The Jamf Nation User Conference is the largest annual gathering of Apple admins in the world, so hell would have to freeze over for us to miss it. Sure enough, the Jigsaw24 team were there for the sixth time last month – and not even temperatures of minus 20 in beautiful Minneapolis could stop us from rounding up the event for you…
Apple first, Apple endorsed
It’s no secret: Jamf create the leading mobile device management (MDM) solutions for Apple devices. They aren’t straying from their dedication to the platform, either, with CEO Dean Hager announcing that they have no plans to diversify. Instead, Jamf will “go deeper” in their drive to continue leading the way in Apple device management.
That may be no great surprise, but what followed next was a bit of a first. Apple Marketing Executive Jeremy Butcher took to the stage and revealed that yes, Apple do indeed use Jamf to manage their own user base.
This had never been confirmed before, and represents a big statement of support from Apple that could give prospective customers the extra confidence they need to start using Jamf. If it’s good enough for Apple themselves, it’s good enough for any business, no matter how big their Apple estate.
Bluechip benefits
IBM’s adoption of Mac has been a consistent success story over the last few years, and IBM CIO Fletcher Previn was on hand to give us the latest update on how their deployment is performing. Beyond just total cost of ownership statistics, he shared some impressive results.
For starters, 22% more macOS users than Windows users have exceeded expectations in their performance reviews at IBM. Mac users are also 17% less likely to leave IBM compared to their Windows counterparts, demonstrating the improved output and longevity on offer in the workplace.
Perhaps most eye-opening, though, was hearing how much IBM have saved on support costs. Previn explained that the company has found it costs 186% more to support Windows than Mac – a staggering difference that highlights the financial benefits of switching to Mac, especially for big businesses.
But it’s not all about pleasing the bosses or satisfying the accounts department. We heard how 98% of IBM’s users claimed it was easier to migrate from Windows to Mac than it was to move from Windows device to Windows device, reflecting the better employee experience on offer from Apple and dispelling the myth that it’s difficult to switch systems.
With 290,000 Apple devices enrolled in its organisation, IBM are a brilliant example of how effective deployment and management strategies can lead to big things for businesses.
Jamf Protect
Arguably the biggest announcement of the week was the release of Jamf’s new endpoint security solution, Jamf Protect. From what we saw at the event, it’s much, much more than merely an antivirus for Mac, giving customers an easy way to gain deep insights into the security of even the largest Apple estates.
We heard that Jamf Protect leverages native Apple security tools like XProtect and the Malware Removal Tool, as well as how it works as a kextless agent and uses minimal resources. Jamf also pledged to deliver zero day support with Apple’s latest operating systems for Protect, in line with their other product paths.
It’s unlikely that Jamf Protect will be available in the UK until 2020 – but we’ll keep you posted!
What are you doing here?
Years ago, the sight of Microsoft at such an Apple-focused event would have seemed a bit surreal. We’re getting more and more used to it though, and they once again had plenty to talk about at this year’s conference.
Unsurprisingly, integration was the key topic – Microsoft announced both further enhancements for Jamf integration with its business analytics service Power BI and more useful data reports, too.
Microsoft is clearly keen to make it easier for admins to report on their Jamf estate, which should be welcome news for those in Windows-first environments.
Time to shine
Leaving the best till last, we had our own slot at the event with a talk from not one but two Jigsaw24 representatives!
Our Professional Services Engineer Mark Lamont and Apple Enterprise Solutions Architect Jack Hollister delivered a presentation about the benefits of providing a consistent user experience with both machines that are Apple Device Enrolment Programme capable and those that are not.
It’s an issue we encounter with customers all the time, so Mark and Jack were able to share real-world tips and best practice examples with some 200 people in attendance.
Their presentation was met with a warm reception, and it was a fitting way to cap our time at the hottest event in town – although that’s more than we can say for the weather outside the venue!
Want to know more about Apple for businesses or discuss Jamf software in detail? Fill in the form or get in touch with the team by calling 03332 409 214 or emailing business@Jigsaw24.com. For the latest news, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
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