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I am implementing a few carts of iPads that will be shared across classrooms through the day. At each change, there will be student data that needs to be cleared off. I will have JSS, Apple Caching Server, Configurator 2, DEP, VPP. The article:
#K12 Deploying Shared iPad Carts Without Apple IDs using DEP and Apple Configurator 2
is very helpful for rollout. But I am trying to wrap my head around clearing the data from the cart of ipads at each transfer. What is best practice? Can it be done with JSS or does it have to be done with Configurator 2 as a complete wipe? Time to do so using a caching server?

Thanks!
Gil Anspacher, Technology Director
Santiam Canyon School District

I have the same question - did you find an answer for this?
Thanks!
Matt

Configurator 1 had the ability to automatically refresh iOS devices upon connection, making it ideal for iPad carts. This is probably the only area in which Configurator 1 is superior to Configurator 2. Unfortunately, Configurator 1 is really no longer an option, as it has been removed from the App Store, and even if you can get it, it hasn't been updated in a long time and has some really nasty bugs on newer versions of the macOS. When they designed Configurator 2, Apple really repositioned the product to be more of a support tool for 1:1 deployments, rather than to do ongoing management of iPad carts, making it less than ideal for this purpose.

An option is to replicate Configurator 1's behavior with Configurator 2 using Automator. There are some (IMO) very rough notes on this page (https://configautomation.com/attach-workflow.html) that might help. Someone dedicated enough might eventually be able to craft some sort of a GUI front end that would make this a good solution. (If someone has come up with a really good implementation of the idea presented on this page, PLEASE let us know!)

Another option is to use Ground Control in lieu of Configurator. When I last tested the product, it failed for us because it depends on the MDM to do any software installs your institution requires, it can't do the software installs while the iPads are still in the setup assistant, and couldn't entirely bypass the setup assistant on Touch ID devices. As I understand, that last part may have been partially or totally corrected for, but I don't know. The downside to Ground Control is that there is an ongoing cost for licenses. which might be a non-starter for some education institutions.

IIRC I've done this with a blueprint that does the wipe before the rest of the provisioning.

TBH, I use GroundControl a lot more.

Whilst AC2 supports managed app distriburion, I find GroundControls provisioning then enrolling into MDM to be better.Then control app delivery from the JSS.

Obviously a caching server is a must for this type of workflow.

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