Apple Specific Considerations

FileWave loves Apple, and so do our customers.  If you happen to be one of the organizations that have chosen to incorporate Apple devices into their infrastructure, from iPads to MacBooks, here are some crucial considerations for a successful refresh and (re)Enrollment:

The Apple Program Considerations

You no doubt already know about the various Apple Programs, such as ABM/ASM/VPP/DEP/MDM and even APN.  Each of these programs, explained below, provide critical roles during device enrollment.  As with everything else (re)enrollment, pre-work is good work, and each program has it's own pre-requisites (and sometimes lead-time).  You'll want to review the specifics of each below:

Apple Push Notification (APN)

Apple Push Notifications are the method by which FileWave initiates communication with your devices through the Apple MDM framework.  Every FileWave server must have a valid APN token assigned, and it must be refreshed annually.  Before any major project, you should make sure your APN has plenty of life left (and you can renew early).

Apple School Manager/Apple Business Manager Integration (ASM/ABM)

Apple School Manager (for educational institutions) and Apple Business Manager (for businesses) are central to the administration of Apple devices. When integrated with FileWave, these platforms provide granular control and enhanced capabilities. They allow you to:

But, you can't use these programs if they aren't established and integrated with FileWave.  So, in particular if you are setting up a new environment, you'll want to give yourself plenty of time before your project to enroll.

Volume Purchase Program (VPP) and Device Enrollment Program (DEP)

The VPP ( Volume Purchase Program ) and DEP ( Working with Apple’s Device Enrollment Program ) play a critical role in managing applications and automating device enrollments. Their integration with FileWave allows for:

VPP and DEP also require initial setup, and shouldn't be left to the last minute.  DEP profiles control device configuration at setup time, and you'll want to make sure you procure all licenses through VPP well ahead of time to avoid last-minute congestion on Apple systems.  (Remember you aren't the only organization enrolling 5,000 devices today).

Using FileWave's DEP profile assignment wizard is a great way to pre-configure your devices automatically, even before they leave the box.

Apple MDM Framework (and known issues)

Apple were very innovative with the creation of the MDM framework, and it allows for controlled management of endpoints through known, controlled mechanisms.  It is very structured, and means that MDM vendors provide support in very common and defined manners.  Knowing for instance that an MDM command to InstallApplication X won't be able to run until the push notification is able to be sent to the device plays into your capacity planning for (re)enrollment.  So, it is structured, but it (like any other system) isn't perfect and there are some additional recommendations we'd make to ensure success:

Non-VPP Apps

Everyone has  some apps that aren't in VPP that they need to push out.  If filesets, fileset magic, .APP installs and custom filesets aren't quite enough options for you :), take a look at Installomator - The one installer script to rule them all (macOS Script) to easily push out over 450 different applications. Completely opensource, and completely super!

Use the Kiosk

With all platforms, but particularly iOS/iPadOS, using the Kiosk ( Kiosk ) to allow your customers to easily and effectively install pre-approved applications and profiles will help you both:


Revision #15
Created 13 July 2023 16:51:17 by Josh Levitsky
Updated 28 November 2023 16:05:09 by Tony Keller