Apple Deployment Programs II: Configure Deployment Programs

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Table of Contents

Configure Apple Deployment Services Add New Users and Assign Administrator Roles Apple Business Apple School Manager Add Reseller Numbers (optional) Apple Business Apple School Manager Add Device Management Service & Apps and Books Automated Device Enrollment Create your Public Key Create Device Management Service Apple Business Apple School Manager Import Token Review Logs Next Steps Apps and Books (Volume Purchase Program) Before you start Download Content Token Apple Business Apple School Manager Import Content Token Configure App Assignment Mode Enable and Review Logs Next Steps

Configure Apple Deployment Services

This guide walks you through the configuration of Apple's deployment services and their integration with Silverback. In addition to setting up Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) and Apps and Books, you will learn how to assign administrative roles, configure Device Management Services, and optionally add Apple Customer Numbers or Reseller Numbers for automated device assignment. Before proceeding, ensure that the steps described in Apple Deployment Programs I: Sign up have been completed successfully. Depending on your deployment scenario, you may configure only Automated Device Enrollment (ADE), only Apps and Books, or both services together.

Add New Users and Assign Administrator Roles

Apple Business

  • Login to Apple Business
  • Select People
  • Press Get Started
  • Click + 
  • Enter the following information
    • First Name 
    • Last Name
    • Managed Apple Account
    • Contact Email
    • Role
    • Email address
  • Add additional information (optional)
  • Click Save
  • Select how to send the sign-in information to your new user
  • Press Continue
  • Review the result screen, capture the information, and press done.

Apple School Manager

  • Login to Apple School Manager
  • Navigate to Users
  • Click +Add
  • Add the following information
    • First Name
    • Middle Name (optional)
    • Last Name
    • Username for Managed Apple ID
    • Email Address 
  • Choose a Role (The Organization will be filled automatically with your Master Location)
  • Add additional information (optional)
  • Click Save
  • Select how to send the sign-in information to your new user
  • Press Continue
  • Review the result screen, capture the information, and press done.

Add Reseller Numbers (optional)

If you purchase Apple devices through an Apple Authorized Reseller or other participating hardware supplier, you can add your Apple Customer Number or Reseller Number to Apple Business or Apple School Manager. This allows the reseller to automatically assign newly purchased devices to your organization for Automated Device Enrollment (ADE). If you do not use this service, devices can still be added to Apple Business or Apple School Manager later using Apple Configurator. For more information, see Apple Deployment Programs IV: Manually add devices to DEP.

Apple Business

  • Login to Apple Business
  • Select Devices
  • Select Customer Numbers
  • Press Add
  • Select your Customer Number Type
  • Enter your Apple Customer Number or Reseller Number
  • Press Add

Apple School Manager

  • Login to Apple School Manager
  • Click on the bottom left on your account
  • Select Preferences
  • Select Management Assignment
  • Next to Customer Numbers press Edit
  • Enter your Apple Customer Number or Reseller Number
  • Press Add

After adding your Apple Customer Number or Reseller Number, you can configure Default Assignment to automatically assign newly purchased devices to a Device Management Service. As a Device Management Service must be created first, this configuration is described in the next section.

 

Add Device Management Service & Apps and Books

Apple Business and Apple School Manager provide a single administration portal for both Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) and Apps and Books. Depending on your requirements, you can configure either service individually or both together. Each integration requires configuration steps in Apple Business or Apple School Manager as well as in Silverback.

Automated Device Enrollment

Apple's Automated Device Enrollment (ADE), formerly known as the Device Enrollment Program (DEP), enables the automated enrollment of corporate-owned devices into Mobile Device Management (MDM). Throughout the Silverback Management Console, this functionality is currently referred to as Device Enrollment Program (DEP). To set up ADE, create a public key, add your Silverback server in Apple Business or Apple School Manager, and import the trusted server token into Silverback. An active Apple Push Notification Certificate is required for establishing the connection and using Automated Device Enrollment.

Create your Public Key

  • Open your Silverback Management Console
  • Login as Administrator
  • Navigate to Admin
  • Navigate to Device Enrollment Program
  • Click Enabled
  • Click Download Public Key
  • A download of the Public Key File will start: SB_MDM_Public_Key.pem

Create Device Management Service

Apple Business

  • Login to Apple Business
  • Select Devices
  • Select Management Services
  • Press Add
  • Select Connect external device management
  • Press Continue
  • Enter as Service name e.g. Silverback
  • Enable Allow this service to release devices (optional)
  • Select Upload Certificate
  • Select the your previously downloaded Public Key: SB_MDM_Public_Key.pem
  • Press Next
  • Press Download Service Token
  • You downloaded now a file named like Silverback_Token_2020-01-14T17-08-52Z_smime.p7m
  • Press Done (2x)

Apple School Manager

  • Login to Apple School Manager
  • Click on the bottom left on your account
  • Select Preferences
  • Press Add next to Device Management Services
  • Enter as Service name e.g. Silverback
  • Enable Allow this service to release devices (optional)
  • Select Upload Certificate
  • Select the your previously downloaded Public Key: SB_MDM_Public_Key.pem
  • Press Save
  • Press Download Token
  • Confirm the Download by pressing Download Token
  • Select a download location to download a file named like Silverback_Token_2020-01-14T17-08-52Z_smime.p7m

Import Token

  • Navigate back to your Silverback Management Console
  • Click Choose File 
  • Upload now the previously downloaded Token from Apple file: Silverback_Token_2020-01-14T17-08-52Z_smime.p7m
  • Click Save
  • Click Ok
  • Wait a few moment for the system to connect and update with Apple
  • Refresh the Browser Page or navigate to another section and switch back to Device Enrollment Program
  • The Device Management Service has been successfully connected to Silverback. You can now assign devices and configure Automated Device Enrollment.

Review Logs

Next Steps

Apps and Books (Volume Purchase Program)

Apple Apps and Books, formerly known as the Volume Purchase Program (VPP), enables organizations to purchase and distribute App Store applications and books through Apple Business or Apple School Manager.

Before you start

Please note the following prerequisites and recommendations:

  • If you previously used a Content token with a different product, you must generate a new one 
  • A Content token is only supported for use in one MDM System at time. Do not reuse the same Content token for multiple MDM Systems
  • Content Tokens are valid for one year
  • Before you start to use Apple VPP with Silverback, remove any existing VPP user accounts created with other mobile device management (MDM) vendors. 
  • We recommend to use the Device only as VPP Operation mode. When you assign VPP apps using the user licensing model to users or devices (with user affinity), each user needs to be associated with a unique Apple ID or an email address when they accept the Apple terms and conditions on their device. Ensure that when you set up a device for a new Silverback user, you configure it with that user's unique Apple ID or email address. The Apple ID or email address and Silverback user form a unique pair and can be used on up to five devices.
  • By default, Silverback synchronizes with the Apple VPP service in a given period to refresh. A manual sync is possible at any time.
  • Silverback integrates with Apple's Apps and Books service for application license management and distribution. Support for book licenses is currently not available.

Download Content Token

Depending on your current Apple Business or Apple School Manager configuration, additional onboarding steps may be required before a Content Token can be downloaded, such as selecting a tax status, accepting Apple's terms and conditions, or configuring Payments and Billing.

Apple Business

  • Open Apple Business
  • Sign in with your administrative credentials
  • In the top-right corner, click on your organization name and select Settings
  • Navigate to Organizational Units
  • Select your Organization Unit
  • Under Content Tokens, press Download
  • A new file will be downloaded: sToken_for_Silverback.vpptoken
  • Proceed with Import Token

If no suitable Organizational Unit exists yet, create one first before downloading the Content Token.

 

Apple School Manager

  • Open Apple School Manager
  • Sign in with your administrative credentials
  • Navigate to Locations
  • Select your Location
  • Under Content Tokens, press Download
  • A new file will be downloaded: sToken_for_Silverback.vpptoken
  • Proceed with Upload new Token

If no suitable Location exists yet, create one first before downloading the Content Token.

 

Import Content Token

  • Navigate to Silverback
  • Login as Administrator
  • Navigate to Admin
  • Navigate to Volume Purchase Program
  • Enable the Volume Purchase Program checkbox
  • Click Choose File
  • Select your previously downloaded Token: sToken_for_Silverback.vpptoken
  • Press Save token
  • Wait a couple of seconds
  • Click Refresh

Configure App Assignment Mode

Enable and Review Logs

It may take a while until Volume Purchase Program Logs are visible. After the Volume Purchase Program process is established and working, you might consider to disable the detailed logging again and only enable it in case of synchronization issues. 

 

Next Steps

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