Question is do I create an Apple ID for each machine or put them all on the Apple ID that I already have several iPads on. What is the best approach, these machines will be signed out to our personnel on a fairly long term basis.
OK, let me expand this a bit. I used to work on Macs all the time, till we switched to Windows probably 18 years ago now. This was before Apple ID even existed.
Now we are switching back to Apple. We have 5 iMacs, 3 Mac Pro Towers and 12 MacBook Pros on the way. The first of the MacBook Pro machines arrived today, which is what put me on the journey of discovery.
These machines will be used for multimedia content creation, photo & video editing. I have the programs that we will be using to load onto them, Adobe CC & Mac Office, and that is really all our folks need to do their jobs, along with access to the internet.
The iMacs and the Mac Towers will be connected to private network to allow for internet access, connection to a printer and a NAS that is on the network for file storage. The MacBooks will only connect via WiFi for internet access.
What I would like to prevent is anyone being able to get one locked up to where we can't get into it and it becoming a paper weight and also prevent them from downloading a ton of crap (iTunes, Apple TV, etc.) onto the machines.
After a cursory look at the MDM information it seems as if you have to have a server of some sort to facilitate this, which on my simple network I do not have. It is just a cable modem, a router and a couple of switches.
Your thoughts?
Thanks for your input!
Best to use MDM. Each person can then use their own Apple ID, but you can admin (including removing an activation lock, if needed).
True, but better for you IMO. If you let everyone use their own Apple ID without MDM, they can (not saying they would) report the device as stolen when they leave your organization and lock out the Mac – and with the T2 security chip, that makes the Mac a paperweight. If you put them all on the same Apple ID, one person can lock out anyone's (or everyone's) Macs...and iPads (in fact, they could do that to the iPads now, assuming they have the password to log in to that Apple ID).
Thanks, I will look into that, I can see this is going to take some research.
We are purchasing 12 MacBook Pro laptop for our organizations use.
