Apple DEP process

[JustGeorge]

This is a rant:

 

Why does Apple have to make it so difficult to sign up for the device enrollment plan? I bought some IPads for my job and thought it would be easy to signup and manage but that doesn't appear to be the case.

 

Why the heck do I have to buy from an authorized reseller? Why the need for a DUNS number? This process should require nothing more than adding the serial number of the device to the account period. The whole thing just makes me cuss. 

[sc302 Veteran]

When you buy ipads, it has to be from verizon, cdw, shi, etc.  These are authorized resellers.   I don't really fully understand the duns requirement other than to prove that your company is your company and it is for your company vs someone stating it is for google or some other company...duns is somewhat public info though, you can easily get it through an email. 

 

The authorized reseller adds it to your account, you do not...you have no control if it has been or not been added to your account, the authorized reseller does (so you can't add someones personal device to your account).  You also have to get setup with the vendor so that they have your DEP account info.   They can add to your DEP account after you have set it up, but they have to add it.  You then have the ability to move it in and out of any of your MDM solutions that you have registered to your DEP account.  If you do not have an MDM solution, it is pretty useless to have a DEP account.  

 

Then there is the VPP, but also pretty useless without a MDM solution. 

 

 

MDM solutions are that of airwatch and ironport.  Both of these solutions support DEP and VPP.   It took me less than 30 minutes to setup DEP for my company and a few weeks to get my previously purchased ipads and iphones into the DEP.