iOS Mobile Device Management with Casper Suite

Inventory

The iOS management capabilities in the Casper Suite include the ability to gather a full inventory of device information, installed apps, and settings from the same console used to gather inventory information for Mac OS X computers.

Thanks to the Casper Suite's deep integration with Apple technologies, administrators can easily reference purchasing and warranty information from Apple's Global Service Exchange (GSX) database and populate user login information with LDAP.

Devices check in regularly (every 24 hours by default) to provide inventory information, which can be utilized in a variety of ways for configuration and compliance. All inventory criteria are fully searchable and can be used to scope management tasks, including using smart device groups to assign configuration profiles or alert administrators if devices are out of compliance.

Inventory Overview (Video)

Configuration

The Casper Suite allows administrators to configure the entire range of Configuration Profile settings available on iOS devices, building Configuration Profiles from directly within the JSS or uploading Configuration Profiles previously created with the iPhone Configuration Utility. Using a modular approach, administrators can build Configuration Profiles for iOS devices and apply settings to individual devices or using smart device groups. Administrators have the ability to require that users enable data encryption on their devices, configure a wide range of settings and policies, and configure account access through integration with LDAP, all within the same console they use to manage their Macs.

Configuration Overview (Video)

Security Management

The Casper Suite allows administrators to remotely manage iOS devices, providing a sense of comfort that a lost device does not mean that important data will be compromised.

Because the JSS is accessible from a web browser, as well as from JSS Mobile and JSS Mobile for iPad, IT administrators can rest assured that they will be able to conveniently send a remote lock, remote wipe or clear passcode command to iOS devices. These security commands can also be sent to mobile devices from their own mobile device - wherever they may be.

Administrators also have the ability to require that users enable data encryption on their devices, and in the event that a device is lost or stolen, have the ability to quickly lock or wipe the document remotely.

Security Management Overview (Video)

App Distribution

Self Service management of applications is a concept well-known to IT administrators who use the Casper Suite. Self Service is extremely popular with end users, who enjoy the ability to install applications to their machines on demand and without interaction from IT departments.

The Casper Suite 8.0 brings this same concept to iOS app distribution, allowing administrators to distribute App Store apps and in-house apps to individuals or groups of end users. As new devices are enrolled, the appropriate apps are automatically offered based on smart group settings, ensuring that end users immediately have access to all in-house apps and provisioning profiles with a single tap install. As existing in-house apps are updated or new in-house apps released, users can install updates through the same interface.

App Distribution Overview (Video)