I use Jamf Pro primarily for managing Apple devices in our organization, focusing on both shared and one-to-one iPads in classrooms. We utilize it to deploy apps and handle updates, although we faced challenges due to the previous technician's Band-Aid approach, resulting in a majority of iPads running outdated iOS versions.
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Enhances our device management capabilities and provides a powerful and user-friendly solution for our organization
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Jamf Pro for me are the device locator, which helps find missing iPads, and the ability to remotely manage and disable devices. This has been crucial when dealing with misplaced iPads or addressing security concerns. Additionally, the app library is a powerful tool, and we are exploring ways to make it more accessible for teachers to select curated apps. The classroom feature stands out, allowing us to push content to iPads and monitor student activities.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement with Jamf Pro, especially regarding updates. After a recent update, all app icons disappeared on iPads, requiring a manual refresh for each device. This affected system apps like Safari and Mail. This isn't the first time such issues occurred and it raised concerns about the update process and communication.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Jamf Pro for almost nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not had any issues with Jamf Pro's stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Jamf Pro is currently managing approximately 1,400 devices for us.
How was the initial setup?
The installation process for iOS updates with Jamf Pro can be challenging. Upgrading from version 12 to 13, 13 to 14, and so on must be done in one go, taking hours and requiring a teacher's oversight to prevent issues. Pushing large updates increases the chance of errors, and iPads need to be at least 50% charged. Breaking updates into smaller chunks would be more practical for our over 800 iPads. Additionally, updating individual devices rather than the whole organization would offer more flexibility.
What other advice do I have?
Jamf's reporting and inventory management features have been crucial in compliance and auditing processes. Particularly, for our school's replacement plan mandated by the law, the ability to easily identify and document every iPad and iPhone in our inventory was crucial. Jamf made the process seamless by allowing us to extract the necessary data, customize it in Excel, and present a comprehensive snapshot for each school.
For new Jamf users, my advice is to prioritize training, breaking it down into manageable chunks to absorb information effectively. Before purchasing, focus on initial installation, app management, and system configurations. Recognize the importance of proactive technicians to ensure a smooth implementation. Be aware that even free apps may require purchasing within Jamf. Understanding options like one-to-one, shared devices, and Jamf Classroom is crucial. Sales pitches are valuable for tech departments, but communication with end-users (teachers and students) is equally important. Overall, I would rate Jamf Pro as a nine out of ten.
JAMF School RULES
What do you like best about the product?
It makes a one person IT department less stressed :)
What do you dislike about the product?
Not much at the moment. I mean Jamf Pro and Jamf school has so much to offer and i am not even close to all of it.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
manageing almost 400 devices. that alone makes me happy.
Customizable with a self-service portal and a good security posture
What is our primary use case?
Jamf Pro enables us to centrally manage nearly 1,000 Macs across multiple offices and US states, from optional installs that end users can implement at their own convenience, to mandatory applications and settings that must be enforced in a highly regulated industry.
Jamf Pro is a critical part of our overall security posture at the OS and application levels, by identifying, remediating, and (when necessary) remotely locking problematic devices.
Jamf Pro assists our support teams with managing major OS upgrades, from testing to production deployment, and restricting a new OS or update until validation and approval.
How has it helped my organization?
Without Jamf Pro, our Mac and executive support teams would have to directly interact with hundreds of devices per day, installing apps and updates or managing settings.
Jamf helps us achieve a standardized environment by keeping devices on current or N-1 releases, and notifying users when they have required actions pending.
Jamf makes deploying customized installations trivial by natively supporting all macOS scripting languages (bash, Python, etc). When other operating systems in my organization need days to repackage something, my team deploys in hours.
What is most valuable?
The self-service portal enables standard users to install and update software, change settings, and open organizational URLs. It does require an 'ah-HAH' moment from the users, to drive the mindset that self-service should always be your first destination when you have an issue or a question, rather than raising a ticket or calling the help desk.
Compared to a traditional group membership structure, Jamf can identify devices based on their own dynamic factors, improving the ability to customize and deliver necessary actions to only the relevant devices.
What needs improvement?
Policies enabled for self-service should have keywords attached, so that multiple search terms can direct to a single preferred result, without having to clutter the description field.
The new remote support tool is still lacking features compared to other industry solutions.
There is no built-in functionality for tracking changes over time for multiple devices.
All patch reporting is only a current snapshot. The password management tools are fairly outdated.
The web console (GUI) is slow with maddening UI/UX inconsistencies.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution since Casper v5, in early 2007.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Jamf Pro does have some tech debt in terms of usability and experience, however, I have never doubted that they deliver a safe, stable, and secure management capability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It scales. Jamf's largest customers have fleets in the tens of thousands of devices.
How are customer service and support?
They have friendly support that has shown remarkable improvement over the past few years.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
My current organization has always used Jamf Pro for macOS device management.
How was the initial setup?
New Jamf deployments will be as simple or complex as the needs of the environment. My preferred way to explain Jamf is "who, what, when" - which users or devices are getting what software or settings, at the user's discretion or the admin's.
What about the implementation team?
What was our ROI?
Macs boot faster, crash less often, last longer, and have fewer security threats than other OSes. Jamf helps us gather, prove, and interpret this data.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Jamf Pro has a reputation as being expensive per device; I think that after a successful implementation, the value becomes readily apparent. When you calculate the differences between on-site technical staff for every N device per site, versus a fleet administrator supporting every device at every site - while letting the software be 'always on' thus minimizing the impact of time zone differences - the cost becomes a non-issue.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
My current organization chose this solution long before I joined them. Over the years, however, I have evaluated or demoed alternatives, including AirWatch, Addigy, Fleetsmith, Kandji, InTune, and Jumpcloud.
What other advice do I have?
There's a reason that Jamf Pro is the gold standard for Mac management.
Satisfied
What do you like best about the product?
Ease of use, ability to prefill information on devices based on sn before they're enrolled
What do you dislike about the product?
Too many unresolved PIs which undermine confidence in the product
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Management and securing of Mac and iPads, flexibility in site admin rights
Great product
What do you like best about the product?
I like the ease of admininistration and excellent support.
What do you dislike about the product?
The Lack of remote admininistration is not good
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Enabling site administrators.
JAMF Makes a Difference
What do you like best about the product?
JAMF helps my team quickly administer my Mac environment all over the world. Before jam we were doing a lot of remote control, and manual set ups. Now everything is automated.
What do you dislike about the product?
I really havent found a downside. Scripting is a challenge for my team and having a tool that generates scripts would be helpful.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Remove management of my Apple environment has always been a challenge. Being able to quickly update large groups of devices and quickly on board is essential.
Making lives of admins easier
What do you like best about the product?
The most comprehensive management solution for Apple products. Really like how device and mobile management is consistent and contains granular control of features and functions.
What do you dislike about the product?
Software update experience can be better. But Jamf Pro 11 looks like it addresses some of these issues
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Granular control and management of Apple devices for our team
Simplifies the complicated
What do you like best about the product?
JAMF Pro makes deployment so simple. And as near zero touch as possible.
What do you dislike about the product?
More advanced management of other platforms would be great.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
DEP Deployment of supervised devices.
Jamf good
What do you like best about the product?
Leading Mac fleet management. Recommended
What do you dislike about the product?
There is a steep learning curve so you really need the training which is expensive.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Keeping software and settings up to date and enforced.
Jamf is best in class!
What do you like best about the product?
The ease of use is second to none. The zero day support is one of their best feature
What do you dislike about the product?
The new support model is not nearly as good as it used to be.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It is handling all of our Mac OS management. We can provide near parity with windows because of Jamf
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