Parallels® has launched an update to Parallels Mac Management (parallels.com/uk/managemacs), the product that extends Microsoft® System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM) functionality to Mac® computers. Parallels Mac Management enables IT departments to discover, enrol and manage Mac machines just as they do existing PCs – all through a single pane of glass.
Taking Mac management further than native SCCM, this latest version offers new software distribution capabilities that benefit both IT administrators and end users, including the ability for Mac users to install approved software, features for planning hardware refresh cycles accurately, improvements that empower IT administrators to make their Mac computers more secure using advanced encryption techniques, and a streamlined process for enrolling Mac computers in SCCM on large corporate networks.
Parallels tackles the perennial problem of Mac management head-on with Parallels Mac Management 3.1, enabling everyone from IT administrators to system architects to CIOs to leverage their current SCCM infrastructure and extend it to Mac without unnecessary costs. Users are empowered to:
Manage and control Mac computers by leveraging their existing SCCM infrastructure, resources and talent
Gain full visibility into the Mac computers coming onto their networks
Take control and take action on those machines as they would on PCs – all while working in the same familiar environment
Easily leverage Mac technologies, such as the configuration manager, to secure Mac computers
Deploy and manage Parallels Desktop Enterprise Edition, as well as other virtual machines – key for Mac users who need access to business-critical Windows apps.
Introduces the ability to manage Macs running Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite, via Microsoft SCCM.
“Features and improvements made in this latest version of Parallels Mac Management for SCCM were added in direct response to requests from customers and prospects, and we are very excited to bring a product to market that will make IT administrators’ lives easier,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels President. “We know that managing Macs in the enterprise can feel like a lawless Wild West, and we are working to change that by offering products that make configuration, deployment and overall management of Macs in business environments more efficient and secure.”
A recent winner of Microsoft’s Best of TechEd 2014 award in the Systems Management category, Parallels Mac Management 3.1 includes a number of new features:
Application Portal for Mac, which allows Mac users to install approved software even without administrative rights
Mac warranty (AppleCare) status reporting, which lets IT plan hardware refresh cycles better
Support for unique FileVault 2 personal recovery keys and the ability to escrow these keys, which increases security by encrypting Mac computers on the network
Support for PKI and HTTPS, which enables support for an SCCM infrastructure operating in secure HTTPS mode
Network discovery UI improvements, which enable the use of SCCM site boundary information in network discovery configuration settings—this means huge time savings for IT administrators who need to scan large corporate networks.
Additional features include:
Asset Inventory
Scan the corporate network automatically to discover Mac computers, then auto-enrol them in SCCM
Gather hardware and software inventory of all Mac machines on the network
Leverage native Microsoft SCCM reports to view information about Mac computers
Configuration Management
Enforce compliance via extended SCCM configuration items: Mac OS X configuration profiles and shell scripts
Software and Patch Deployment
Central management and installation of software packages and patches
Support for deployment of a wide range of software packages: .dmg, .pkg, .iso, .app, scripts, and stand-alone files
Support for silent deployment and deployment with user interaction
Mac OS X® Image Deployment via SCCM
Seamless integration of Mac OS X image deployment into SCCM workflow
Deployment of preconfigured, company-standard OS X installation on new Mac computers
Parallels offers resources for IT departments as they go through the proof of concept and implementation process for Parallels Mac Management. These include a hosted test lab program that lets IT professionals test Parallels Mac Management before installing it, and a JumpStart Program that includes Parallels Mac Management for one year on up to 100 Mac computers, as well as 10 hours of assisted installation and configuration support.
Parallels will be demoing Parallels Mac Management at TechEd Europe 2014 in Barcelona, October 28–31, 2014. Please stop by our booth (#99) for a demo and the chance to win a JumpStart Program for Parallels Mac Management (£3,000 value).
Bringing Mac into Business Environments
Parallels Mac Management is part of a larger suite of products for businesses of all sizes that work in cross-platform environments. Other offerings include Parallels® Access™ for Business (parallels.com/access-business), a remote access application for iPad®, iPhone® and Android devices that lets people run PC and Mac applications on their devices with touch gestures – just as if the apps were native to the device. Parallels Desktop® for Mac Enterprise Edition (parallels.com/enterprise) is the best way to run Windows apps on Mac, giving employees easy access to all the tools they need. Using Parallels Desktop Enterprise Edition, IT managers can support Windows applications for Mac users with a configurable, policy-compliant solution that fits seamlessly into their existing business processes.
