The software patching configuration built into most operating systems is configured so all that a user has to do is open a box at home, join the network and start using the computer right away. As environments grow from homes to small offices and then small offices grow into enterprises, at some point software updates and patches need to be managed centrally. macOS heavily leverages the App Store. This allows administrators to pretty much be hands off when it comes to managing updates. But some environments need to control the flow of updates anyway. Apple has had this ability since the early days of OS X and in macOS, you…
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Mapping New SQLite Databases
I’ve written about SQLite databases here and there over the years. A number of Apple tools and third party tools for the platform run on SQLite and it’s usually a pretty straight forward process to get into a database and inspect what’s there and how you might programmatically interact with tools that store data in SQLite. And I’ll frequently use a tool like Navicat to quickly and visually hop in and look at what happens when I edit data that then gets committed to the database. But I don’t always have tools like that around. So when I want to inspect new databases, or at least those new to me,…
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Upgrade from OS X to macOS Sierra
Installing OS X has never been easier than it got in Yosemite, when the installers were moved to the App Store. And since then it’s just gotten easier, and easier. In this article, we’ll upgrade a Mac from OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) to macOS Sierra (10.12), the latest and greatest. The first thing you should do is clone your system (especially if you’re upgrading a server). The second thing you should do is make sure you have a good backup. The third thing you should do is make sure you can swap back to the clone should you need to do so and that your data will remain functional on the…
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View System Information On An iOS Device
Under the hood on iOS is a hard place to get; especially without bricking or jailbreaking a device. There are a few tools that can provide insight into what’s on a device, and about the device, though. One is an app called SysSecInfo, available at https://www.sektioneins.de/en/blog/16-05-09-system-and-security-info.html. Once installed, you’ll see how much CPU and memory are in use, and not in use, on your device. Scroll down and tap on Process List to see a list of each process running on the device. Tap Details towards the bottom of the screen to see more information about the OS build running on the device. Overall, a handle little tool, with lots…
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Remove Apps From A 4th Generation Apple TV
The 4th Generation of the Apple TV supports installing apps. And part of playing around with new apps is sometimes you’re not going to want them on your TV any more. To remove apps, the process is similar to that of an iPad. Highlight an app that you’d like to remove and then hold down the clicker on the app. The app will go a little larger. Click on it again and you’ll get the option to Delete the app. Click Delete and the app disappears. That’s it. The app, and any storage that is being consumed by the app, is then freed up.
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Common VPP Questions For Bushel
Can I push out Apps without VPP? Yes. You can push free apps to iOS devices without a VPP account. Paid apps of any kind will need a VPP account, as will free apps on Macs. To Find Out The Answers To Other Common Questions About Apple’s Volume Purchase Program (VPP) and Bushel, Check Out The Bushel Blog Here
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Understanding Apple IDs and MDM
You’ll use this Apple ID for the Volume Purchase Program (VPP) and the Device Enrollment Program (DEP). If this is your first time enrolling in any program on the Apple Deployment Programs website, you can create a new program agent account by following the steps below: For More On Apple IDs and MDM, See The Bushel Blog
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Device Management and Manual Labor
Getting a bunch of iOS and Mac devices setup is more of a logistical challenge than a technical hurdle. When you buy a couple iPads, it’s pretty simple to set them up for the email, security settings and apps that you need those devices to have. You can put them all on a table, give them an Apple ID and then set them up identically to give to users. But the first time someone wipes a device, or looses a device that you need to wipe, you’ll have to do that manual labor again. And if you’re buying more than a couple of Apple devices, then the amount of time becomes amplified…
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The 12 Days Of Krypted
Merry Christmas ya’ll! On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me one 32 gig iPad On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two bash one-liners On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three Red Hat servers On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four email blasts On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five retweets On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six regular expressions On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven lines of perl…
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Testing iOS Services Using Services Test
The good folks at Amsys have built a nice little app called Services Test for verifying outbound connectivity to critical services to make iOS devices work. If you are having problems connecting to these services or activating devices, simply open the App and tap on the play button in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Click on the Info button to see what each of these servers do during the activation and management process. The app can also test a few common server services, including connecting to an OS X Server, Casper and AirWatch. These are typical services used in an iOS and Mac environment. Overall, this is…