July 2024 – MacAdmins Meeting

11 Jul July 2024 – MacAdmins Meeting

July 17th, 2024 – University of Utah, MacAdmins Meeting

The University of Utah, MacAdmins Meeting is held monthly virtually on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 11 AM Mountain Time. Presentations cover Apple technology and integration in a heterogeneous university enterprise environment. This month’s meeting will be held on Wed, July 17th, 2024 at 11 AM MT and we will provide live broadcasts and archives that will be made available 2-3 days after the meeting.

iPad/iPhone Management & Automation – Ari Leviatan, DigiDNA

How do you repeatedly erase, prepare, and configure a fleet of over 200 iPads, both on-premise and away from IT staff? Simply by plugging them into iMazing Configurator. In this talk, we will explore the Marriott Library’s setup for lending out iPads to students and automatically return them to service in a matter of minutes. We’ll uncover how the library’s MacAdmin team created a workflow where iMazing Configurator integrates Apple Device Enrollment (ADE), Mobile Device Management (MDM), and the Volume Purchase Program (VPP) to achieve this seamless process with just a USB connection.

The presentation on managing and automating iPhones and iPads with iMazing focuses on leveraging its robust tools, particularly iMazing Configurator, designed for IT professionals handling fleets of Apple devices. Applying blueprints works seamlessly on both macOS and Windows, offering advanced functionalities tailored for bulk device management. It enables administrators to create and deploy custom configurations efficiently, manage backups effectively, and facilitate secure data transfers between devices and computers. Moreover, it simplifies the installation and management of profiles across multiple devices, supporting streamlined Mobile Device Management (MDM) enrollment processes for enhanced administrative control.

Beyond iMazing Configurator, iMazing itself serves as a comprehensive device manager for iOS and iPadOS platforms. It has been a trusted solution since 2008, providing extensive capabilities such as fast file transfers, robust backup management over Wi-Fi or USB, and comprehensive media handling for music and photos. The software excels in message archiving, supporting iMessage, SMS, and WhatsApp, and facilitates app management, backup extraction, and exporting all device data in various readable formats. iMazing is also equipped with specialized tools like Phone Evidence for legal purposes and Supervision for advanced device management needs, ensuring high-security standards and encrypted backups for sensitive data.

About Ari Leviatan

Ari Leviatan is a Director, B2B Engineering with DigiDNA, makers of the popular iOS device management app iMazing. He oversees all device configuration initiatives including the development of iMazing Profile Editor and the collaboration on the ProfileManifests project which powers it. From time to time you’ll also find him actively engaging with users of the company on the Mac Admins Slack community.

• Video – To view the archived presentation video, click here.
• Slides – To view the archived presentation slides, click here.

macOS 15 – What you need to know – Robert Hammen, Reusable Rocket & Spacecraft Company

Need the lowdown on what’s up with the latest version of macOS? This session will be your guide to the new features and changes coming in macOS 15, how they’ll affect you and your users, and what you can do to prepare!

macOS 15, known as macOS Sequoia, introduces significant updates aimed at enhancing device management for Mac computers. Key features include enhanced security measures such as support for passkeys and hardware security keys during the enrollment process through Setup Assistant’s ASWebAuthenticationSession support. The Extensible Single Sign-on Kerberos payload now includes new keys for managing authentication modes, allowing administrators to configure password and SmartCard options more effectively.

Moreover, Platform Single Sign-on (Platform SSO) has been extended to require IdP authentication across FileVault, the Lock Screen, and the login window, bolstering security in sensitive environments. Administrators can also optionally enable Touch ID or Apple Watch for screen unlocking under specific conditions, enhancing usability without compromising security protocols. Additionally, macOS 15 introduces advanced management capabilities for external and network storage. Organizations can now use new disk management configurations to control access to external and network storage, including the ability to restrict mounting to read-only volumes, thereby enhancing data security and compliance.



AppleSeed for IT offers Mac Admins early access to upcoming macOS updates and features, enabling them to prepare for integration into their organization’s systems and workflows. Admins can influence product development by providing valuable feedback to Apple, ensuring that new features meet enterprise needs effectively. This early access also enhances deployment readiness, allowing admins to identify and address compatibility issues early on, thereby ensuring a smooth transition for their organization. Additionally, participating in AppleSeed for IT provides access to Apple’s support and resources, fostering a collaborative environment where admins can optimize their macOS deployment strategies.

About Robert Hammen

As a former IT manager, consultant, Apple Certified System Administrator, and Apple Certified Trainer, Robert has been managing Macs since before the days of OS X. For the last 4+ years he’s been responsible for managing all of the Apple devices both on earth and in space, at a reusable rocket and spacecraft company.

• Video – To view the archived presentation video, click here.
• Slides – To view the archived presentation slides, click here.

IT Documentation – James Reynolds, University of Utah

IT documentation has got to be the boringest presentation ever. Except James figured out how to relate IT documentation to some of our biggest problems on campus: turnover and silos. He will talk about these two problems and why you should care about fixing them. He’ll also discuss strategies for actually documenting including tools and how to get yourself to document.

IT documentation is essential for maintaining organizational knowledge and ensuring smooth operations. It involves creating detailed guides on executing processes, tasks, or programs, serving as a reference for both internal and external stakeholders. Effective documentation preserves the expertise of employees, reducing the impact of turnover and simplifying training for new hires. It ensures consistency in task execution, minimizes errors, and increases efficiency by providing quick access to information.  The presentation will cover various types of IT documentation, including system documentation that encompasses network configurations, hardware details, and software inventory, as well as process documentation that includes standard operating procedures (SOPs), workflow diagrams, and troubleshooting guides. 

About James Reynolds

James received a BMus degree from the U in 1999. He immediately went into IT by managing Mac OS 9 and servers, first at the College of Fine Arts, then the Marriott Library, and now he is at the School of Biological Sciences doing macOS, Linux, and general IT.

• Video – To view the archived presentation video, click here.
• Slides – To view the archived presentation slides, click here.

Open Discussion

Questions, comments, problems, and fixes.

Directions

This meeting will not be held in person but will be done virtually using Zoom video communications architecture.