What is Jamf
Jamf is a web-server used by IT departments to manage their Apple devices (Macs, iPads, iPhones, ect). When it comes to Apple, Jamf is, by far, the industry standard, and in my opinion there’s really no other option.
How does it work? Jamf is installed onto a device (Mac, iPhone, iPad) to “enroll” it into the Jamf web-server. This gives the company control of the device, which allows them to install software, implement security protocols, and collect inventory of all their devices.
Jamf is a full time job
I’ve assisted in over 100 implementations of Jamf Pro. These implementations range anywhere from a 4 hour remote session to a 3-day onsite session, depending on the company’s needs, and include both setup and training of Jamf. The goal of this is to have them up and running with Jamf quickly and effectively, and are incredibly valuable to their success. Many of these implementations go amazingly: by the end the company has a good foundation for how to use Jamf, has intentions to attend the Jamf courses, and have a solid plan in place on how to get everything completely up and running. Many of them, however, end with the IT Department overwhelmed with information given to them, swimming in emails and missed phone calls from taking 3 days off of their day-to-day roles.
Rocketman is for the latter of the two.
Companies want to save the time it takes IT to do everything, so they purchase Jamf. The problem is, they don’t understand that implementing Jamf is a full time job, and although over the course of five years it will save a wealth of time and energy spent on repetitive tasks, in the first six months it’s going to take a lot more of their time and energy.
What many companies don’t realize is that implementing and managing Jamf Pro is a full time job. I’ve worked with many clients who, after our training sessions, exclaim “This is going to be so much more work!” And they’re not wrong. Learning something new is never easy, and learning Jamf is not the same as learning how to use a new web browser or email client. Jamf Pro is an incredibly complex and powerful web-server that, when used properly, can save your organization countless time and money. But when used improperly, it can literally break everything, including deleting your users’ data. Maybe, at some point, I can write a post about “10 easy ways to break everything with Jamf Pro,” because, at this point, I’ve probably seen it all.
The cost of implementing Jamf Pro in-house
When looking at the cost of Jamf Pro, many companies only see the amount that the product actually costs, but don’t take into account the opportunity costs associated with the time it takes their IT Department to implement and maintain the product, along with the training they’ll need.
Over the course of a year, on top of license costs, it will cost approximately an additional $20,000 and take a Systems Administrator around 600 hours to get Jamf Pro running efficiently. This takes into account the training it takes to get them up to speed, and the amount of times they will have to rework their Jamf server once they learn new methods.
Below is a timeline of what typical in house implementation looks like:
Implementing Jamf Pro with Rocketman
Rocketman implements and manages Jamf Pro for companies, so the only time spent on Jamf Pro is when IT is communicating with their Rocketman engineer. Using their wealth of experience and tricks of the trade, a Jamf engineer can get a Jamf Pro server running efficiently in less than a month. Comparatively, it only take about 40 hours of your IT Department’s time during the first year, and even less time after that. Plus, there’s no cost for the jumpstart or any additional trainings.
Below is a timeline of what typical Rocketman implementation looks like. As you can tell, it’s a great deal simpler.
Get an Expert
Jamf Pro is an incredibly powerful application that can save your company time and money, and give you peace of mind – but a Jamf Pro server is only as good as the person managing it. If you invest money in an expert now, you’ll save large amounts of time and money down the road.
To talk to a Rocketman engineer, call (970) 235-0321, or click here to get a quote.