Roughly 1,200 IT managers are set to attend JAMF Nation User Conference 2016 (JNUC) this week in Minneapolis, Minn. The twist: The attendees typically manage Apple devices and operating systems -- including Mac, iPhone, iPad, macOS and iOS platforms.
JNUC could be an intriguing gathering for MSPs that are looking for new or different ways to monetize and automate Apple customers. True believers in the conference include IBM, which will evangelize its workplace as a service (WaaS) offerings for Apple devices at the show.
For its part, JAMF claims to be the largest provider of Apple-centric IT management tools. More than 8,000 global customers leverage JAMF's software to manage a combined 6.2 million Apple devices, the company says. New patch management and self service capabilities are set to debut at the conference.
JAMF has a partner program for resellers and integrators. The MSP topic has surfaced multiple times at JNUC over the years. However, a formalized MSP partner program hasn't emerged. According to a company spokesperson:
"At this time, we don’t have a formal MSP program. However, there are some MSPs that use Jamf in their business. There is the potential for us to expand our reseller program in the future to include MSPs."
Mac Management for MSPs
Most of the major RMM (remote monitoring and management) software providers offer Mac management capabilities. Several also offer mobile device management (MDM) features for iPads and iPhones.
Still, startups have moved into the market with some unique approaches of their own. Addigy, for one, has been gaining a footprint with Apple-friendly MSPs. And SolarWinds MSP introduced Mac remote control back in February 2016. LogicNow, which SolarWinds acquired in June 2016, also made some Mac management moves this year.
