Why is DEP so important?

The Device Enrolment Program (DEP) provides educational institutions and businesses a range of benefits for deployment of iPads when using a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution.

DEP has become important for schools as they migrate from Apple Configurator to an MDM.

Firstly, iOS devices ordered under DEP can be more easily enrolled in an MDM solution using the 'Automated Device Enrolment' feature, where an iPad can configure itself when turned on initially, based on the DEP settings, which are set by the institution.  Students and teachers could be issued with an iPad still in its shrink wrapped box, and when the user turns it on and joins WiFi the first time, the iPad will configure itself automatically.

Secondly, a DEP enrolled iPad can take advantage of a number of features when enrolled in an MDM solution:

– Mandatory & Lockable MDM:  Users will not be able to remove the MDM management profile
– Streamlined Setup Assistant:  Specify which setup screens are showed to users during initial setup.
– Wireless Supervision:  An iPad can be supervised, without using Apple Configurator.
– iOS Updates from MDM:  Update iPads over WiFi, without having to touch each device.
– Shared iPad:  DEP is required to support the new 'Shared iPad' feature to allow multiple student logins
Note:  Shared iPad requires iOS 9.3 or later, on a minimum 32GB iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 or later.

DEP is now available to schools who have enrolled in Apple School Manager, or upgraded their VPP account to Apple School Manager.  

When ordering, schools need to ask for them to be ordered under DEP from Apple, or an Authorised Apple Reseller who is participating in DEP.  Previous purchases might be eligible for retrospective addition to DEP depending on where they were purchased from.

Contact us if you would like assistance with upgrading to Apple School Manager, or navigating DEP or setting up an MDM for your school.