The impact of the app store on InstaDMG

[Darius]

I’m new to instaDMG, but this touches on several related issues I’ve come across trying to use InstaDMG vice the “Gold Master” methodology for creating a deployment image.

Given a viable deployment image, “recovery image” issues are not much of a concern (fire up net boot, reinstall image from server. Go get a beer). That said, many applications are simply not being distributed on DVD anymore. iWork, for example, is still available via the apple store to buy as a DVD, but iLife isn’t (though in all fairness I can still track down a copy on Amazon).

This affects not only software that comes preloaded on new macs (iLife) that you want to create an InstaDMG-based image for, but any third party software you want to add to the deployed Macs as well.

From an individual user’s perspective, the app store is great. Buy the app, re-download it whenever you need it if your drive dies, or if you switch to a new computer.

From a deployment perspective – especially with limited bandwidth, this is less ideal, but still workable. You can buy apple apps in bulk (http://www.apple.com/mac/volume-licensing/) – and redeem them, but do you really want 30+ computers downloading their own copies of iPhoto, etc? And if the computers aren’t individually assigned you’re not going to keep buying copies for everyone who potentially touches the computer, and I for one don’t want to track appleID’s on a per-computer basis.

Alternatively, you can use the other method – keep a “golden” mac for updates (because the deployed macs won’t see the updates), and re-image that. Or better yet, use something like composer to create install packages that can be incorporated into instaDMG. This of course requires you to keep a “golden” mac around.

What there currently is NOT an apple-based solution for, is a way to volume license third-party software that is app-store only, without having to purchase or redeem each copy through a separate appleID (and even redeeming is on the order of “buy a gift card” for non-apple products). Perhaps in those cases one can talk directly to the software company about paying them for x licenses and then buy a copy in the app store for the actual deployment.

[larkost]

There is the techical side, and then there is the licensing side. The techical side of this conversation is not really difficult, and so you can use these methods very easily.

However, the licensing side is where things get a little less certain. So my advice is this:

1) Talk to your Apple representative about your licensing concerns. Ask them to put their solutions in writing for you (your leagal team will be happier).

2) Where you run into difficulties make sure you write to your Apple representatives, remember this is the written word not the spoken one, so that it can be passed along up the chain at Apple. Get most important person in your oganization’s name on it that you can. That is to say the person who makes the biggest money decisions. In your message make sure to mention how much you purchase from Apple, and how much of that might be in danger. By doing this you are giving your Apple representatives the ammuniton they need to go up their chain to get things changed where they need to be changed.

3) File radars describing how you are having trouble with the current licensing situation. Think of this as another front you are working on. #1 and #2 are all about gettting the sales side of Apple leaning in your direction. This one is about gettting the techical side leaning in your direction. Rememeber: if there is not a Radar about it, then it never happened.

[88gb525dxQK4gt6u]

I am not sure if the case would apply here but for mass deploying iOS applications outside the US (or even inside the US using the golden master method) Apple recommend explicitly on their deployment guides to buy as many licenses as you need using the volume purchasing program, and keep the un-used codes as proof.

This not ideal solution seems to me that could be applied for the Mac Appstore. But as mentioned above make sure you cover your ass with something in writing.

FYI I read it on http://images.apple.com/education/docs/IOS_5_Education_Deployment_Guide.pdf page 20

[Anthony Reimer]

How this would work was unclear at the onset, but it has turned out pretty simply:
[list][*]You can buy any quantity of Apple software in a volume purchase; price is 50% off when you hit 20 copies
[*]You set up a single Apple ID, get a single redemption code and download the installer
[*]Deploy as you wish (InstaDMG, Golden Master, one by one, etc.), as it is a normal dmg/pkg installer[/list]
Third party software is pretty simple too:
[list][*]If the vendor sells the software outside of the App Store, buy it that way
[*]If they don’t publicly state that they sell outside of the App Store, talk to the vendor directly — it probably won’t be the first time the question has come up[/list]
We have vendors, for example, who support KeyServer license management software but you will never see it mentioned on their web site; you have to ask. For companies who only sell on the App Store, KeyServer support would be a great option for volume licensing, since volume licensees would usually have a server — have them chat with the people at Sassafras if they don’t know about it.

[Author]

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