Creating/Managing Apple IDs for a Public Library

Question

Creating/Managing Apple IDs for a Public Library

I am a children's librarian, who works at one branch of a large metropolitan library system. Recently, as part of a grant, we received an "iPad lab" consisting of 10 iPads and an iPad pro. I've got a lot of plans for these, and am delighted to have them, but I have a few questions and I am hoping that someone can give me some advice on how best to proceed.

One of the chief uses for the iPads is going to be with a gaming club that we have for kids on the autism spectrum; to that end I want to have Minecraft Pocket edition (as well as some other games) on each tablet, so that the kids can all play together using LAN play. To that end, I had resigned myself to picking up eleven iTunes gift cards, creating an Apple Store ID for each iPad, and purchasing/installing the desired apps on each once I had secured a source of funds.

Apple support has pointed me towards Family Sharing, though, which is very nearly ideal for my purposes -- one master account, with five family members that I can freely shares apps and such with. But only five, which means that I have to create two separate "families". Not a difficult prospect, but still a little less than ideal, particularly from a paperwork standpoint.

But only now has it occurred to me to wonder: how do schools handle this? Is there another option, one that might be open to educators? What we have is a free and educational program for children very much in need of social interaction, and I'll happily provide any documentation required to that effect, but from what I am seeing the Apple Educators program is only available on a district-wide basis...not for individual schools or library branches.

Is there anything of the sort available? And if so, where should I look and who should I contact? The Family Sharing option will definitely suffice, but I want to explore all of my options.

iPad Air Wi-Fi

Posted on May 30, 2017 1:06 PM

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Answer 1

rccharles

Level 6

13,037 points

Jun 1, 2017 10:26 AM in response to FumoFamilyLibrary

The official way is to get in VPP. You receive discounts.

In order to secure the ipads, you need to enroll in DEP or use Apple Configurator and Apple Profile Manager

Meraki -- A free MDM

"This document offers guidance on some important considerations for getting the most out of your iOS deployment." Covers: Prepare your infrastructure. Set up devices. Configure and manage devices. Deploy apps and content. Plan for support.

https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Enterprise_Deployment_Overview.pdf

Quick overview of zero touch deplayment

http://www.apple.com/education/it/dep/

Consider DEP, Device Enrollment Program. Use VPP, Volume Purchase Program. Select an MDM, Mobile Device Management.

Overview of ipad & iphone deployment.

It's education focused.

http://www.apple.com/education/it/

Writing you own app for your business:

https://developer.apple.com/enterprise/

MDM -- Mobile Device Management

Airwatch, Apple Configurator with Apple Profile Manager, GroundControl, Meraki -- is free, MobileIron, or Zenprise

https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2015-301/

For a comparison see this page:

http://www.enterpriseios.com/wiki/Comparison_MDM_Providers

VPP -- Volume Purchase Program

http://www.apple.com/business/vpp/

http://www.apple.com/education/it/vpp/

no DEP? You must use: Apple Configurator and Apple Profile Manager

Apple Configurator and Apple Profile Manager

"Apple Configurator makes it easy for anyone to mass configure and deploy iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in a school, business, or institution." Limited to Macs. Connects via USB cable.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-configurator/id434433123?mt=12

"Profile Manager lets you configure OS X and iOS devices so they're set up to use your company or school resources and have the settings, apps, and books your organization requires. Profile Manager creates settings and preference bundles for devices and deploys them to devices via the Mobile Device Management (MDM) service." Requires OS X server. Any mac can run the OS X server software for $20.

http://www.apple.com/uk/support/osxserver/profilemanager/

MDM -- Mobile Device Management

MDMs

Airwatch, Apple Configurator and Apple Profile Manager, GroundControl, Meraki, MobileIron, or Zenprise

For a comparison see this page:

http://www.enterpriseios.com/wiki/Comparison_MDM_Providers

Airwatch

http://www.air-watch.com/

Apple Configurator and Apple Profile Manager

"Apple Configurator makes it easy for anyone to mass configure and deploy iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in a school, business, or institution." Limited to Macs. Connects via USB cable.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-configurator/id434433123?mt=12

"Profile Manager lets you configure OS X and iOS devices so they're set up to use your company or school resources and have the settings, apps, and books your organization requires. Profile Manager creates settings and preference bundles for devices and deploys them to devices via the Mobile Device Management (MDM) service." Requires OS X server. Any mac can run the OS X server software for $20.
http://www.apple.com/uk/support/osxserver/profilemanager/

Casper Suite

"Designed to empower users to be self-sufficient, IT has the Apple Mobile Device Management (MDM) tool to maintain command of their Apple fleet while delighting users."

https://www.jamfsoftware.com/products/casper-suite/

GroundControl is an alternative to Apple Configurator. "Enterprise-scale iOS provisioning, update, supervision, intelligent policies...all in the cloud."

https://www.groundctl.com/

Meraki -- A free MDM [ expect lots of email and phone calls about upgrades ]

Read the product overview. Click on "get started now" to sign up.

https://meraki.cisco.com/products/systems-manager/?ref=YZRzCR

Video's on how to setup and use Meraki.

https://meraki.cisco.com/blog/2012/08/how-to-get-the-most-from-meraki-systems-ma nager/

MobileIron

http://www.mobileiron.com/

Zenprise

http://www.zenprise.com/

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