iPad Remote Support

I know we've had a couple of topics on iPads and I figured I'd throw my question into the mix. We have a lot of customers who are purchasing iPads and wanting to connect to various company services (Citrix, Exchange, etc). Now we've explained the various security risks involved with the device getting lost or stolen, but still get the ok to make it work. Of course most of the people who have purchased these devices couldn't operate a computer more or less the iPad. So how does everyone support remote iPad users? We are usually dealing with Doctors or pushy Finance types who will claim to have no time to work on the issue, but have enough time to complain that we haven't fixed it. Are there any apps for remoting into the iPad and just setting things up? Everything I have found is for jailbroken devices or expensive software for managing the devices that none of our companies would pay for.

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

cgrimaldo

I don't have a lot of info right now but I am interested in what is posted as my employer looking at supporting them in the near future (healthcare).

This may help.

Apple - Support - iPad - Enterprise

rwmidl

I would start here: Apple iPad Enterprise.

Are users purchasing the iPad with their own money and expecting tech support (you) to fully support them? Does company policy allow for this? If it is just simple setting up email, you could write a quick "how to" and provide it to the users. If it is something more detailed you probably would want to make sure

1. Is this product allowed in the enterprise environment?
2. Has management signed off that they are authorizing this device on the enterprise AND you will support it.
3. Will there be a "standard" configuration (ie company image) that will be applied, which in turn could limit the user (ie no Angry Birds). Even if this was purchased with the employees own money.

the_Grinch

Thanks guys, will definitely look over those links.

I work for a Managed Service Provider and the way it has been thus far is, give the customer what they want. We have at least one contact at each company that we support that says yes or no to setting up a device. Thus far, they have all been user purchases. Now, in the past my company has not charged for mobile devices (we've always included them in desktop coverage). In the days of Blackberries, very easy to add a device to BES and get things going. With the influx of Droids and iWhatever, it has proven very difficult to walk people through setting up a device. While I would love to be able to send a document outlining the setup, about 90% write back to say it didn't work. Then it turns into yelling at the helpdesk till they finally figure out they didn't tick a box or mistyped something.

Unfortunately, just about all the companies we support don't see us as their IT Department until something goes wrong. So instead of including use in software purchases or projects, we'll usually get brought in at the end or after the vendor implemented whatever it is and it doesn't work.

rwmidl

the_Grinch wrote: »

Thanks guys, will definitely look over those links.

I work for a Managed Service Provider and the way it has been thus far is, give the customer what they want. We have at least one contact at each company that we support that says yes or no to setting up a device. Thus far, they have all been user purchases. Now, in the past my company has not charged for mobile devices (we've always included them in desktop coverage). In the days of Blackberries, very easy to add a device to BES and get things going. With the influx of Droids and iWhatever, it has proven very difficult to walk people through setting up a device. While I would love to be able to send a document outlining the setup, about 90% write back to say it didn't work. Then it turns into yelling at the helpdesk till they finally figure out they didn't tick a box or mistyped something.

Unfortunately, just about all the companies we support don't see us as their IT Department until something goes wrong. So instead of including use in software purchases or projects, we'll usually get brought in at the end or after the vendor implemented whatever it is and it doesn't work.

Ugh, that totally sucks. It's a shame they don't fully utilize you guys to help them with software/hardware purchases. Are you finding you are having to spend more time "supporting" iDevices/Android? If you are, it might be worthwhile to document all the "extras" you do, especially if it is taking you away from "other" work (ex iDevice isn't listed in their support contract, but you end up spending 20 hours a week supporting them and Exchange support, which is listed in the contract gets put to the side). Might mean a renegotiation on the rates/SLA!

genXrcist

Teamviewer has a mobile app that works on the iPad. The free version is just that, free and the pay for version allows you to put in your purchased license key. I think the pay for version is $100.

the_Grinch

I couldn't agree with you more. Currently, management is reviewing the mobile device policy and is going to make a determination on how we should address the iDevice (I like that) and Android devices. This usually means they will do nothing about it for 6 months and then say, we'll do the work no charge. That aside, thank you both for that link! I just tested the iPhone Configuration utility and that is a life saver. Just setup my work email (not that it took me a long time in the first place) in about 3 minutes! Will show management tomorrow, which should get me some props (again thank you both!).

It does take a lot of time to support the devices depending on the customer. We are trying to make our documentation better and for email setup, it is better. The issues that tend to take a lot of time as usually Citrix/RDP related. The Citrix Receiver is hit or miss, with a lot depending on the version the customer uses and other such details. We had a tech put in about 3 hours (when I came back from lunch I asked why he was still working on an iPad email setup, to which he explained the customer had Citrix and he told her she could get her whole desktop on her iPad. He spent 2.5 hours trying to get it to work on his iPad before one of our Citrix Engineers said "their using a version not support by the iPad". I told him not to volunteer that information, in regards to Citrix on the iPad, since it rarely works properly).

The advantage our customers have is depending on their level, the helpdesk support if all you can eat. Now, we have customer who have to pay by the hour and they usually fight the bill when it comes in for an iPad issue. The company doesn't provide iPads for us to test and some customers are not managed (meaning we do very little work for them so have no infrastructure information) and that takes time to research. It sucks, but thus is life...

Thanks again!!!

SteveLord

I believe McAfee has a product right now (EMM). And the Blackberry Enterprise Server will eventually support Apple and Android devices.

it_consultant

Bomgar is able to support Apple's mobile iOS, I have used it a couple of times, much nicer than trying to walk people through it over the phone.

Remote Support Management in the Help Desk | Enterprise Remote Desktop Control

SteveLord

I came across this. Looks interesting on the security and app management side.

Absolute Software | MDM Overview: Features

[FONT=&quot]Your 45-day evaluation will allow you to test Absolute Manage in your network environment on up to 10 PC and Mac computers, as well as 10 iOS devices (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad running iOS 4 or higher). You will receive a full-working copy of Absolute Manage.[/FONT]

Everyone

SteveLord wrote: »

I believe McAfee has a product right now (EMM). And the Blackberry Enterprise Server will eventually support Apple and Android devices.

Yes, I mentioned McAfee Enterprise Mobility Management in another iPad thread... That is what you want to look into. I think there are a couple other competing products, but the McAfee solution looks great, and is what I'm trying to implement at my job.

the_Grinch

it_consultant I didn't realize they started supporting the iPad! We use Bomgar as our support tool so now we should be all set! On a side note, thanks again for the iPhone Configuration Utility I just found out today that one of our customers is upgrading their exchange. We are looking at setting up 40 iPads and 70 iPhones...now it won't take forever!

Bl8ckr0uter

Everyone wrote: »

Yes, I mentioned McAfee Enterprise Mobility Management in another iPad thread... That is what you want to look into. I think there are a couple other competing products, but the McAfee solution looks great, and is what I'm trying to implement at my job.

As am I. I actually I am having my second go at this since the first time me and the McAfee support guy found an issue with it our pix and it.

SteveLord

the_Grinch wrote: »

it_consultant I didn't realize they started supporting the iPad! We use Bomgar as our support tool so now we should be all set! On a side note, thanks again for the iPhone Configuration Utility I just found out today that one of our customers is upgrading their exchange. We are looking at setting up 40 iPads and 70 iPhones...now it won't take forever!

But does Bomgar only let you troubleshoot remotely? Or does it also allow you to locate/remote wipe/enforce policies?

the_Grinch

It appears policies can be enforced, but most of our customers are using the built in ActiveSync controls. My main focus is remoting into these devices and setting them up.

SteveLord

I just wanted to add because I did not know this until I was investigating McAfee EMM further.

If you intend to use any kind of MDM software, you must request a developer's certicate through Apple's enterprise program. And be willing to shell out $299/year to Apple. It also takes up to a month to get.

That is on top of the annual cost for the software. McAfee charges a higher first year subscription, but renewals are a fraction of that. Depends on how many devices you intend to support.

coolaliasgar

Try using Team Viewer remote support tool for completely supporting iPad users. However, if you wish to have a view only RDP connection between PC and iPad, you can even consider using gosupportnow remote support service.

J_86

coolaliasgar wrote: »

Try using Team Viewer remote support tool for completely supporting iPad users. However, if you wish to have a view only RDP connection between PC and iPad, you can even consider using gosupportnow remote support service.

You can't access iPads/iDevices with team viewer, it's the other way around. You can access desktop computers/laptops from your iDevice.