In large organizations, the configuration of large device inventory is a pain point for IT teams. Especially when the devices are to be configured over-the-air, streamlining the process of setting up a large number of devices can be complex and cumbersome.
Scalefusion enables customization and configuration of profile settings via a Custom Payload. IT teams can configure a custom calendar and email settings, Wi-Fi and VPN settings, digital certificates for authentication as well as device restrictions using Scalefusion custom payload.
This is achieved by using the custom settings feature available under the iOS and macOS device profile on the Scalefusion dashboard. IT teams can make use of a top-notch XML editor and push the custom payload directly onto the devices. This helps IT admins to fine-tune configuration settings to the T, helping to leverage settings that are not available on the Scalefusion dashboard. Using Scalefusion, IT admins can push more than one payload in the same XML file For example, Custom Payload for Wi-Fi and email can be pushed via the same XML file.
In this article, let us discuss how the profile configuration can be achieved for device profiles on macOS and iOS devices. The payloads are to be created in the XML format based on the developer guidelines by Apple.
Custom Payload settings for iOS
Step 1:
Navigate to the Device Profile section of the dashboard. Select the iOS device profile to which you want to push custom settings. Choose the restrictions in the custom settings of the profile section.
If the custom payload settings that you upload conflict with the Device Profile settings created in the Device Profile section, you can resolve these conflicts by selecting either of the two options- you can choose:
- Custom Payload Wins over Device Profile Settings: With this configuration, the settings in the Custom Payload are given precedence over the Device Profile settings.
- Device Profiles Wins over Custom Payload: Under this configuration, settings in the Device Profile are given precedence over Custom Payload.
Step 2:
Upload the custom payload by importing the custom payload file or by typing in the custom payload in the existing XML editor.
Step 3:
Once you enter the payload, you can click on the validate option to validate the payload. If the payload is successfully uploaded without any syntactic/validation issues, a green tick appears on the top right corner of the editor. If there are any errors within your custom payload, a red cross appears.
Now, click on the update profile button to save your custom payload configuration and the settings will be automatically pushed onto the iOS devices configured with the said Device Profile.
Custom Payload settings for macOS
The process to configure custom payload settings for macOS is similar to that of iOS.
Step 1:
Navigate to the Device Profile section of the chosen macOS profile on the Scalefusion dashboard. Select the custom settings options available in the right column.
On macOS devices, specific payloads can be applied only at the user level. Use the toggle button to enable the payload application on the user end. If this option is not chosen, the payload is sent on the device channel and is applied to all the users on the device.
Step 2:
The process for conflict resolution, importing the custom payload file or editing it within the XML editor is similar to that of iOS. After you validate the custom payload file, a green tick appears if there are no errors.
Once validated, click on the save button to save the Device Profile settings. These will be then applied to the devices enrolled with the said Device Profile.
Closing lines
Custom Payload configuration via Scalefusion Apple MDM helps IT admins in quickly pushing settings across multiple devices. This adds to Scalefusion’s prime offering of demystifying IT tasks and reducing the complexity of managing a large device inventory.
FAQs
1. What is a Custom Payload in the context of Apple device management?
A Custom Payload is an XML-based configuration file that IT administrators can push to managed Apple devices via an MDM solution like Scalefusion. It allows admins to apply device settings – such as Wi-Fi, VPN, email, calendar, and digital certificates – that may not be available through the standard MDM dashboard.
2. Which Apple devices and platforms support Custom Payload configuration via Scalefusion?
Scalefusion supports Custom Payload configuration for both iOS and macOS devices. The process is similar across both platforms, with a few macOS-specific options such as user-level payload application.
3. In what format must Custom Payloads be created?
Custom Payloads must be created in XML format, following Apple’s official developer guidelines. Scalefusion provides a built-in XML editor on the dashboard to help IT admins type or import payloads directly.
4. Can multiple payloads be pushed in a single XML file?
Yes. Scalefusion allows IT admins to include more than one payload within the same XML file. For example, Wi-Fi and email configurations can both be delivered through a single XML payload file simultaneously.
5. What happens if a Custom Payload conflicts with existing Device Profile settings?
Scalefusion provides two conflict resolution options: you can either set the Custom Payload to take precedence over Device Profile settings, or allow the Device Profile settings to override the Custom Payload. IT admins choose the preferred option based on their configuration priorities.
6. How can IT admins verify that a Custom Payload has been uploaded correctly?
After entering or importing the payload, admins can use the built-in validate option in the XML editor. A green tick in the top right corner of the editor indicates no errors, while a red cross signals syntactic or validation issues that need to be corrected before deployment.
