How to deploy Apple VPP apps

Apple introduced the Volume Purchase Program (VPP) in order to enable the enterprises to find, purchase and distribute apps and books in bulk. The VPP apps may be store apps or enterprise apps. VPP enables the deployment and management of all the purchased apps by importing all the information from the app. You can also distribute custom B2B apps to your customers using Apple VPP via Hexnode UEM.

Apple’s Deployment Program (DEP) will no longer be available from December 1st,2019. This necessitates the migration to Apple School/Business Manager (ABM). If your organization is already enrolled in Device Enrollment Program, it could be already upgraded; otherwise you can upgrade to ABM by singing in to ABM website using your existing Apple Deployment Program Agent account and following the on-screen instructions. First, the organization has to be enrolled in Apple Business Manager. Otherwise, proceed to Apple Business Manager (ABM) website and click on Enroll now. Provide the necessary details about your organization to enroll your organization. Once enrolled, you can configure the VPP settings in Hexnode.

Step 1: Download the server token

1. Go to ABM website.
2. Login with your account credentials.
3. Go to Settings
4. Download the server token and save it. It is of .vpptoken type.

Step 2: Configuring account settings

To configure VPP settings in Hexnode:

1. Login to your Hexnode console.
2. Select Apple VPP from the Admin >Apple Business/School Manager.
3. For further set up you need to integrate the VPP token with the MDM. Click on +Add VPP Token.
4. Enter the credentials and upload the VPP token file that you have downloaded earlier and click Save.

Hexnode UEM is now integrated with your Apple VPP account.

Step 3: Inviting Hexnode users to Apple VPP

You need to invite users to the VPP program for them to participate in it unless the device is running on iOS version 9 or above. For Apple TV and iOS devices with version 9 or above, apps can be assigned to devices directly without any invitation. For devices with iOS version below 9,

1. Go to Manage tab and click on Users.
2. Select the users you want to invite to the program and select Send VPP Invitation from Actions.

The users will get a VPP join request as mail. The users will then have to access the URL in the mail from their device and accept the invitation. Only after that will the enterprise can push the purchased apps to these users/devices.

Step 4: Managing the accounts and app deployment

In the Admin tab you can find VPP settings under Apple Business/School Manager option. Select “Apple VPP” to see all the accounts that have been added to the Hexnode server.

Syncing an account will fetch all the updated information about total assets and users managed under this account. There is an option to delete an account under the Manage button.

To view all the apps purchased from VPP, go to Apps tab. You can filter the apps by selecting the License type as VPP and all the VPP apps will be listed.

Here you can see the total number of licenses purchased for each app and the number of licenses used. Click on the license type of any app to see all the details about that app.

You can also retire the app license here. Select the user you want to withdraw the license from and click Revoke License. This license can be reassigned to any other device later.

The Cancel Invitation button enables administrators to revoke the VPP invitation sent to the users. After choosing the specified user, invoking this button removes the VPP licenses associated with the user.