Jamf Pro Reviews

We use the solution to manage all of our Apple devices. We are a K12 School in New Zealand that have over 3000+ students and 400+ staff that all use and learn from Apple devices.

Being a K-12 School we have over 50+ packages in our Jamf instance that get deployed and managed. It's also important for us, as, being a school, we needed to protect both teachers and students. Jamf offers many security features - one being SSO with Microsoft Azure - which helps students and staff log into all their resources with ease while protecting our staff and students' privacy.

As our number of students grew and grew, staffing also grew, which means more and more devices. Apple has been the vast majority of devices in the school, including BYOD devices. We had to move to a more modern management system that would be easy and gave us future features and protection. Jamf was the solution! We migrated and moved all our packages, software, and scripts from Munki (an open-source local solution) to Jamf and got to work on improving and using the more modern features that both Apple and Jamf offered.

The Automated Device Enrolment is great! It is, by far, the very best feature! After a year of testing and perfecting the Jamf we got it to a point where each device is now zero-touch deployment. It's been saving the IT department so much more time and effort. Our Helpdesk tickets dropped about 40% - making it easier for us to focus on more important tasks.

Another great feature is just being readily available in the cloud. Moving from on-prem to cloud made deployment so much easier. We no longer needed the staff to come into the school just to install Microsoft Office or any updates that piled up.

One feature or improvement that would be awesome is some sort of mobile app from Jamf that can be used to alert admins of custom alerts or even an option when creating or editing a Smart Computer Group or Smart Mobile Group, to select App Notification as well as email notification when the group has changed. For example, over the weekend I'm not checking work emails. However, if a device over the weekend is out of date or needs attention, then the app could notify me and I could action it.              

We've used the solution for six years - since 2016.

We've never had any issues, server loss or down time. Jamf always organized server upgrades after work hours or in the weekends so it didn't affect any devices.

Jamf has come a very long way since I first started using it in 2016 and Apple has a lot to do with that. The Jamf community and Apple community have grown in the past 3 years and there's a reason for that - a lot more businesses are implementing Apple devices. 

Over the past 6 years, I've only had to contact customer support twice and each time I got a resolution! Jamf customer service always keeps me updated and never left me in the dark.

Positive

We used an open-source tool called Munki and we made the switch due to the fact that it started to become unreliable. You couldn't update it off-site and it lacked security (especially unsigned packages).

The initial setup was straightforward as we had everything already prepared. However, it was also complex as there were a few differences between what I was used to and what Jamf is.

We handled the implementation in-house.

I understand Jamf isn't the cheapest solution out there, however, it is by far the best bang for your buck! You get what you pay for, basically. Jamf is always ready whenever Apple makes changes, and, for 6 years straight, there has never been any downtime or server failures.

We did evaluate other options, however, I knew plenty of people in the Mac Admin communities that spoke highly of Jamf Pro.

We are a medium-sized company, and our fleet is 95% Macs.

Jamf helps us to manage Macs remotely via an intuitive dashboard.

Managing macOS can get difficult sometimes without the help of an MDM. With Jamf, I have control of the fleet with a few clicks.

Being able to update third-party applications without the need for other external tools is another plus. 

With minor modifications, we were able to have an almost zero-touch deployment. This way, we know that all Macs will always have the same configurations.

We are also working on the self-service app, which has a lot of potential. 

With Jamf, we can create almost a zero-touch deployment which saves a lot of time with flashing the OS, manually installing the apps, and configuring some settings.

This has enabled us to save time for each onboarding/offboarding/laptop change.

I worked in an environment where we had only 10 Macbooks and no MDM, and without Jamf, it was super hard to manage the Macbooks. With self-service, the sky is the limit. You can do whatever you want with it.

There are some out-of-the-box integrations that can help you achieve some results.

Smart Groups with alerts is useful. This will let me have visibility of the environment without having to constantly see what is happening. 

After some tweaks, zero-touch deployment is another valuable thing. We are able to configure the laptop with the security requirements needed, default applications, and so on without touching it. This feels great, especially when you send a brand new sealed Macbook to some user.

Another awesome feature is Patch Management. Until this day, many people don't know that this exists. However, it helps a lot with patching third-party applications.

The solution needs cheaper training. Some companies don't have that much budget to invest in training. 

They need integrations with known/other services out of the box.

Reports for execs could be more colorful/attractive.

The documentation for the API is still confusing.

Until this day, I still don't know what's the best way to securely run your API in an end-user endpoint.

Some documentation could also be updated or created in cases where a large population uses the same environment (like Jamf + Google + Okta) or something like that. 

I've used the solution for two years.

I used Kandji and ManageEngine in previous jobs.

Jamf was already in my current environment, and it just works, so there is nothing to say here.

For what I remember, 30%

We are a small yet busy design studio. We don't have an internal IT department, so I needed a solution to standardize our Mac fleet. Jamf helped me manage our Macs, so I didn't have to install or update all the software manually. 

When the COVID lockdown came, I managed all the Macs from the Jamf dashboard. 

Everyone lives far apart, so being able to deploy updates was important. If someone needed a new computer, I could talk them through the process instead of doing it myself.  

Before Jamf, I manually installed all the applications, updated the operating system, and ran diagnostics. I would go from station to station, which took a long time. I also coordinated with each user to find time for their updates or maintenance. 

Now, with Jamf, almost all of it is managed remotely. I generally don't need to schedule time with the user. I program updates or new installations after hours, which works better for everyone. Now that we are working remotely, those tasks would be challenging. 

Smart computer groups are one of my favorite features. You can create a group based on specific features. If I need to deploy an app to all the laptops, I can use the smart group I created for them instead of choosing each device one at a time. This also removes the possibility of forgetting to include one or more devices. Another feature I like to the ability to create and save a specific search that I need frequently. The customizable inventory page is also helpful, so you can see your inventory at a glance and sort it by a specific column.

Tool tip-type information would be helpful. Sometimes, when creating a configuration profile or policy, I'm unsure about a specific choice. It would be great to have a pop-up with links for more information on a feature. 

It would be great for Jamf to provide templates for commonly used tasks like updating an operating system, packaging commonly used apps like Office 365, or enabling FileVault. 

I envision a standard setup template where you could make simple choices. Since all the hardware is Apple, I don't see why that can't be provided. 

I've used the solution for five years.

The customer service could be improved. That said, the support has always been very helpful and responsive. 

I did not previously use a different service; I did everything by myself.

The initial setup was quite complex. Once the initial setup was completed, I found it difficult to remember the steps. 

We did the implementation in-house with a Jamf engineer. 

If you are new to Jamf, take a course, or hire an expert to teach you how to set everything up. The initial jump start they suggest isn't enough. 

I did not previously evaluate other options. However, we are looking at some now. 

Once you get it going, it's great. Their support is also very good. 

We use the solution to be able to manage devices remotely, especially now since our environment is 1:1. 

Each student has their own iPad or MacBook if they are in 8th grade or above.  Each teacher also has their own MacBook Pro and iPad. 

Jamf Pro helps us easily configure devices and deploy them without having to do so much manual setup. We also use Jamf to push out apps that teachers or students need, as well as send software updates to those devices.  

Jamf Connect also works with Jamf Pro to bridge the gap of syncing your local Mac password with your IDP password, so we use Jamf to do this rather than binding our machines to Microsoft AD.

Jamf Pro improved our organization by becoming our go-to management system and also inventory system. We can put certain devices into smart groups based off of device name, department, etc.  

Once they are in their smart group, they can easily get the proper apps and configurations to customize those apps. It has also improved our organization since we can see when devices have last communicated with Jamf including what its last (public and local) IP address was, and battery status. This helps us locate lost devices as we can check the IP address in our Network Monitoring System and pinpoint where it was last.

The restricted software section and the configuration profile section are quite useful. I use the Restricted Software section to ensure our students cannot have any unwanted apps on their devices, such as a VPN or third-party web browser.  Jamf detects the restricted app, restricts it from running, and deletes it from the device.  

Configuration Profiles are also a valuable part of Jamf because you can set PPPC profiles to configure the settings of apps properly. This means your users will not get asked to configure privacy settings for apps manually.

Jamf could be improved such that, in the icon selection box where you choose the icon to be displayed for a policy in self-service, it could be made to be more easily navigable. 

Currently, you need to scroll through pages and pages of icons (we have many icons that have been uploaded), and it can be tedious. It should be possible to make it so it can be sorted by upload date. 

It should be possible to add a "Force Software Update" button to the Management section of Apple TVs. Currently, it seems like the only way to update Apple TVs remotely is to do so via a smart group mass command.

I've personally used the solution for a year. My organization has been using it since 2019.

Customer service is prompt and responsive to any issues that I have experienced.

Positive

We did not previously use a different solution.

We manage a one-to-one hybrid work environment of 800 Macs with Jamf Pro. We can manage OS and Software Updates, Wifi, and security protocols and have deep environment insight to assist remote workers.  

It gives us the flexibility to offer near zero-touch deployment when onboarding employees remotely and allows us to standardize our policies organization-wide. 

Patch management and associated policies help us manage and update our fleet's software.

We need better reporting options. We would like the ability to see all software applications that are inventoried fleet-wide, and deeper integrations for OS updating. 

I have been using this specific instance for just over a year, however, I have used the solution for nearly five years in total.

We use the solution for MacOS device management in an environment of over 2500 devices that are found around the globe.   

It has completely enabled us to have a remote deployment solution for our users across the globe, as well as full management of the devices like we've never had before. It's also given us the power to let the users service their own devices via the Self-Service portal, extremely minimizing the amount of service calls our support teams to get now. 

Its also given us insight into how the devices are used on a day-to-day basis, allowing us to trim our available catalog and tailor the devices we deploy to their actual needs.

The self-service portal to share scripts and other tasks that have extremely minimized the need for calls to our support teams, or even sharing the applications we package and allowing users to pick and choose what apps they need or want, instead of just blanket installing everything from our old environment. 

Also, the DEP enrollment process is great. Account creation and management of the SSO extensions have made it so the devices no longer require to be AD Bound, giving us the flexibility to have local accounts and really utilize the full extent of MacOS.

Inventory reporting could be better, however, that is already slated to improve with some of the new features Apple has announced in WWDC 2022. 

Managing the devices and getting their details is too much work to accomplish, but by using the API and some externally available and free tools, we've been able to get the data we need whenever we need it in a way that is more presentable to management and upper leadership. With the improvements coming down the road from Apple though, a lot of it will be much more seamless.

I've used the solution for over three years in my current role, however, I've worked inside of the product elsewhere since 2011.

We use it so that managing developers for Macs and software developers that need to have freedom but align that need with BAFIN-controlled regulations.

We have had Workspace One previous to the actual MDM Solution for iOS devices in place. It is horrible to set up and to work with in terms of building policies and configurations. 

We chose JAMF as our vendor to get something new and to help with setups. 

Jamf is intuitive. The biggest benefit is the Jamf Nation where all IT Professionals who love to help each other can get together. 

There is no step three, which says everything. We ship the device to the customer and he sets it up easily at home. It was great during Covid and gave the users an easy start. 

Having less effort in onboarding new employees and providing them a great and one-of-a-kind start with their work equipment was useful. Only one person is needed to manage and support about 400 users. We need less people to provide support compared to the quote we have had for our Windows Fleet. We created an in-house macOS Community who are helping each other as well. 

It's lightweight yet the best MDM Solution - with options to expand (Jamf Cloud, Jamf Protect, etc.) 

Jamf Pro works great for us in an on-prem environment. We have full control on the other side when we go for new versions. Of course, this means additional effort to prepare the steps and the updates. The integration with Jamf Protect (test trial version) is as easy as can be. 

Jamf Pro is offering an easy start to work. It offers professionals an endless amount of possibilities to keep users and the company happy.

The dashboard needs to be customizable. The SelfService design should be customizable as well or at least should look like the actual OS. There should be some UX designers to take a look and work on the usability and the picture Jamf is looking like for customers (SelfService Design) and the Admins (Jamf Dashboard).

We'd like to have a map where we can spot where Smart or Static Groups are set as Scope. Scripts should have a check before you can upload them or put them into a policy - to check if there is no endless loop inside or some dangerous code.

I've used the solution for over four years.

There has been no downtime until now in more than four years so far. Only when we were updating the Jamf Versions and patching our Windows Servers did we have to worry about that. 

The scalability is easy. You just put more CPU and RAM into your VMs and you can scale up without touching the whole system.

When you need support, which happens very rarely, you get fast and quick help. 

Positive

We started with Workspace One six years ago for iOS MDM Management.

It was set up as a POC and went into production a month after starting it.

A third party did the setup of Jamf Pro for us.

We are a kindergarten to eighth grade school district in Illinois and we have the need to manage our student and teacher devices. We manage a total of 1,600 devices between macOS laptops and Apple iPads. As students move between grade levels and application needs changes. 

In addition, we need to make it easy so our students and teachers don't need to worry about making tech work, but instead can pick up and use devices without needing many tech skills. We also want to make sure multiple users in our organization have the ability to manage devices.

Jamf Pro has allowed us to make sure settings for our devices are easily installed so our end-users don't need to worry about a significant amount of steps for setup. We also use this to send applications to devices as well as the day-to-day usage of devices, we have a significant deployment that occurs every year with mobile devices for new students. We have also been able to use Jamf Pro to begin building a better inventory of our devices, have greater insight into patch management, and making sure our devices are up to date.

The ability to build configuration profiles for devices to send settings to devices and making it easy for our students and teachers to install applications has been the most valuable. 

This has meant that when a teacher has an upcoming project, we can be sure applications that may be needed will be on the devices ahead of time so they can use their instructional time to teach. In addition, creating smart devices and user groups means our environment can be very flexible and make changes to our deployment without a significant amount of additional work. 

We would love to see the ability to have settings apply to mobile devices on a time schedule. This would allow us to plan some tasks ahead of time. For example, we often have testing needs throughout the school year and the ability to do things like set a date to install an app and a date to remove an app would help us schedule upcoming tasks better. The same would go for things like web clips; we often share links with students for accessing content and being able to have this appear/disappear on a date would be helpful.

I have been using Jamf for five years.

It is very stable.

The scalability is very good.

Support has been responsive to our needs.

Positive

MaaS360 - this worked for our smaller deployment of about 100 devices, but as we expanded devices in our organization we needed a more flexible solution.

The initial setup was simple.

We implemented in-house.

It is tough to quantify the value but it has allowed our team to be more efficient.

When evaluating solutions to look at the pricing delta between products rather than the total cost.

We did not evaluate other solutions.