Item: Jamf Pro
Rating: 10
Author: Christopher Sweet

Overall Satisfaction with Jamf Pro

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We utilize Jamf Pro to manage a fleet of 150 Macs and around 100 iPads. We also use it to remotely deploy software and printers. It is essential in standardizing configuration and software across all the computers and devices, with different configurations for staff and students. It's also been important in deploying Jamf Connect to allow JIT account creation without having to bind to Active Directory.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Jamf Pro's Self Service is a great mechanism for making software available to end uses as they need it.
Jamf Pro is also great for creating plans called PreStage Enrollments that allow for computers to skip many of the setup screens, as well as automating account creation.
Jamf Pro in combination with Apple Automated Device Enrollment (formerly DEP) allows for devices to supervised and managed, this combination allows for locking, remote wipe of devices, and finding locations of devices when put into lost mode.

Cons

Jamf Pro has made great strides in patch management, but it's still not as smooth as it could be.
Jamf Pro needs a better mechanism for enforcing computer and device names, as well as setting names when devices are brought in, in an automated manner.
As we wait for Jamf Pro to include the Remote Desktop functionality in the management page for devices, depreciating Jamf Remote and shifting to Team Viewer was not appreciated. It feels like a long wait.

Most Important Features

Remote Management
Automated device enrollment and PreStage Enrollments
Self Service
Remote Software distribution

Return on Investment

Ability to see users on iPads and alert them to when devices are overdue, as well as locking them has been impactful for making sure that devices are available for patrons. This has meant that our supply of iPads fits the needs of students and are available for checkout.
We have used Jamf Pro to lock laptops and iPads to disable use of the computer/device and to force the return of the item, this saving the cost of replacement in many cases.
Staff have not had any complaints about the use of Self Service or the issue of having computers that are remotely managed. Staff are all aware that the computers and iPads are remotely managed, but the management is unobtrusive.
Lastly, the ability to control when end users upgrade the system operating system means the ability to schedule end user downtime, and less lost productivity.

Key Insights

Do you think Jamf Pro delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Jamf Pro's feature set?

Yes

Did Jamf Pro live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Jamf Pro go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Jamf Pro again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Microsoft Intune + SCCM)

Likelihood to Recommend

We run a technology lending program for students. Jamf Pro has been instrumental in allowing student staff to prepare the laptops in a systematic, consistent manner. The same can be said with iPads and deploying apps to the iPads is automated. Also, extra software titles are made available in Self Service (both for laptops and iPads). Additionally, putting policies in Self Service for IT student workers to deploy to sit-down machines to run as needed is quite useful as well. Less appropriate scenarios would be in cases where there are fewer than 10 to 20 machines. Looking at Jamf Now would probably be a better use of resources. Jamf Now is not as robust as Jamf Pro, but for smaller entities it would be a better fit and a better choice financially.

Comments

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Jamf Pro is a reliable and imminently useful MDM