Migrating devices is a fairly straightforward process but the workflow will vary depending on the OS of the device you are migrating. This article will cover the steps required for migrating macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices that are registered to an Apple Business Manager (ABM) or Apple School Manager (ASM) account.
Step 1 - Prepping ADE (all OSs)
The first step of the ADE migration process, regardless of OS, is to configure an Addigy Policy for ADE. In short, you just need to make sure the MDM server that houses the devices you are migrating is linked into an Addigy Policy. Uploading the MDM server token into an Addigy Policy is what establishes the connection between Addigy and ABM/ASM, thus allowing the two to communicate information about devices.
If the MDM server is currently being used anywhere, such as a separate MDM provider, you must make sure that it is removed as these MDM servers cannot be tied to multiple Addigy Policies, MDM providers, etc... Once removed, you can go ahead and upload this MDM server token in Addigy.
If you are unable to remove the MDM server from where it is currently being used, you will need to make a new MDM server in Apple Business Manager / Apple School Manager, assign devices to this new MDM server in ABM/ASM, and upload this new MDM server token to an Addigy Policy.
Information on configuring ADE in Addigy can be found here: How to Configure Automated Device Enrollment
Step 2 - Verifying Devices are Ready for Enrollment (all OSs)
The next step is to ensure that devices are ready to enroll. An ADE-configured device is ready to enroll when it has the 'assigned' status within the Automated Enrollment Devices section of the ADE configuration page. This can of course be seen by going to Policies > (your Policy) > Integrations & Settings > Automated Device Enrollment > scroll down until you see Automated Enrollment Devices.
If you do not see the device listed, go ahead and run a scan by clicking Scan Now. It may show a 'removed' status at first, and if this is the case, go ahead and scan again and it should go to 'assigned. If it still does not show in the device list, ensure that the device is assigned to the correct MDM server in ABM/ASM. You can see the MDM server name in Addigy.
For additional details on statuses in Addigy, please refer to this guide: Automated Device Enrollment Profile Status
Step 3 - Performing the Migration
Steps for macOS:
By this point, your macOS devices should be prepared and ready to enroll. Use this checklist to double-check that:
- ADE is configured in an Addigy Policy
- Device(s) have the 'assigned' status
- Device(s) have their old MDM removed
To enroll the devices, we will be using a specific command that is native to macOS. We recommend that you read through the contents of the following article so that you can familiarize yourself with this command.
Overview: Using the 'sudo profiles renew -type enrollment" Command
Once you've read through that article and ensured devices are ready to enroll, you are welcome to use the remote-friendly command (provided in the article above) or the standard command locally on the device. With either option, you will need to have a qualifying admin user approve the MDM installation. There is no way to fully automate the MDM approval process.
For Ventura and earlier devices, a Systems Settings prompt will show. This may get hidden behind the notification center, so be sure to check there if no prompt is seen.
For Sonoma devices, assuming MDM is not currently present on the device, you will see a full-screen experience like so:
Steps for iOS/iPadOS:
Since iOS/iPadOS devices do not support terminal commands, the only way to migrate an ADE-enrolled iPhone or iPad would be to wipe the device. Wiping the device will have it go through Remote Management during setup, which when completed, will enroll the device into Addigy via ADE (assuming the prior steps above were followed).
Before wiping the device, make sure that:
- ADE is configured in an Addigy Policy
- Device(s) have the 'assigned' status
Other migration options
In addition to the workflow described in this document, we have an automated solution for migrating macOS devices into Addigy. If you are interested in learning more about our automated migration workflow, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager via the Help Center > Migration Assistance contact option in your Addigy environment.