14 DAY TRIAL // The Device Enrollment Program, which allows organizations and institutions to bulk-deploy and manage Apple devices, was updated this week with support for new countries and is now open to resellers and carriers.
On its web site, Apple points out that “For all your institutionally-owned devices, teachers and students can get up and running quickly. With an MDM solution in place, you can rest assured that your devices are properly configured — without the need for staging services that prep devices before deployment. No further setup is required to enroll.”
What DEP does
The Device Enrollment Program allows administrators to wirelessly supervise iOS devices from afar and use advanced device management tools for restrictions (i.e. for iMessage or Game Center), device configurations, web content filtering, single app mode, and more.
Apple offers a long list of examples of restrictions when devices are supervised, including things like allowing or disallowing removal of apps, access to the iBooks Store, podcasts, user-generated content in Siri, manual installation of configuration files, configuring restrictions, pairing to computers for content sync, AirDrop access, account modification, access to the Erase All Content and Settings option in the device’s settings pane, accessibility settings, global network proxy for HTTP, and more.
A Setup Assistant allows end users to go through every step of the way until the device is fully set up, while admins can even skip over certain steps to speed up the process.
The Device Enrollment Program makes large-scale deployments of Apple hardware seamless and fast. IT administrators have the power to automate mobile device management (MDM) enrollment for every device. This means that when the unit is activated, it gets immediately configured with access to corporate services, account settings, apps, and everything in between.
“There’s no need for staging services, and no need for IT to physically access each device to complete setup,” Apple clarifies.
New countries and third parties
DEP is now available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Moreover, the service is finally available to resellers and carriers. Apple makes the news official on its web site, saying, “Whether you purchase devices directly from Apple or through participating Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers, you can manage all your corporate-owned devices through the Device Enrollment Program.”
“Contact your reseller or carrier to see if they're currently supporting the program or working with their Apple representative to support it in the near future,” the Mac maker adds.
