Volume Purchasing Program -- how to use in practice?
I have been pointed in the direction of the Volume Purchasing Program for Business described at http://www.apple.com/business/vpp/ . I'm kind of trying to wrap my brain around this -- so far my "solution" to dealing with the AppStore is to find some work-around to the AppStore when there is software or a software update that an employee needs for his/her work computer. (The most common work around being convincing the colleague that they can live without the software!)
On the VPP webpage it refers to this document (http://images.apple.com/business/docs/VPP_Business_Guide_US_6_4_2012.pdf), which purports to show Apple's "solution" to businesses buying software for business use. If I understand the concept correctly, we will have one email address, with one account, for all of the computers in the business. So I set up an email account, example purchasing@mydomain.com, attach it to the VPP as the AppleID, and all the bills go to there. Suppose I need to buy seven copies of Keynote for my seven Sales Department laptops. I go and make the purchase, which generates a single charge of $139.93 ($19.99 times seven) for all of the purchases. And I get a code which can be used seven times to install the software on the seven computers. Ok, so far so good.
Then it gets a little vague. The documentation describes four ways to install the software. First way:
Email the redemption URL directly to users. Users simply click the URL, either from their mobile device or from a Mac or PC. iTunes opens the app page in the App Store. The redemption code is automatically entered, enabling users to immediately download the app after authenticating with their Apple ID.
Now we come to a full stop with cartoon special effects. WHOSE Apple ID?!?!? These are company-owned computers running company-owned software for business purposes. Employees come and go. Employees change jobs. Jobs functions get reorganized. Hardware and software get re-deployed to follow along with operational necessities. Suppose the seven sales reps get new computers, and four of their old laptops go to delivery drivers and the other three get put on a shelf to canibalize for parts -- the seven copies of Keynote have to end up on the new computers, and need to be OFF of the old computers. Suppose Larry, Curley and Moe are in a department that gets reorganized. Larry leaves, and Curley takes over Larry's spreadsheets while Moe takes over Larry's presentations. So Curley needs Larry's copy of Numbers moved to his computer while Moe needs Larry's Keynote. How does that work? Does Curley's machine end up with needing Larry's Apple ID to update Numbers and Curley's Apple ID to update Pages, with Moe's machine needing Larry's Apple ID to update Keynote and Moe's Apple ID to update Pages?
There are 3 other methods to distribute software listed in the doc. #2:
Post the redemption codes and URLs to an internal website, such as a company intranet page. Your business can also create websites to manage the distribution of redemption codes and URLs. Notify your users that the app is available, then direct them to an internal website hosted on your company intranet to initiate the download. You can also build an internal app catalog that provides a web-based portal for employees to install apps directly from their device.
This one doesn't mention Apple IDs for installation, but I'm suspicious that it will want an individual Apple ID per device, too, just like the email distribution. The wording "their device" is a little ominous...
Next method:
Use a third-party Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution to centrally manage codes. Many third-party MDM solutions provide tools for IT administrators to upload the spreadsheets into a management console. These solutions help distribute codes to authorized users and keep track of how many devices have redeemed the codes provided. Check with your preferred MDM partner to see if these features are supported. To learn more about Mobile Device Management solutions for iOS visit www.apple.com/iphone/business/integration/mdm.
Anybody know of a third-party solution that manages business software on business devices?
Last Method:
Use Apple Configurator to install apps on new or supervised devices. Apple Configurator on a Mac makes it easy to mass configure and deploy devices that are centrally controlled. Redemption code spreadsheets acquired through the Volume Purchase Program can be imported by Apple Configurator, tracking the number of apps installed on each device. To update deployed apps using Apple Configurator, you must reconnect to the same Mac from which the apps were installed. Learn more at itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-configurator.
Looking at the documentation (and the two scathing reviews!) this doesn't really work very well, AND it can only push software to iOS devices, where I need to mostly install on my 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8 machines. And it specifically mentions that each piece of software creates a one-to-one relationship between the managing computer and the managed device. Suppose my boss installs Keynote on machines 1 & 2, and I install it on 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7. Then he install Pages on machine 1, 4, 6, & 7 and I install Pages on 2, 3, & 5. The seven machines have 4 different permutations of who installed what. That's with only seven machines, two admins, and two pieces of software -- imagine 70 machines and 20 pieces of software!!!
Does anybody know how to make App Store software purchases work in a business that has business operational, security, and licensing issues?
