Prepress
JAMF Software Strengthens Macintosh IT Admin Features with Release of Casper Suite 7
Friday 26. June 2009 - Minneapolis-based JAMF Software announced today the launch of the Casper Suite Version 7. The Casper Suite simplifies the lives of system administrators with one centralized framework to inventory, image, update and maintain Macintosh computers.
The Casper Suite increases the efficiency of an IT staff, decreases the cost of ownership, and reduces liability for companies, schools and other organizations. With Version 7.0, JAMF Software sets the standard for Macintosh client management with the broadest and most in-depth list of features and functions for the platform, along with the support expertise to back it up.
There are seven major new features, and enhancements to version 7 of the Casper Suite, that make it an invaluable tool for IT departments.
Usage Management Tracking
Casper Suite 7 allows the tracking of an applications use on a per-machine basis. With usage management, IT managers can reclaim unused licenses and deliver them to users who need the applications, making the software deployment more efficient, thus reducing an organizations overall software costs.
Licensed Software Templates
The Casper Suite has always allowed IT departments to track the number of software copies deployed against the number that are owned. Now, license management has been improved with the introduction of licensed software templates allowing easier tracking of product bundles such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite. The new templates pre-define the contents of over 50 software packages. For example, the various editions of Adobe Creative Suite 4 (such as “Web Premium” or “Design Premium”) not only contain different software components, but also different versions of those components. The Casper Suite now makes it much easier to define and track such instances.
iPhone Inventory & Configuration Profile Deployment
Casper Suite 7 delivers significantly enhanced iPhone support. The new Recon Mobile application allows IT departments to image and install iPhone configuration profiles, containing settings such as preferences, wireless and VPN settings, as well as creating email accounts. IT managers are also able to pull inventory data about corporate iPhones from the Recon Mobile application as well as access the warranty status via their integrated Apple GSX accounts.
Drive Partitioning and Boot Camp Support when Imaging
The Casper Suite is now able to partition drives at image time and includes support for Boot Camp or to restore partitions. During the Casper Suite imaging process, or during maintenance, Winclone Boot Camp images can be delivered to Macs, including Windows software and applications.
Easy Adobe CS4 Deployment and Upgrades
The often-complex problem of group wide deployment and/or upgrading of Adobe CS4 applications has been solved. Casper Suite 7 uses native Adobe installers for Adobe CS4 products and updates to ensure simple and easy installation.
Improved Directory Binding Support
With the Casper Suite, administrators can automatically set up and store binding policiesnot only for Active Directory, but also for Open Directory, and third-party directory plugins such as LikeWise, ADmitMac and Centrify. Administrators can then bind computers while imaging or create policies to bind computers remotely.
Manage and enforce specific preferences
Administrators can enforce specific preferences at each login (for example, screensaver password, login items, dock settings) with an easy to use interface that is compatible with any third-party application that utilizes standard preference files.
The new features enhance Casper Suites already unrivalled toolset for Mac IT administrators. “By listening to our customers and working with the development community, were able to build a relevant, timely and reliable toolset for the Mac community,” comments Blaine Mattson, Sales and Marketing Director at JAMF Software. “Our goal is to provide systems administrators the broadest feature set available for managing Macs.”