MaaS360: Ask Me Anything about Device Enrollment Program
We hope you enjoyed our recent Ask Me Anything on MaaS360 Apple's Device Enrollment Program (DEP). In this blog, we've summarized the key points and added some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you better understand the features and improvements.
You can find the March 19th, 2025 replay, and presentation here. MaaS360 Ask Me Anything about Apple's Device Enrollment Program (DEP).
Key Takeaways:
are the steps and processes for implementing and managing Apple devices in an organization using IBM MaaS360, Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP), and Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP).
1. Adding Devices into the Apple Business Manager Portal:
a. Corporate-owned iOS devices (supervised): Enrolled through the Device Enrollment Program (DEP)by adding devices to ABM via Apple Configurator
2. Corporate Owned vs Corporate Shared
a. Corporate Owned devices are assigned to a single-use
b. Corporate Shared devices are company-owned and shared among multiple users
3. Apple Push Certificate Service (APNS)
a. MaaS360 requires the APNs certificate to establish secure communication with enrolled Apple devices enabling various device management capabilities.
b. Setting up the APNS certificate via your MaaS360 portal is a prerequisite for enrolling and managing iOS devices. The APNS certificate is valid for one year, requiring a renewal to continue managing Apple devices.
4. Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP)
a. Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) provides a fast, streamlined way to deploy your corporate-owned Apple devices.
b. DEP token is a unique identifier that acts as a digital key, allowing your MDM server to interact with Apple’s DEP system
c. DEP Token is renewed annually to ensure uninterrupted service and complete the renewal process before expiration. Read more here.
- Apple Volume Purchase Program and VPP Token
a. Apple VPP allows your organization to purchase Apple applications and distribute those apps to your employees through MaaS360 utilizing a use type
b. To ensure uninterrupted service, download the latest token and upload it to MaaS360 before the expiration of the current token. Read more here.
- Removing DEP from Devices
a. Removing control from DEP devices is a good practice when Re-assigning users or unenrolling iOS devices. This will not Wipe the device.
b. Wipe command to a DEP-enrolled device will perform a reset to factory settings, eliminating all data from the device.
C. Releasing the device from the organization via ABM will fully release the device of DEP and MDM control.
FAQs:
Q: Is there a way to manually add devices to the Apple Business Manager portal?
A: Currently, Apple has removed the option to manually add devices into ABM via serial number. The devices will need to be added via Apple Configurator (desktop or mobile app).
Q: Can we force location services to be turned on for DEP iOS Devices?
A: No, Due to Apple's privacy regulations, Maas360 do not have the permissions to force location services on iOS devices.
Q: Is there a way to force the installation of updates on iOS devices?
A: If the device is running iOS 17+ and is supervised then you can use the “Enforce OS update” action to force the device to update by a set date and time. Read more here
Q: Is the MDM Certificate the same as the APNS Certificate?
A: Yes, the MDM Certificate is the same as the APNS Certificate
You can expect more Ask Me Anything in the future, with our next one planned for May 21st, 2025. If you have an idea for a topic, comment below or send a suggestion to the IBM MaaS360 Customer Success team at csmaas@us.ibm.com
We appreciate your continued support and look forward to helping you make the most of these new features. Don't forget to check out the recording and documentation for more information!
Best Regards,
IBM MaaS360 Support Team