Mosyle Manager

Mosyle Manager is a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution exclusively for Apple devices. It is a web-based platform that you can use to deploy, manage, and protect all of your devices. We started using Mosyle Manager to manage our school iPads back in 2017. Currently, we are managing over 4000 iOS/iPadOS devices and almost 1000 macOS devices. We have 25 of our schools using Mosyle Manager for their MDM. 

‍

Before you can use Mosyle Manager, you will need to enroll your devices using these options: Automated Device Enrollment using Apple School Manager, Apple Configurator 2 or manually enroll devices with Safari using a URL. 

‍

‍

Apple School Manager is a web-based portal that talks with Mosyle Manager to easily enroll devices using Automated Device Enrollment. This is used when you purchase your devices directly from Apple. You can have devices managed even before they are out of the box.

‍

Apple Configurator 2 is an app that you use to enroll devices that were not purchased directly from Apple but maybe from a local electronics store. Apple Configurator 2 talks with both Apple School Manager and Mosyle Manager to enroll devices. The devices will have to be erased before they can be enrolled.

‍

Manually enroll devices with Safari using a URL is an option you can use when you don’t want to erase the iPad because it’s being used by a student or teacher but you want the benefits of the management system.

‍

Once the device is enrolled, you can assign it as a shared device or assign 1:1 to a user.

‍

Restrictions option - this is a great feature to add to student devices to keep them out of trouble. You can disable the AppleID so they can’t put in their own, you can block them from using social apps like Messages or FaceTime, or not allow sharing of pictures to other devices using AirDrop.

‍

Purchasing Apps - the great thing about using an MDM is that you do not need AppleIDs for your devices. You’re able to purchase and push out apps to devices from one managed account. You purchase apps in Apple School Manager. It then syncs with Mosyle Manager and then you’ll be able to assign those apps to devices. 

‍

One great app to mention is the Apple Classroom app. It is a teaching assistant that allows the teacher to guide students through a lesson, see their progress, and keep them on track. The teacher is able to launch specific apps to the student ipads, lock them in that app and  view what they are doing on the ipad. You can use this app with Apple School Manager, Courses in Mosyle Manager or manually create classes and invite students on the Apple Classroom app directly. 

‍

Mosyle Manager for your devices adds an extra layer of security. You can enable web filtering, so students won’t be able to look up things they shouldn’t be. You can allow apps and only those apps will appear on the iPad. or you can block apps like FaceTime, Messages, YouTube, etc. You can activate lost mode, lock the iPad and erase the iPad if lost or stolen. 

‍

Using Mosyle Manager has saved us time as IT admins. We are able to deploy, assign, push out apps and update iPads without having to touch any devices. It also is a great way to track inventory of your student and teacher devices (iPads and Macs).

‍

‍