8 JNUC 2019 sessions that will help iOS admins

For years Apple device administrators have flocked to Minneapolis in the autumn, but they aren't there to see the leaves change or to run the Twin Cities Marathon; they're attending the annual Jamf Nation User Conference (JNUC).

JNUC 2019, which takes place Nov. 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, offers numerous sessions that can help iOS admins improve their management best practices and organization-wide policies.

Here are eight sessions at JNUC 2019 that iOS admins should consider attending, regardless of whether or not they use Jamf's enterprise mobility management (EMM) and mobile device management (MDM) offerings.

"What is Your Apple Fleet Worth to You?"

Part of mobility management for IT departments is mobile device purchase decisions, and organizations can provide cost certainty and consistent device model upgrades with an effective buyback and refresh cycle strategy. Apple iOS admins should educate themselves on all the factors that should inform these purchase decisions and how to find the right organization to buy back their mobile devices.

"MDM: From Nice-To-Have to Necessity"

There are so many MDM and EMM controls that iOS admins can deploy to their devices that all the options can be overwhelming. It is crucial for IT professionals to learn what MDM and EMM tools can accomplish. This JNUC 2019 session from iOS admin Rich Trouton will help IT pros get the most out of their MDM and EMM.

"Apple Lifecycle Unfiltered"

This panel brings together an IT director and ex-Apple executives to discuss what makes up an effective Apple device lifecycle. Organizations can look to wireless carriers or smartphone OEMs to negotiate device purchase contracts, device lifecycles and buyback conditions, or they can manage the purchase and resale of mobile devices without contracts or through third-party sellers.

"Jamf@SAP - Journey to Manage 100,000 Mobile Devices"

This case study session walks attendees through an SAP mobile admin's rollout of Jamf MDM and what lessons he learned on how to execute an MDM or EMM migration while reducing user issues. Philipp Pinkernelle, an IT admin at SAP, will discuss how to improve user perception of their iPhones in the workplace and which Jamf Pro features were the most helpful in his daily work.

"Network Monitoring Smorgasbord"

Oliver Lindsey, a Jamf professional services architect, covers command line utilities that Apple admins should know in this interactive lab session. Lindsey recommends that attendees bring an iOS device that has Charles, a web debugging proxy, pre-installed for this session. The hands-on nature of this session limits the amount of JNUC 2019 attendants allowed, so any IT pros who are interested in this session should consider signing up soon.

"Setup & Reset: Building and Executing an Amazing Shared iOS Environment"

The balance between user experience and organization-wide security is difficult to strike, and there are plenty of new MDM and EMM tool features that bring improvements to enterprise iOS security and usability. Danny Porter and Adam Derrick, a Jamf evangelist and iOS admin respectively, discuss how IT can maximize the effectiveness of users' iPhone configurations and managed iOS applications.

"MDM Not Working? Was It the Proxy? It's Always the Proxy!"

In this session, Jamf professional services engineer Daniel MacLaughlin explains why Apple admins need to understand the ins and outs of their own network to effectively manage and troubleshoot device issues for their users. With practices such as SSL inspection and proper use of proxies, IT pros can manage iOS devices more effectively.

"An Insider's Look at APU"

Apple admins who attend this JNUC session will see user automation expert and former Apple employee Sal Soghoian discuss how Apple Provisioning Utility (APU) can help IT manage iPhones in several different deployment scenarios. The APU tool offers a plug-and-go process for Apple admins to follow, and Soghoian will walk session attendees through the practical applications of this management strategy.