Jamf Launches New Functionality that Revolutionizes Application Lifecycle Management for Mac

By STS News Desk On Mar 22, 2022

Jamf-Launches-New-Functionality-that-Revolutionizes-Application-Lifecycle-Management-for-Mac

App Installers, a new addition to Jamf’s Application Lifecycle Management solution, streamlines deployment of apps and automatically keeps them up-to-date, eliminating one of IT’s most painful and time-consuming tasks

Jamf (NASDAQ: JAMF), the standard in Apple Enterprise Management, today announced the next evolution in Application Lifecycle Management with the launch of App Installers, part of the Jamf App Catalog, a simplified way for IT to deploy and update Mac applications. This new, powerful workflow provides a streamlined install and update mechanism for apps, mirroring the simplicity of the Mac App Store and removing the tedious tasks of sourcing, deploying and maintaining non-Mac App Store titles. App Installers is available today.

Today if an organization is using an application title, the process of keeping that app updated is a necessary but time-consuming task for IT teams. For every application that an organization uses, an admin must monitor for new versions, then go through the manual process of downloading the installer, re-packaging (if required), uploading it to their distribution point and updating their policies and patch policies to link to the new package. They need to repeat this every time a new patch or update becomes available for every non-Mac App Store title in their fleet. Most apps are updated at least once a month, others multiple times a month, so the time required to maintain grows significantly the more they use non-Mac App Store titles in their environment.

The Jamf App Catalog is home to over 1,000 application titles as well as the Jamf patch definition feed, which lists the latest versions of app titles in the catalog, Title Editor for custom apps and custom app definitions, and now, App Installers. This robust collection of services differentiates Jamf in its approach to Application Lifecycle Management by providing the volume of supported apps organizations need, the velocity at which IT can deploy apps and keep them updated and the ability to validate the integrity of the applications installed on end-user machines. App Installers supports this differentiated approach with:

Volume. With a curated collection of the first 65 Jamf-managed and Jamf-provided installer packages available today, organizations can expect quarterly growth, making the Jamf App Catalog the largest library of ready-to-go installer packages on the market.
Velocity. With Jamf’s software, automated checks for new versions of every software title run approximately eight times per day. Once a new version is detected, it goes through Jamf’s App Installers build and validation steps before it is published and deployed. Most updates are published within 24 hours, enabling IT to get updates out faster than ever before.
Validation. Jamf provides secure, validated application packages, starting with a thorough legal review. Media is downloaded directly from trusted vendors, and only includes titles that are code signed by that vendor. Downloaded media is scanned by Jamf’s anti-virus and malware technology, ensuring detection of any malware issues within the application once it is running. This start to finish process gives organizations the security validation needed to feel confident in the integrity of the installer package.

Application Lifecycle Management with Jamf lets IT focus on what really matters. Jamf takes care of app update monitoring, creating packages, and managing distribution and delivery in an App Store simple way. This means less time and effort for IT, faster updates with enhanced security and getting end users the latest version of the apps they need to be productive.

“For years, Jamf has offered install and patch policy workflows to support Application Lifecycle Management. While we will continue to support this functionality, Jamf Nation has been asking for a workflow that mirrors the simplicity of the Mac App Store for all of the titles organizations need to source from vendors directly,” said Nick Amundsen, senior vice president of strategy at Jamf. “We’re very excited for our customers to save time and headache through this automated process, all while improving organizational security and empowering their end users.”

Write in to psen@itechseries.com to learn more about our exclusive editorial packages and programs.