More and more employees work on a Mac. Sometimes because they ask for one, sometimes because the design team has been working on them for years. These Macs often get different treatment than the Windows laptops: they fall outside management, everyone is their own administrator and updates happen when it suits them. That works fine, until a MacBook is left behind on a train or an employee leaves.
In this article you will read what Mac management involves, what it covers and where things often go wrong at SMEs.
What is Mac management?
Mac management is the central setup, securing and maintenance of the Macs in your organisation. With a management system (MDM, mobile device management) you configure settings, apps and security remotely, without anyone having to have the Mac in their hands. The goal is simple: every Mac is secure, up to date and ready to use, just like any other workstation.
What does Mac management cover?
Automatic setup: a new Mac goes straight to the employee. On first start-up they sign in and the Mac automatically receives the right settings and apps.
Security: full-disk encryption with FileVault, firewall, password policy and protection against malware.
Updates: macOS and apps stay up to date on a fixed schedule, without employees being able to postpone them endlessly.
Apps: roll out software such as Microsoft 365 centrally, so nobody has to install anything themselves.
Access to company data: only managed, secure Macs can reach your email, Teams and files.
Lost or stolen: lock or wipe a Mac remotely.
Leaving the company: securely remove company data and prepare the Mac for a colleague.
Where things often go wrong at SMEs
In practice we see 4 problems coming back again and again.
Macs fall outside management. The Windows laptops are set up neatly, but the Macs "belong to the designers" and nobody looks at them. You do not know whether they are encrypted, which version they run or who has access.
Everyone is an administrator. On many Macs the user has full rights. Handy, until software appears that you do not want, or someone switches off a setting you actually need.
The Mac is tied to a private Apple ID. The Mac is set up with the employee’s personal Apple ID. If they leave, the device is tied to someone’s own account and nobody knows which company data is still on it.
2 worlds side by side. Windows is managed, the Macs run on loose arrangements. That costs double the work and gives policies that do not quite match. If a client or insurer asks how your security is arranged, you cannot show that it is in order for the Macs.
How we approach Mac management
At ICT Teamwork a Mac is a fully fledged workstation. If Macs are used in your organisation, they simply fall under our full-service IT management. Management and support are included, so you do not need a separate arrangement for your Macs.
Macs and Windows laptops fall under the same security policy, in 1 management environment. We link new Macs to Apple Business Manager, so they are set up automatically on first start-up. We handle updates, security and apps remotely. And for questions about their Mac, your employees can simply contact our service desk.
Frequently asked questions about Mac management
macOS has strong security built in, but it only works if it is switched on. Without management you do not know whether FileVault is enabled, whether updates are installed, or whether you can wipe a stolen Mac remotely. Management makes sure it is set up the same way everywhere.
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