ios 7 MDM Server

Question

We built our own MDM server using OSX Server and an apple mini to manage about 100 iPads. Everything worked great then ios 7 was released.

We have various pads that have different things happening to them.. some are getting the app push but the app never installs, some never recive the push at all, and some pad's have our apps disappearing...

Has anyone found what needs to be done to update the server so that it will function again? I've found 150+ page document on the apple developer site that walks you though setting up the entire process but most of it we have already, that document does not call out the changes so it's certianly not ideal at all to try to pick out what needs to be updated (I did also update the OSX Server software to the newest version)

The only real errors I have to run on right now are from the device logs.. here is what is happening.

Oct  2 11:51:14 iPad mdmd[477] <Notice>: (Note ) MDM: Transaction completed. Status: 200
Oct  2 11:51:14 iPad mdmd[477] <Notice>: (Note ) MDM: Attempting to perform MDM request: InstallApplication
Oct  2 11:51:14 iPad mdmd[477] <Notice>: (Note ) MDM: Handling request type: InstallApplication
Oct  2 11:51:15 iPad mdmd[477] <Notice>: (Error) MDM: Enterprise app installation failed. 
    Error: NSError:
    Desc   : The app “com.app.Damages” is already scheduled for management.
    US Desc: The app “com.app.Damages” is already scheduled for management.
    Domain : MCMDMErrorDomain
    Code   : 12026
    Type   : MCFatalError
    Params : (
        "com.app.Damages"
    )
Oct  2 11:51:15 iPad mdmd[477] <Notice>: (Error) MDM: Command Status: Error
    Error: NSError:
    Desc   : The app “com.app.Damages” is already scheduled for management.
    US Desc: The app “com.app.Damages” is already scheduled for management.
    Domain : MCMDMErrorDomain
    Code   : 12026
    Type   : MCFatalError
    Params : (
        "com.app.Damages"
    )

Anyone know what needs to be changed? There can't be that much.. we are still pushing the apps just the device is not communicating with the server now

Answer 1

Let me break it down to couple of subquestions:

1) Has anyone found what needs to be done to update the server so that it will function again?

Generally speaking, nothing needs to be changed on the server. iOS 7 introduced couple of new features to MDM. However, the whole protocol is still backward compatible. So, if you have older server, it should (in the ideal world) work fine with your new iOS 7 device.

2) We have various pads that have different things happening to them.. some are getting the app push but the app never installs, some never recive the push at all, and some pad's have our apps disappearing...

Welcome to the post Steve Jobs era :) Golden iPhones, eyes popping color schemes and unbaked sofware.

I noticed serious degradation of MDM stability from iOS 6 to IOS 7, especially around app distribution. I posted about 3-4 bugs to Apple and I would recommend to do the same (hopefully, the sheer number of bug reports will force them to concentrate on it).

As you I saw apps not being installed, leaving placeholder icons behind and a lot of other crappy behavior.

3) "The app “com.app.Damages” is already scheduled for management."

This messages mean that you already tried to install it and it sits somewhere in iOS installation queue, but waits for something. I am not sure what is exactly the list of possible reasons why it waits.

One of the reason which I observer is that if a user is required to enter AppStore password for a first time, it can stuck on this for quite long time (not sure why).