Why Macs need managing too
Macs have a reputation for looking after themselves, and macOS has strong security built in. But built-in features only protect you if they are switched on, kept updated and applied to every machine. In many offices, Macs were bought one at a time, set up with personal Apple IDs and never brought under any central control.
That makes it hard to answer basic questions: are all our Macs encrypted, are they up to date, and what happens to company data when someone leaves?
Apple Business Manager and zero-touch deployment
Apple Business Manager is Apple’s free portal for organizations. Macs, iPhones and iPads bought through Apple or an authorized reseller are registered to your company and assigned to your MDM. When an employee turns on a new Mac and connects to Wi-Fi, it enrolls automatically and pulls down its configuration, without anyone from IT touching it.
Because the device belongs to the organization in Apple’s records, management can’t simply be removed by the user, and the Mac can be reassigned cleanly when someone leaves.
What MDM manages day to day
Once Macs are enrolled, an MDM like Jamf handles:
- FileVault disk encryption, with recovery keys escrowed so IT can unlock a Mac if needed.
- macOS and app updates on a schedule, instead of whenever users get around to it.
- Wi-Fi, VPN and email settings pushed automatically.
- A self-service catalog where staff install approved apps without admin rights.
- Remote lock and wipe for lost, stolen or returned devices.
- Inventory and reporting for audits and cyber-insurance questionnaires.
Why we use Jamf
Khan Design is a Jamf partner. Jamf is built specifically for Apple, so it typically supports new macOS and iOS releases as soon as Apple ships them, and it covers Mac-specific management in more depth than general-purpose tools. We set up Apple Business Manager, connect it to Jamf, build your policies and app catalog, and enroll existing Macs alongside new ones.