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Jamf, the unusually named software provider that 17 years ago saw the high business potential for management of Apple devices in the workplace, has taken a major step forward in expanding its business.
The Minneapolis-based company, born in 2002 from the desire to create a better technology management solution for about 400 Mac PCs on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus, has announced that it is moving into identity authentication and security using Jamf Connect’s integrations with cloud-based identity providers such as Azure Active Directory (AAD).
With Jamf Connect, an end user can unbox a Mac, power it on and access all corporate applications after signing on with a single set of Azure AD credentials.
Allows for Simple Provisioning by Users
As enterprises move from on-premises to cloud services and increasingly deploy mobile devices, they need a way to manage and secure devices without having to worry about being connected to a corporate network, the company said. That’s what this new software aims to provide.
The Jamf Connect and Azure AD integration allows for simple provisioning of users from Azure AD during an Apple provisioning workflow, and is a streamlined way to manage accounts and authentication in organizations that use Azure AD.
Features include:
- Authentication plugin: Users can log into their Mac with Azure AD credentials.
- Account creation: IT admins can create local accounts based on Azure AD identities and keep passwords in sync with those in the directory service.
- Multifactor: IT admins can use supported Azure AD multifactor authentication methods at the macOS Login window.
Jamf initially entered the identity authentication space with the acquisition of Orchard & Grove, the makers of NoMAD. The open-source solution NoMAD remains free while the commercial versions of NoMAD (including NoMAD Pro, NoMAD Login+ and PKINIT) were folded into a single solution and rebranded Jamf Connect. Jamf Connect is able to integrate with other mobile device management (MDM) providers, not just Jamf Pro, Jamf’s flagship MDM product.
On Jan. 28, the company announced that Jamf Now, its SMB solution, is now available in Apple retail stores. This makes the Jamf Now Getting Started Kit, which includes three months of unlimited service for $79.95, the first MDM solution sold through Apple Retail.
Jamf Had a Highly Successful 2018
Jamf ended 2018 with a year of record growth, expanding its customer base by 57 percent to welcome more than 7,100 new customers. The company now claims more than 20,000 business customers.
Jamf ended the year managing nearly 12 million Apple devices, adding more than 3 million devices. These organizations include:
- 19 of the 25 largest Fortune 500 companies
- 10 of the top 10 global marketing groups
- 22 of the 25 Most Valuable Global Brands, ranked by Forbes
- Nine of the top 10 U.S. media companies
- Nine of the top 10 technology companies
- 7,700 K-12 and higher education organizations
Product Innovation & Strategic Partnerships
For the seventh year, Jamf delivered day-zero compatibility and feature support for Apple’s fall and spring releases. Since 2012, Jamf has been able to support customers as they upgrade to the latest version of iOS, macOS or tvOS the same day they are available from Apple.
Jamf Pro, Jamf’s flagship product, added wholly new functionality, such as managed software updates and Inventory Preload, the ability to upload mobile device inventory data before devices are enrolled. Jamf Pro also enhanced existing functionality, such as tvOS management and the groundbreaking Microsoft Intune integration. Additionally, Jamf Pro Self Service, a tool for empowering users to download company-approved software and resources, was enhanced and relaunched for iOS devices.
Jamf also created Jamf Setup and Reset, two new iOS applications that make it simple to use a single device to support multiple customized use cases, a useful ability for IT admins and end users across industries.
Jamf Now, Jamf’s streamlined device management solution for small and medium businesses, grew by more than 100 percent in 2018 and now supports more than 6,000 customers worldwide.
Building the Jamf Community
Jamf Nation, the world’s largest Apple IT community, ended the year with a record 75,000 members, or a 34 percent increase in membership over 2017. Jamf also launched Jamf One, an iOS app providing real-time interaction with Jamf Nation discussions, feature requests and support cases. In October, many of those community members came together at the largest ever JNUC with more than 2,000 in-person attendees and 3,300 remote attendees who watched the live-streamed keynotes. This past year, more than 490 Jamf Pro certification courses were offered and over 2,870 Jamf Pro certifications were earned.
“2018 was a big year for Jamf as we expanded the powerful Apple management solutions we provide to the 20,000 customers we serve around the globe,” CEO Dean Hager said. “As Apple technology grows in industries like education, healthcare, retail, hospitality and the enterprise, Jamf gets to work with more and more organizations doing amazing and innovative work.”
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