As organizations scale their Apple device deployments, maintaining visibility, control, and compliance across endpoints becomes increasingly complex. Jamf offers a powerful yet often underutilized feature to address this challenge: Extension Attributes. These customizable data points enable administrators to extend the default inventory capabilities of Jamf Pro, creating a more detailed, flexible, and actionable view of managed devices.
What Are Jamf Extension Attributes?
Extension Attributes (EAs) in Jamf Pro are custom scripts or input fields that gather specific information about devices beyond the standard inventory data (e.g., OS version, hardware model, serial number). Admins can write scripts—typically in Bash, Python, or Zsh—that query system details during inventory collection. The results are stored in the Jamf database and can be used in smart groups, reports or policies.
For example, an EA can report whether FileVault is enabled, if a specific application is installed, or the last time a device ran a security scan. These attributes unlock granular insights that are critical for compliance, auditing, and proactive support.
Use Cases for Extension Attributes
- Security Compliance Monitoring Organizations can use EAs to detect the presence of unauthorized software, confirm the status of security configurations like firewall, SIP (System Integrity Protection), or Gatekeeper, and monitor antivirus installations. This allows IT and security teams to enforce endpoint compliance more effectively.
- Application Version Tracking EAs are frequently used to extract the version of installed apps—particularly third-party software not tracked by Jamf’s default inventory (for example Oracle Java) . This helps ensure devices are running up-to-date applications, and simplifies patch management workflows.
- User and Department Mapping EAs can help map device assignments by collecting user information like department or location data.
- Custom Hardware Reporting Information such as the number of battery cycles, disk type (SSD vs HDD), or connected peripherals can be obtained with EAs, providing a richer hardware inventory view.
Advantages of Using Extension Attributes
- Customization: EAs offer tailored data collection based on an organization’s specific needs. Whether for education, healthcare, or enterprise IT, admins can adapt inventory tracking to any operational requirement.
• Automation-Ready: Since EAs integrate with smart groups and policies, they facilitate automated actions—such as enforcing encryption on devices missing FileVault or triggering updates on outdated software.
• Enhanced Reporting and Auditing: With detailed data available in inventory records, EAs empower better decision-making and more precise compliance reporting.
• Cross-Team Value: Aside IT, security and compliance teams benefit from EAs by leveraging custom reports for governance and audit trails.
Conclusion
Jamf Extension Attributes transform device management from reactive oversight into proactive control. By extending the reach of inventory data and automating custom checks, EAs empower IT teams to enforce company policy, track assets with precision, and meet compliance requirements in the continuously evolving Apple ecosystem.
For organizations who take their Apple fleet management seriously, Extension Attributes are not just an enhancement—they are a strategic necessity.
