Device Management Planning, Deployment and Support
Integrating and managing Apple® devices into your organization is a money-saving decision that will increase your productivity and reduce service costs. And integrating them doesn't need to be a challenge for you. By implementing modern Device Management solutions, we can help streamline remote device management and deployment.
What is Device Management?
Device Management solutions are a type of software technology designed to securely manage, monitor, and administer mobile devices—such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other endpoints—that employees use within an organization.
Core Functions of Device Management Solutions
- Device Enrollment: Streamlined provisioning and registration of devices.
- Security Management: Enforcing encryption and data loss prevention policies.
- Application Management: Controlling installation, updates, and removal of enterprise applications.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): By integrating user identities with device policies and controls, Device Management Solutions ensure secure access to corporate resources.
- Remote Control & Troubleshooting: Remotely lock, wipe, locate, or troubleshoot devices.
- Inventory & Asset Management: Tracking and auditing devices, apps, and usage.
Common use cases:
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Allowing employees to securely use personal devices for work.
- Corporate-Owned Devices: Ensuring company-issued devices adhere strictly to IT policies.
- Government Sector: Managing devices in agencies and state/local organizations efficiently.
Building an efficient Device Management solution for a hybrid environment
MBS employs Device Management solutions such as Apple Business Manager paired with specialized tools including Jamf and Microsoft Intune to ensure a seamless integration between Apple and Microsoft devices.
Jamf
Jamf is a leading Device Management solution specializing in Apple device management (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS). It excels due to deep integration with Apple's ecosystem, simplifying device deployment, management, and security.
Jamf excels when deep integration, advanced Apple-centric device management, automation, and robust security/compliance are critical. Is the de-facto Device Management solution for Apple-dominant organizations, particularly in industries with strict security and compliance needs, as well as educational and large-scale corporate deployments.
Key Strengths of Jamf:
- Zero-Touch Deployment: Seamlessly provisions and configures new Apple devices remotely, directly from purchase to end-user without manual IT setup.
- Robust Security and Compliance: Easily enforces security configurations, FileVault encryption, password policies, compliance rules, and conditional access to resources.
- Identity Management: Supports macOS/iOS security best practices and integrates with identity providers (Azure AD, Okta) for enhanced security.
- Powerful Application and Patch Management: Automates deployment and updates of applications, ensuring devices remain secure and compliant without manual intervention.
- Streamlined Identity Integration: Enables Single Sign-On (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conditional access policies with leading identity providers.
- User-Friendly Interface: Provides an intuitive, accessible dashboard simplifying device administration, reporting, and troubleshooting.
- Advanced Automation and Customization: Offers powerful scripting and automation tools, simplifying complex administrative tasks, software packaging, and deployments.
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune is a robust, cloud-based Device Management and Mobile Application Management platform integrated within Microsoft’s ecosystem. It excels at managing devices across multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android), with strong integrations into Azure Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and endpoint protection solutions.
Key Strengths of Microsoft Intune:
- Cross-Platform Management: Effectively manages Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android devices from a single unified portal.
- Deep Integration with Microsoft 365: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft productivity tools (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive), Azure AD, and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, delivering cohesive, secure experiences.
- Conditional Access Policies: Provides robust control to enforce compliance rules based on user identity, device security status, location, and risk factors before granting resource access.
- Cloud-Based Simplicity and Scalability: Cloud-native architecture enables easy, fast deployment without significant infrastructure investment, ideal for scaling organizations.
- Robust Security and Compliance: Offers strong security capabilities, including app protection policies, data encryption enforcement, remote wipe, endpoint compliance, and deep integration with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
- Mobile Application Management (MAM): Enables secure, targeted management of corporate apps and data without requiring full enrollment of users’ personal devices (ideal for BYOD scenarios).
- User-Friendly Interface and Analytics: Offers intuitive management dashboards, simplified reporting, device analytics, and security insights to streamline administration and incident response.
Building your Device Management Strategy
Readiness Review
Our senior-level engineers will work with you to ensure your infrastructure is ready to efficiently support the growing population of employees using Apple devices in your workplace.
Device Evaluation
We will configure and review different device, accessory and software options in order to determine the most suitable solution for your organization.
Financial Planning
Let our team find the best financial model to execute your Device Management strategy in a way that works best for you, including DaaS, leasing and others.
Additional services available with an MBS-managed Device Management strategy
Setup Guides
We can design both printed and digital "Setup Guides" which we'll include in the kits and/or emailed to your employees. Digital documents may include links to online content hosted by MBS.
Hardware Testing
We can run standard Apple service checks before shipping your devices out. These checks will be logged in Apple's GSX (Global Service eXchange) system and will be accessible by any Apple store or Apple Service Provider in the future.
Tracking notifications and reports
We send shipment notifications to your employees with follow-up instructions, documents and tracking information, plus daily activity summaries are sent to your management team.
Devices ship protected
Cases and screen protectors are installed as part of the kitting process. This ensures your devices are protected and eliminates steps each employee must follow once they receive their kits.
Asset tagging
We can tag your devices either via Aluminum foil, tamper-proof or permanent (laser etching) tagging methods.
Custom Packaging
We can create branded custom boxes with foam or cardboard inserts designed for a frustration-free unboxing experience.
Post-deployment support
Flexible Support Programs
With our flexible support programs you can add a one-stop integrated hardware and software support platform to your business operations and minimize downtime.
Our support programs combine in-house help desk and repair/replace services with Apple's enterprise-level incident support team, providing phone and email support for software, integration, migration, and advanced server operation issues.
Mac, iPad and iPhone Repair/Replace Service:
Hardware repairs are managed in-house by our team of Apple Certified Technicians. Service requests are submitted via our Service Ticketing Application which allows you to submit and track all your repairs from a single location.
Our Apple Certified Technicians and System Engineers have received extensive training and keep their certifications up-to-date to ensure optimal performance on the latest Apple hardware and software.
Spare Pool Management
Get your employees back up and running in a fraction of the time it takes to repair their devices.
With a managed spare pool you don't have to wait until the broken device is repaired and shipped back. A ready-to-go device is shipped to you as soon as a service ticket is created for the defective device. In most cases the replacement device will be in transit even before you ship out the defective unit.
Remote Diagnostics
From configuration issues to potential hardware problems, our service technicians are one call away from you. And if your device can get online, we can Remote Control to your system and troubleshoot the problem right then.
Schedule a Consultation
By partnering with Mac Business Solutions you're getting access to the experience needed to plan, deploy and support your entire mobile fleet and employees, including software/hardware support and lifecycle management.