Choice>
Supervision: On
iOS: Latest
Erase before installing: yes
Restore: Do not restore backup
Profiles: none

Connect ONLY ONE iPad and start the prepare phase.

3) Once the prepare phase is complete, go through the setup assistant on the iPad, making sure the iPad is connected to "Apple Store."

4) Once the iPad is all the way through the setup assistant, select "Back Up" from the "Restore:" drop down menu. Name the backup something descriptive like "Student iPad - Supervised."

5) Now stop the prepare function. Change the settings to the following before proceeding:

Name: <Your Choice>
Supervision: On
iOS: Latest
Erase before installing: yes
Restore: <Supervised backup we just created>
Profiles: <All profiles you need to install>

At this point you should be able to add in your Wifi configuration profile, Casper MDM, and any other profiles you wish to add.

6) Start the prepare phase. It should install the latest iOS, restore from backup, and install the profiles successfully.

7) Optional: Turn off the router that is broadcasting the "Apple Store" SSID. If using a cart, flip the switch on the back off then on again. This will cause all of the iPad screens to light up, which will cause them to re-scan for wireless networks. At this point, they will connect to whatever network is in your Wifi profile. Also, if you have selected a custom image for the background, you can peek quickly to see if any iPads have not been configured correctly. If the default lock screen is showing, you should take those iPads out and deal with them individually. You can then turn the "Apple Store" router back on and continue imaging (starting with step 6).

Note:

If you have a lot of iPads connected, some will probably fail, especially if you are using carts. If this happens, just stop the prepare phase and start it again without disconnecting the USB cable. This will usually cause any iPads that did not succeed the first time to go through without a problem.

Sometimes you may have to put an iPad in recovery mode to get it to restore in Configurator. When you do this, Configurator will not show the iPad in the list of devices being prepared until the restore is complete.

If an iPad does not restore on a hub, you may have to connect it directly to the computer to get it to restore.

You may have to restore problem iPads in iTunes before taking them to Configurator.

All in all, Configurator and iOS devices have a degree of unpredictability that makes it impossible to have a completely handsfree workflow, but this process should help to automate the process with some consistency. Hopefully we will see improvements in this as the number of iPads in enterprise deployment increases and Configurator matures.

I would love to hear your feedback about this process, and also to hear of any other workarounds that might be simpler or cut out some steps. For now, this is the best workflow we have found. I hope you find it helpful!

[krausec]

Can this be updated for Configurator 2?