New Features Include Offline macOS Management, Task Sequence Support and Efficiency Tools
Singapore – June 13, 2018 – Parallels today unveiled Parallels® Mac Management 7 for Microsoft® SCCM (parallels.com/mac-management) which features new off-premise management improvements and efficiency tools that streamline daily tasks for IT managers.
“Microsoft SCCM is the standard that most enterprises use to manage their PCs,” said Parallels president Jack Zubarev. “However, the increasing number of Mac® devices provides both management and security challenges. Parallels Mac Management 7 extends Microsoft SCCM and makes it the best solution for managing Mac devices, whether or not they are physically on-premise.”
“We have recommended Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM to many other colleges and universities because it makes it easy for our IT department to manage our Mac and PC devices through one pane of glass,” said Kyle Tousignant, senior desktop systems engineer at Wesleyan University. “Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM is a powerful and cost-effective plugin that doesn’t add any third-party infrastructure to my network. Parallels Mac Management 7 and its new Internet-based computer management will allow us to quickly enroll Mac devices for traveling or remote users and empower our IT team to easily monitor them to enforce compliance, wherever they are physically located.”
In addition, businesses with complex network configurations now have a simpler alternative with offline macOS® imaging via an external USB drive. Significantly streamlining macOS imaging, the bootloader and Parallels Task Sequence Wizard can be placed on a USB, while files remain on the Distribution Points with no need to configure IP helpers or have PXE and Netboot servers.
Parallels Mac Management 7 for Microsoft SCCM now includes a number of new features such as additional task sequence and installer support, which improves efficiencies including:
- Internet-Based Mac Client Management: Easily manage Mac computers when they are not connected to a company network but have a standard Internet connection.
- Offline macOS Imaging from an External USB Drive: The bootloader and Parallels Task Sequence Wizard are located on the USB drive, while the rest of the OSD files remain on the Distribution Points.
- Non-OSD Task Sequence Support: Improve efficiency by creating task sequencing that does not include a ‘Deploy macOS’ step, which is mandatory in previous versions. Now IT admins can deploy multiple software packages or perform configuration of Mac devices via an SCCM task sequences mechanism, just like when managing Windows PCs.
- Send Hardware Inventory on Request: IT administrators can now initiate the collection of Mac hardware inventory from the Microsoft SCCM Console.
- New Installer with Support for In-Place Upgrades: Streamlines Parallels Mac Management deployment and adds support for an in-place upgrade from a previous version.
- Manual Mac Client Authentication: Enhance the user experience while reducing unnecessary IT admin workloads by manually initiating authentication via the System Preferences applet.
Parallels Mac Management 7 for Microsoft SCCM empowers IT admins and system architects (as well as CIOs) to quickly and cost-effectively extend their current Microsoft SCCM infrastructure to control Mac and PC computers from anywhere through one familiar interface. IT departments now have more tools at their disposal to increase security, efficiency and even help drive business decisions without the cost of an additional infrastructure.
Availability and Pricing
Parallels Mac Management 7 is available today, with pricing starting at US$45 annually per Mac. Its features and details are available online at parallels.com/mac-management. Additionally, Parallels Desktop® for Mac Business Edition (parallels.com/business), the simplest and most secure way to provide Windows applications to employees with Mac computers, can be added to Parallels Mac Management.
About Parallels
Parallels is a global leader in cross-platform solutions which make it possible and simple for customers to use and access the applications and files they need on any device or operating system. Parallels helps customers take advantage of the best technology out there, whether it’s Windows, Mac, iOS, Android™ or the cloud. Parallels solves complex engineering and user-experience problems by making it simple and cost-effective for businesses and individual customers to use applications wherever they may be—local, remote, in the private datacenter or in the cloud. Parallels has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Visit parallels.com/about for more information.
