Newsletter Archive

Each month we’ll challenge you to solve a problem using a product from JAMF Software. Please include:
Full contact information Step-by-step instructions (screen shots encouraged) Rationale

We’ll review all responses and post the winners on our site. Each winner will receive a $10 Gift Card for Apple iTunes.

Congratulations to Craig Ernst from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Cindi Starr from Rapid City Area Schools, and Stephen Loveday of JTV for successfully answering last month’s JAMF Software Challenge. Click here to see the answer to last month's challenge.

JAMF Software Challenge Archive contains the answers to the previous two months’ JAMF Software Challenge. Take a look—you might learn something!

Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s events in San Francisco! We had a great turnout for both the Casper Suite Lunch & Learn event and the Casper User Group where we had the opportunity to show you some of the new features of Version 6.0.

The release of Casper Suite Version 6.0 is right around the corner. Available in July, Version 6.0 offers many of the features you have requested, including:

Self-Service
A new self-service approach provides end users with on-demand access to the software they need, while reducing IT management time.

GSX Integration
Integration with Apple’s GSX Service provides an automated inventory solution by allowing the JAMF Software Server to query the Apple warranty database and populate warranty expirations in the purchasing information fields.

Resumable Downloads
Managing mobile computers is easier with resumable downloads. This feature allows users to pause and resume downloads whenever a computer is online, without requiring a fresh install of interrupted downloads.

HTTP Package Distribution
HTTP distribution of packages enables more efficient management of mobile and home office users by allowing them access to their updates anytime, anywhere.

CMDB/syslog Compliance
Our new Configuration Management implementation allows you to track changes made by administrators to your inventory and management systems. The implementation records the change, the user who made the change, and the IP that the change was made from to a log file or a syslog server, making internal and external audits easier.

Contract Management
This new feature enhances our inventory solution by providing the ability to attach files like purchase orders or vendor contracts to the inventory database resulting in more accurate purchasing information.

We are proud to bring you this update as we continue to develop software that offers the features you want the best of breed solution to your client management needs.

The next CCA course will take place in Chicago on June 24-27. This 4-day course is a hands-on series of exercises where challenges are presented to system administrators to demonstrate their proficiency through resolution. There are just two spots left in the CCA course so click here to register or for more information.
 
JAMF Software will host a Casper User Group in Chicago on Wednesday, June 25 at Eduardo’s Natural Pizza from 6-8 pm. Space is limited, so please register for this event by dropping an email to Nell Hurley at nell@jamfsoftware.com.

The need to automate and prepare for the imaging of computers as much as possible before they arrive at your location is necessary in many situations. PreStage Imaging gives you the ability to do this even in instances where you do not have a common network segment or a list of Ethernet addresses to use for criteria.  

If you have received an invoice that includes the quantity of computers, make, model, and serial numbers, you are able to set up a prestage that will automatically install the configurations on the computers when they arrive.

1. Create a new PreStage from the Management tab of your JSS.

2. Enter your choice of Configuration and options to the PreStage like you would for any other autorun setting

3. In the General tab, click the Serial Numbers selection to use as the scope.

4. Copy and paste, or enter in, the serial numbers into the Scope tab

5. Make sure to Enable the PreStage and set the activation dates and times to when you expect to image the machines

When the computers arrive, you will be able to NetBoot or boot them from an external drive and launch Casper. For additional information about configuring Pre-Stage Imaging, check out the Casper Suite 5.1 documentation and the section titled Imaging Computers for more information about Preparing the PreStage.

Join our Support Mailing List! The lists often contain discussions regarding problems encountered by other Casper administrators and their resolutions. This free service is available to customers and non-customers via subscription and includes both the Casper Suite and Composer mailing lists.