De kracht van IT in de zorg: laat je inspireren

Apple at Work

We started the afternoon with an introduction to Apple at Work. When the first iPhone was released, Apple was focused on the consumer market, but then a growing number of people started to take their Apple device to work and found they could use them for a wide-range of business applications. These days, even planes can’t take off without an iPad. The session also covered how Apple supports users, the business and IT departments. But what about Apple and AI? Apple has been equipping all iPhone models with a neural processor (AI chip) since 2017 and has also been adding them to the Mac family since 2020, so you can find AI in all Apple iPhone, iPad, MacBook and Watch devices.

Deployment – Best practices

For this session, an Apple systems engineer took to the stage to tell us more about Apple deployment. There are multiple ways to roll out Apple devices within your organisation, each with their pros and cons, and each deployment is unique. We discovered more about some of the best practices including first making sure your organisation is ready for deployment through a Readiness Review. Then making sure the infrastructure is up to scratch, and identifying which apps you, users and management will use and work with. We also covered the topic of Mobile Device Management. While Apple doesn’t have a preferred MDM solution, it does have some tips for its devices, for example, look for zero-day availability, feature completeness and declarative device management capabilities.

Mobile Device Management for Apple devices

The ARP/Bechtle Apple technical expert kicked off this session with a survey of which MDM solutions are used. The participants used some five different solutions, but most people said they were using Microsoft Intune. Luc discussed Jamf Pro and Microsoft Intune and the pros and cons of both such as how Intune allows you to manage Windows, Android and Apple devices in a single platform, but offers more limited capabilities, training offerings and self-service compared to Jamf. Jamf, however, requires you to purchase a licence that is often already included with Microsoft Intune and it only allows you to manage Apple products. So how do you choose the best solution?  Identify what features you need and which devices you want to manage now and in the future, and then get advice and leverage Bechtle’s Readiness Review.

Apple IDs 

What is the difference between personal and Managed Apple IDs and when should you choose which? That was the topic of the next session. Users often falsely assume that if an Apple ID is a “@company name”, it is a business Managed Apple ID. This is something to watch out for because a personal Apple ID, for example, cannot be claimed by an organisation the moment their employee leaves. It is not a Managed Apple ID unless it is created by the organisation itself. The one you choose depends on the functionalities you want to apply. It is also possible to use a personal and shared Apple ID on one device. You can log in with a primary and a secondary ID with different services available on both deployment models. The conclusion? There is no “one size fits all” solution, but rather a “one size fits most”. With a Managed Apple ID, you can turn certain components on and off for specific users.

Apple deployment in practice

The Safety and Health Department for the Gelderland-Central region integrated Apple products into its organisation a while ago and was interviewed during the event, something which the participants found extremely valuable. The department had iPads in use in their firefighting vehicles which needed to be replaced, and so they placed an order with our subsidiary, ARP. They needed to get them up and running as quickly as possible as every second counts in this sector. Even though the iPads had been equipped with zero-touch deployment, there were still some issues to contend with including that some apps couldn’t be updated. In fire engines, it is crucial that the iPad is always ready to use and up to date. ARP, in collaboration with Apple, looked at how we could get deliver the devices as quickly as possible to meet the customer’s requirements.

Apple has a select partner network that includes ARP and has high demands on the members of it. Thankfully, ARP was able to quickly connect with Apple and come up with a solution, serving as a link between the customer and Apple, meaning they could be assisted quickly. The Safety and Health Department for the Gelderland-Central region recommends thinking carefully about your problem before trying to look for the solution that fits. And, of course, to leverage ARP’s experience as they look at what obstacles you might encounter and what the process as a whole will look like. A Readiness Review is also always a good idea so you have a solid foundation to build on.