Summer To-Do: Enroll Mac in New Management System

Did you know nearly 20,000 macOS devices are already protected by Jamf, Stanford’s new Apple management system?

This fall, Jamf will become a compliance requirement for Stanford Macs. If your device is not yet enrolled, look for an email to arrive over the next few months.

Modern software tools such as Jamf provide a cleaner way for us to set up and manage Apple devices. Jamf also offers painless remediations to common and critical issues, enabling IT support teams to remotely service any issue you may be experiencing.

Are you already enrolled?

You may have heard about Jamf for macOS last summer when we rolled out a soft launch. If you’re unsure if your device is enrolled, browse through the Applications folder. If you cannot find an app named “Self-Service,” your device is not yet enrolled in Jamf.

macOS enrollment is easy

If you recently transitioned an iOS device to Jamf, we have great news. Compared to the iOS migrations, the macOS workflow requires fewer steps on the part of the person enrolling the device. The easy-to-use Jamf Enrollment application — which will be pushed to unenrolled devices later — automates and simplifies the process.

Alternatives to Jamf

If you do not handle High Risk Data, you can still use VLRE as an alternative to Jamf. VLRE is a lightweight tool that monitors your laptop’s or desktop’s security configuration. However, if you use VLRE, the responsibility for configuration changes and software patching is entirely yours.

A note about BigFix

You may be familiar with BigFix, a software tool Stanford has used for more than a decade to configure and patch computers. Due to Apple's recent security enhancements to macOS, BigFix can no longer perform all the tasks necessary to properly manage Macs. Jamf provides the additional features we need and will be administered by the same University IT teams that administer BigFix. For now, BigFix will remain on your device — even after it’s enrolled in Jamf.

Jamf is for iOS, too

Stanford has nearly 20,000 iPhones and iPads enrolled in Jamf for iOS. Devices enrolled in mobile device management (MDM) are more secure and can access Stanford networks and email, calendar, and contacts. Because they are compliant with Stanford’s security standards, they can be used to access services that require Cardinal Key. If you have an unmanaged iOS or iPadOS device, consider enrolling it in Jamf.

Questions?

• Visit the Jamf @ Stanford FAQs
• To get in touch, submit a Help request
• Read about the complementary efforts in progress to modernize devices used for Stanford work
• Check out the Devices @ Stanford webpage