Setting up OS X Server as MDM Server to manage DEP iPads

[VinnieTMac]

I wish to setup OS X Server as MDM server to manage a dozen iPads for our church. Having trouble finding answers. Would someone please let me know if the server can be local, or has to be available over the Internet? We have our domain and website with a web hosting company. If we need to have the server over the Internet, I will need to mess with the DNS entries, and not sure what we need as the server will be running from the church which has a different ip to the rest of the web server being hosted.

 

[nathreed]

I've not heard good things about the MDM built into macOS Server; it seems to be more of a proof-of-concept than anything else. Although it could probably do in a pinch, you might want to check out other MDM solutions (though I can understand if you're on a limited/nonexistent budget due to it being a church). As far as your actual question, I'm not positive, but I think MDM devices receive config updates/etc via APNS (apple push notification service) so I don't think you would have to mess with your DNS. As long as your domain registrar/DNS provider (usually one and the same for small orgs) lets you add custom records, you should be fine even if you have to (just set up another A record alongside your www for like mdm.domain.org or something and point to the church's IP).

EDIT:
Actually, it seems like the server does need to be accessible: https://apple.stackexchange.com/que...r-ios-need-to-be-accessible-over-the-internet

But you should just be able to set up another A record for a different subdomain like I said (you'll probably need to forward a couple ports on your church's network- I don't know which ones) and that should work out fine.

 

[GLS]

A dozen ipads? Why not just use Meraki for this? It's free for up to 100 devices, plus you won't have the care and feeding of a Mac OS box (and the server app) to deal with.

 

[nathreed]

A dozen ipads? Why not just use Meraki for this? It's free for up to 100 devices, plus you won't have the care and feeding of a Mac OS box (and the server app) to deal with.

Actually, I'm pretty sure Meraki recently (within last year or two) got rid of their free tier. I messed around with it a little bit back in the day, but when I went back to check something with it a couple months ago, I couldn't find the free tier. They only have a free trial now.

EDIT: confirmation of what I said: https://meraki.cisco.com/blog/2017/01/instant-systems-manager-free-30-day-trials/