Preparing for (re)Enrollment

AsPreparation withis allthe projects,difference preparingbetween wella for yoursmooth device refresh projectand beforea long week of avoidable surprises. Before the project startstarts, isconfirm THEwhat keyneeds to success.be collected, Hopingwhat the project will go well without proper preparation is simply a recipe for failure, and none of us want that!  So, here are some thingsneeds to considerbe before you start,deployed, and how each device should be assigned when it comes back online.

Use the questions below as a planning checklist, and look for places where FileWave capabilities can help:remove manual work from the process.

Device Reclamation

reclamation

Step one of a refresh is usually aboutoften retrieving devices that are already in the field. If Arethat applies to your project, decide whether you needing to do that?  If so, you'll want to consider: 

Is it importantneed to know fromwho whomreturned each device, where it came from, or fromwhich wheredevices themust devicebe came?handled  Let's look at an example: differently.

Example: Brian is running a project to retrieveretrieving and reassignreassigning all iPads in his district.  2/3Two-thirds of the devices will simply be retrieved, wiped, updated, and (re)Enrolledre-enrolled withfor new users. The However,remaining 1/3third are at the end of his devices were on a 2 two-year lease,lease whichand is now at an end.  Those devices need tomust be retrieved and returned to the leaseleasing company.

Brian is going to doplans an on-site student return of devices inat three locations, with a technician receiving devices at each.each site. Now,His Brianteam could instruct his team to record theeach serial number or asset tag from each device, and compare it toagainst the spreadsheetlease ofspreadsheet, leased devices, thus determining whether it goes into the "return" or "re-assign" pile.  But,but that would be cumbersome, slow,slow and erroreasy prone.to get wrong.

FileWave tools toBecause the rescue!  Because thereturn serial numbers to return are known, Brian can create a FileWave custom field called "Return?" can be created weeks before devicescollection are returned,starts and thatpopulate field can be populated by a simple importit from the spreadsheet. He Withcan thatthen data,assign custom wallpapers can be assigned to devices ahead of returnreturn, (likesuch as a yellow lock screen background),background, thatso allowtechnicians thecan technician to simply look at the lock screen, andsee immediately know which pile theeach device goesbelongs into!in.

Another example:

Or maybe we simply want to track who returned a device and who did not?

Emily is running a summertime project to replacereplacing all of the Windows devices in the Finance department. Because "Department"Department is assignedalready tracked as a custom field withinin FileWave, so Emilyshe uses that list of devices as her guideline,starting point and she has decided to useadds a true/false custom field to track device return.  It is a simple true/false field.  And, asAs each device is returned, Emilytechnicians willcan simplylook changeit theup customquickly field from False to True.  Usingin FileWave Anywhere and looking each device up quickly by asset tag willand beupdate the field from False to True.

Every retrieval project is different, but the same principle applies: use the data FileWave already has, or add a greatsimple waycustom forfield her technicians to getbefore the jobproject donestarts, quicklyso (the collection process is faster and easier to report status).on.

There are a lot of different scenarios regarding device retrieval, but the key thing to keep in mind is that your FileWave tools can be used to make this process much more simple, so keep them in mind as you make your plans.

Content:

Content

If devices are comingentering intoor re-entering the environment, youthey arewill going to want to put "stuff" on them.  And that stuff isneed software, configurations, restrictions, and utilities...aka filesets.In FileWave Soterms, twothat questionsmeans tofilesets askand yourselfassignments. aboutBefore content:enrollment day, confirm the content is ready.

• Do Iyou have the content built that Iyou need to deploy?
  • VPPFor Apple Apps and Books/VPP apps, are pretty easy, but do I havethe licenses already?already available? (Day-of-Waiting until enrollment licenseday procurementto procure licenses is aasking BADfor IDEA...work ahead here as much as you can)pain.
  • If I haveFor more complex filesets, are they built and tested?
    tested?
• For software, make sure to build filesets ahead of time

  and thoroughly test everythingthat isinstallation, working
  

  activation, and any post-install steps work as expected.
• For restrictions,restrictions areor theyprofiles, new?  Do you knowconfirm how they will actually behave in production?

production before they are assigned broadly. Do Iyou have anthe appropriateright structure builtfor (i.e.assigning groups and smart groups) to appropriate assign mythat content? Examples:

• If Iyou amare assigning a restriction profile to student devices, docan Iyou havereliably a way to delineatedistinguish student devices from staff?staff
  devices?

Groups, smart groupsgroups, and LDAP groups are all greatgood options here!when the data supports them. If Icontent amis assigning contenttied to a geographicphysical locationlocation, (such as ana office addressschool or aoffice, particulardecide school), have I establishedhow that location will be represented in FileWave?FileWave.

Custom fields maycan bework awell greatwhen way toyou do this if you don'tnot have a hook into areliable directory to rely uponsource.

Pre-assigning content

Pre-Assigning Content:

Did you know youYou can pre-assign content for FileWave managed devices,devices evenbefore BEFOREthose theydevices are enrolledenrolled. in your system?  You can...devicesDevices can match basedon onidentifiers such as serial number, macMAC address, and even just theor device name.  ThisThat means you can setupprepare everythinggroups, wecustom havefields, mentionedand aboveassignments with a CSV import before the first device is unpacked.

Practically, this can remove a lot of hands-on staging. If the data is ready and the assignments are in aplace, simpleusers csvcan import,unbox devices and have everything ready to go before anyone yells "start your engines"!

What does this mean practically?  It means you don't even necessarily need to touch a device before it is assigned to your users...youFileWave can let them doapply the unboxing,planned content as the devices enroll.

Documentation and we'll take care of the rest.process

Documentation/Process:

Want success?  Write down yourthe plan,plan and share it with yourthe colleagues.people helping Everythingyou. youAnything don'tthat documentis willnot bedocumented becomes a question askedduring ofthe you on D-Day.  So, for your own sanity plan and document items such as:rollout.

• Physical deployment: How amwill Idevices goingphysically get to give devices to people?users?
  • DropIndividual shipdrop individually?shipment?
  • Pickup or handoff by classroom, department, or site?
• Large groups, such as 200 students in a gymnasiumgym at aone time?

Consider infrastructure: Can mythe wi-filocal infrastructure support the plan? For example, can Wi-Fi handle 100 concurrentdevices devicesenrolling in thatthe same room? How amwill I going toyou record towhich whomuser Ireceived gave any particularwhich asset? Does the Acceptable Use Policy (oftenneed overlooked)...doto yoube haveacknowledged, one?signed, or recorded?

InThis general,is justnot thinkcomplicated work, but it throughpunishes vague planning. The more you can decide before youthe start.refresh starts, Thisthe isn't rocket science, but ifless you don'twill plan,have you'llto feelimprovise likewhen itthe is!room is full of devices.