Summer Release Beta 1 is Now Available

[bethk]

The JAMF Software beta program is now open for the 2016 Summer Release (Casper Suite 9.93). This release includes new patch management features to simplify workflows for keeping the software in your environment up-to-date, as well as substantial enhancements to JAMF's cloud-based device management services. New features in the first beta build include:

• Patch Reporting eliminates some of the manual processes associated with patching software for today's most widely used applications. New features in Patch Reporting include:
  • Email or JSS notifications when a vendor releases an update to any of our 30 + supported third-party OS X software titles.
  • Patch compliance reporting for visibility into which software versions are installed in your environment and how many devices are on each version. Reports can be exported or added to the dashboard.
  • Smart group enhancements to better target devices that need patching, including "greater than/less than" criteria for OS X software titles and Apple operating systems, as well as Smart Groups for the latest version of any of the supported third-party OS X software titles.
• Enhancements to improve organizational efficiency and security. New features include:
  • Enable secure access by integrating the Casper Suite with Identity Providers for Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0. Capabilities include SSO for the JAMF Software Server (JSS) login, Self Service OS X, and User Initiated Enrollment.
  • Integrate your directory service with the Casper Suite through the new LDAP Proxy Server for increased security. The LDAP Proxy Server provides a secure bridge between your internal directory service and your cloud instance of the Casper Suite.
• Self Service availability in more languages to improve the end user experience and extend the benefits of Self Service to international organizations. Self Service for OS X is now available in French, German, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese.
• Enhanced integration with Apple School Manager (currently in preview with Apple) to simultaneously import multiple classes from Apple School Manager to the JSS.
• Delete users in bulk by executing a mass action from a user group or user search.
• Additions to iOS and OS X Configuration Profile payloads

Please enroll at the beta homepage on JAMF Nation under My Assets. After enrollment, please reference our Release Notes for a complete listing of what is included in the beta build. Remember this is a beta release. We strongly encourage you not install this software in a production environment. Also, the beta program is operated under non-disclosure, so please do not share any information regarding your testing in any public forum including the non-beta sections of JAMF Nation. Use the JAMF Nation Beta forums or contact your JAMF buddy with any questions or reported issues regarding the beta.

Thank you to all those who participate in the program.

[jhbush]

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[owen_hael]

good jerb saml woot

[hcodfrie]

Finally !!!!

[dgreening]

YESSSSS!!!

[TomH]

Sweet !

[MischaB]

Whoop Whoop

[dan-snelson]

Excellent!

[emily]

[Taylor_Armstron]

/looks at calendar.

Its not April 1, or Christmas.... but I'll take it!

[andyinindy]

[davidhiggs]

before v10 too!

[kitzy]

SAML support!!

[donmontalvo]

[loceee]

Great to see ! Removing that pain point on version comparison will help.

I really would have liked to see something a bit more disruptive to the current software deployment methodology in Casper though. Smart group scoping and policies to deliver software is still very admin heavy. Plugging in autopkg can mitigate the manual creation somewhat...but it would be great to see a big revamp of the workflow in the future.

I'd have certainly liked more metadata for pkgs and some concept of a software descriptor / group / key to link related pkgs together. I still think the future is, as per munki, Mac is in a release group, client is assigned software... the management platform makes that happen within specified number of days, and the person on the end is cause minimal disruption. Software delivery workflows from the admin perspective should be assign and forget. It shouldn't matter if it's an initial install with 3 incremental updates being deploying to a DEP device that hasn't enrolled yet, or a drag and drop installer being pushed out to an existing fleet of thousands.

V10 guys ? :)

[calumhunter]

[rmcdonald]

Closed already? lame

[bethk]

@rmcdonald ,

We had so much interest in the beta that we had to add more beta capacity. The additional capacity is online and you should now be able to enroll into the beta.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Beth Klein