Using Apple Configurator to register an Apple device with Core

NOTE:

This procedure is incompatible with Apple School Manager iOS devices, and can only be done with on-premise installations of Core.

Apple Configurator allows you to provision devices using mobile device management (MDM) without having to download and manage configuration profiles. This is supported in Core 9.1 through the latest release.

Provisioning one or more devices involves the following main steps:

Deleting all content and settings from an iOS device

You may wish to delete all content from the device before you begin. Otherwise, the device will download a new version of iOS from Apple servers, a process that may be very time consuming.

Procedure 

To remove all content from the device, select Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings on the iOS device.

Creating a Wi-Fi profile

MobileIron recommends creating a Wi-Fi profile so as to configure Wi-Fi for the device immediately. This allows the device to more quickly access MobileIron Core and receive the configurations for device enrollment.

Before you begin 

Before creating a Wi-Fi profile, you must have completed Deleting all content and settings from an iOS device.

Procedure 

1. Create a WiFi profile, as described in the following link:

   https://help.apple.com/configurator/mac/2.3/#/cad51314d0e

2. Use the following link to define Wi-Fi settings:

   https://help.apple.com/configurator/mac/2.3/#/cadbf9e6ff

Preparing devices

Preparing devices is the first step in any iOS device deployment for Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager. You need to prepare devices before you distribute them to users. To accomplish this task, you use the Prepare Assistant in Apple Configurator.

Procedure 

• Prepare your devices for manual enrollment.
  • To prepare your devices for manual enrollment, follow the procedure described in the following link:
  • https://help.apple.com/configurator/mac/2.3/#/cad99bc2a859

• For the host name or URL of the MDM server, either accept the default path populated by Apple Configurator:

  https://www.example.com/devicemanagement/mdm/dep_mdm_enroll

  Or enter the full path with the following syntax:

  https://www.example.com/mifs/c/i/reg/depenroll.mobileconfig

NOTE:

Apple Configurator may show a message such as the following: “Unable to verify the server’s enrollment URL.” If so, disregard this message.

Creating and applying a blueprint

The blueprint is an Apple Configurator feature that allows you to create a sort of template for the device, including the URL of the MDM server (MobileIron Core) and the Wi-Fi profile you created in Creating a Wi-Fi profile. The blueprint allows you to point to a set of configurations during setup, rather than having to specify each configuration repeatedly.

Before you begin 

Before creating a blueprint, you must have completed Creating a Wi-Fi profile.

Procedure 

1. Create a blueprint, as described in the following link:

   https://help.apple.com/configurator/mac/2.3/#/cad5b401e306

2. In the blueprint, specify whether you want to include an MDM profile you exported from Core, as described in Exporting an MDM profile from MobileIron Core 7.0-9.0. This step is only necessary when using versions of Core earlier than 9.1.
3. Select the Wi-Fi profile you created in Creating a Wi-Fi profile.
4. Tether the device to the computer:
   1. Use a USB cable to connect the iOS device to the computer you are using to create the blueprint in Apple Configurator 2.
   2. Select the tethered device.
   3. Select

      Actions > Apply >

      Name of your MDM Server

      .

   4. Repeat with any additional devices.
5. Apply the blueprint, as described in the link in step 1.