mobile device management (MDM)

A service that lets you remotely manage enrolled devices. Once a device is enrolled, you can use the MDM service over the network to configure settings and perform other tasks on the device without user interaction.

For management, devices are enrolled with an MDM server using an enrollment configuration profile, which can be done directly by the user. For organization-owned devices, MDM enrollment can be automated using Apple School Manager. When an administrator initiates an MDM policy, changes settings, or sends a command, the device receives notification of the action through the Apple Push Notification service (APNs). With a network connection, devices can receive APNs commands anywhere in the world.

Using MDM you can also distribute, manage, and configure content purchased through the Apps and Books section of Apple School Manager or developed in-house.

To learn more about deploying and managing Apple hardware, software, apps, and services in your organization, see Apple Platform Deployment.