Overview
Apple Devices can transform business.
Macs can significantly boost productivity and give your employees the freedom and flexibility to work in new ways, whether in the office or on the go.
By supporting OS X, IT departments are viewed as shaping the business strategy and solving real-world problems, rather than fixing technology and cutting costs.
Embracing this new way of working leads to benefits across the entire organization. With Mac, users have access to high performance, flexible tools, and solid security so they feel empowered and are able to creatively solve challenges.
Download the Apple Deployment Guide
Infrastructure and integration.
OS X has built-in support for a wide range of network infrastructures including Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange, Wi-Fi, VPNs (virtual private networks), and other standard services. Mac Business Solutions' Certified System Engineers can help you integrate your new Apple devices into a new or existing network infrastructure.
Configuration and management.
OS X supports advanced tools and technologies to ensure Mac can be set up easily, configured to meet your requirements, and managed efficiently in a large-scale environment. Different MDM tools are compatible with Apple's Device Enrollment Program. At Mac Business Solutions, we have years of experience configuring and deploying Apple devices using MDM tools such as Casper Suite and MaaS360.
Security.
OS X is designed to securely access corporate services and protect important data. It provides strong encryption for data in transmission, proven authentication methods for accessing corporate services, and full-disk encryption for all data at rest.
Internet services.
Apple has built a robust set of services to help users get the most out of their Mac. These services include iMessage, FaceTime, iCloud, and iCloud Keychain. All these services are managed under a single Apple ID, thus simplifying the management of these services by the user.
App and book distribution.
There are a number of ways to deploy apps and content throughout your organization. Programs from Apple, including the Volume Purchase Program and the Mac Developer Program, enable your organization to buy, build, and deploy apps and books for internal users.
Planning for support.
MBS provides a variety of programs and support options for OS X users. Before deploying Mac computers, find out which options are available for your organization and plan for any support you’ll need.
Device Enrollment Program
The Device Enrollment Program (DEP) is a part of the Apple Deployment Programs (ADP), which help businesses and educational institutions easily deploy and configure iOS and OS X devices. DEP provides a fast, streamlined way to deploy institutionally owned iPad and iPhone devices and Mac computers that are purchased directly from Apple or participating Apple Authorized Resellers or carriers.
Learn more about Apple's Device Enrollment Program
Volume Purchase Program
The VPP store lets you purchase world-class apps and engaging interactive books that are great for business. Purchase content in volume and equip your entire workforce with innovation.
Learn more about Apple's Volume Purchase Program
Deployment Models
Deployment Models
There are several ways to deploy Mac in your organization. Regardless of the deployment model you choose, it’s necessary to consider the steps needed to ensure that your deployment goes as smoothly as possible. Not all Deployment models are suitable to all companies, as different organizations may approach their deployments differently, depending on their existing infrastructure, goals and challenges.
It should be noted that in the past, computer deployment depended heavily on tools for imaging and software distribution. While OS X already offers many such tools, the trend in Mac IT has been to focus on configuration rather than imaging.
Every Mac comes with a built-in recovery feature that allows it to repair, or even reinstall, OS X directly from Apple with no in-house infrastructure needed at all.
This allows IT staff to focus on only the parts of the experience that make a Mac unique to your organization. These configuration changes are easily made with your mobile device management (MDM) solution.
Common Deployment Models
- Corporate-Owned Deployment
- Personalized Mac—Corporate-Owned
- Personalized Mac—BYOD
- Shared Mac—Corporate-Owned
While most organizations have a preferred model, you may encounter multiple models within your organization.
For example, a retail organization may deploy a personalized-device (BYOD) strategy by allowing employees to set up their personal Mac computers while keeping corporate resources separate from the user’s personal data and apps.
However, their retail stores may also deploy a non-personalized-device (shared Mac) strategy, allowing Mac computers to be shared by several employees in order to process transactions for customers.
Exploring these models in more detail will help you identify the best approach for your unique environment.
iPad Integration
How can the iPad help my organization
iOS devices are currently helping organizations like yours to cut costs, improve business operations and remain competitive in today’s mobile market throug built-in, commercial or custom-developed applications.
- Track, Invoice and Sell
- Manage Customers
- Analyze Reports
- Brainstorm Ideas
- Give Presentations
- Manage Travel and Expenses
- Access Files
- Edit Office Docs
- Create Forms
- Collaborate
- Take Notes
How can the iPad tap into my company's infrastructure?
Connect securely to corporate mail, calendar or VPN servers
The iPad uses Exchange ActiveSync to get contacts, calendar events and push email from MS Exchange servers, while CalDAV enables access to iCal, Zimbra or Oracle Beehive calendar servers.
The included Mail application will allow you access IMAP mail servers and preview iWork, PDF, MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint files with a single tap on the screen.
Calendar makes it easy to stay on schedule by displaying day, week, month, or list views of your calendar. You can see an overview of a whole month or the details of a single day. iPad even shows multiple calendars at once, so you can manage work and family schedules at the same time.
Easy to Configure
Configuring iPad for use in your business is easy.
You can create a configuration profile for your business that includes information about your company’s VPN, email, wireless network, and passcode policies.
This profile can be sent to each device either over the air or via USB. Users simply tap to install the profile and then start using iPad.
Can the iPad integrate into a Microsoft Environment?
iPad users can read and write Microsoft Office documents using a variety of apps. Microsoft Active Sync and other standards-based services are supported for delivering email, calendars, and contacts over the air. Exchange ActiveSync also provides users with access to the Global Address List (GAL), and offers administrators passcode policy enforcement and remote wipe capabilities.
How does the iPad handle security in the enterprise?
iPad can securely access corporate services and protect data on the device. It provides strong encryption for data transmission, proven authentication methods for access to enterprise services, and hardware encryption for all data on the device.
Download the OS Security Guide
