iPad Name !!!

[wangl2]

Hi guys,
Is there any way to restrict user from changing iPad name? When these were deployed, they were all named according to the Asset Number. Now the users' just change the name as they like. My Casper Inventory Report looks miserable.
Thank you for any advice!!!

[curullij · Accepted solution]

Hi wangl2,

There is currently nothing in the MDM spec that would allow Casper to rename an iOS device. Apple would need to change the MDM spec to allow this and as Apple's view seems to be that the iPad is solely a consumer device I can only speculate that they won't add this feature.

I have the same issue with our iPads. Part of the iPad roll out to our Students is telling them they aren't allowed to rename the device. If they do then there is disciplinary action taken. I view it as a social issue not a technology issue.

Cheers

[thom]

As Jacob pointed out, there isn't.

I strongly advise instructors and users to NOT change the name (it still happens); but for sanity I always modify the location fields to indicate user name (proper device name if in a cart or group) and deploy initial name based policies to organize in smart lists.

(Example: If school #3 has two iPad carts. Device #4 in cart two would be s003iPad2-s04). As I deploy, the name of a device places it into a preliminary 'deployment group'. A second policy, based on membership in deployment group, installs an unremovable, empty profile with the name s003iPad2. That locks the device into the s003iPad2 'management' group, which is the group I interact with.

The result is that even if a device's name gets changed, it remains in its management group and even if a name is changed, I can mouse-over the JSS link and see the original device name.

Perfect? Nope. But it's working so far.

As long as Apple views these as "user owned", despite enterprise deployment; we're herding cats.

[CasperSally]

I keep hoping with the iPad3 announcement next week, there will be a new release of IPCU which would also give MDM more control over the simplest thing like this.

[FastGM3]

In our district we leave the default name "iPad" and encourage the sites to name them. We know there's no way most sites would like our unique names, and would change them anyways. Often they use names like iPad 01, iPad 02 etc. But trying to meet their naming needs is nearly impossible, so we say do it yourselves.

Unfortunately the downside to this is the sites that don't change the name. The next thing you know we have 300 iPads named, "iPad"

Chuck

[wangl2]

Thank you guys for your reply!

[thomast8991]

Any word if this will become a part of the MDM spec in the future? I find it crazy you can't restrict this.

[jchurch]

this is said to be possible in iOS 8

[jescala]

These duplicate feature requests are marked as third party because Apple needed to make it possible. It looks like iOS 8 will bring this to the table so at that point the ball is in JAMF's court. This may be a good time to start voting these up.

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/featureRequest.html?id=994
https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/featureRequest.html?id=901