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84 lines
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3.6 KiB
Markdown
84 lines
No EOL
3.6 KiB
Markdown
# Technology platform manages 15,000 iPads with Fleet
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A global technology company operates a platform that connects consumers with local businesses. Its ecosystem includes a large network of devices used by employees and partner businesses.
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To support this infrastructure, the company manages a massive mobile fleet of iPads alongside its corporate macOS devices.
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As the fleet grows, the team needs a more scalable way to manage devices using automation and version-controlled workflows.
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## At a glance
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* **Industry:** Technology platform services
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* **Devices managed:** ~15,000 iPads plus corporate macOS devices
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* **Primary requirements:** GitOps workflows, API-first management, Apple Business integration
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* **Previous challenge:** Manual enrollment processes and limited automation
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## The challenge
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Managing 15,000 mobile devices introduces operational complexity.
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The company relies on tools such as Workspace ONE and Jamf. These systems depend heavily on graphical interfaces and manual configuration processes.
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Device enrollment and configuration require significant manual effort. Configuration changes lack peer review and version control, which makes collaboration difficult.
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The team wants to manage devices using the same engineering practices they use for software development.
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## The evaluation criteria
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Fleet must meet three key requirements:
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1. **GitOps workflows**
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Integrate with GitHub Enterprise for version-controlled device management.
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2. **Apple Business integration**
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Seamlessly manage large numbers of iPads.
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3. **API-first management**
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Allow automation of all device management tasks.
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## The solution
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Fleet allows the company to treat device management like software development.
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Device configurations live in version-controlled repositories. Changes go through peer review before deployment.
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Fleet’s API powers several automated workflows. For example, device names synchronize automatically with the company’s inventory system, ensuring records remain accurate without manual updates.
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Fleet also integrates with Apple Business to automate provisioning of new devices.
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### A flexible migration strategy
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Migration speed varied by device type.
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Some device cohorts transitioned in as little as 17 days. macOS systems moved through user-initiated enrollment, while iPads underwent a clean provisioning process.
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This approach allowed the organization to expand Fleet adoption without disrupting operations.
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## The results
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Fleet introduced version control and peer review into device management workflows.
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Instead of relying on manual configuration through graphical interfaces, teams collaborated on device policies through code.
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This approach reduced configuration errors and improved operational reliability.
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Fleet also provided a unified platform for managing devices, allowing the IT team to operate efficiently despite the scale of the fleet.
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## Why they recommend Fleet
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Their recommendation focuses on alignment with modern engineering practices.
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Organizations that already rely on version control and CI/CD workflows extend those same practices to device management with Fleet.
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<meta name="articleTitle" value="Technology platform manages 15,000 iPads with Fleet">
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<meta name="authorFullName" value="Irena Reedy">
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<meta name="authorGitHubUsername" value="irenareedy">
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<meta name="category" value="case study">
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<meta name="publishedOn" value="2026-03-14">
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<meta name="description" value="A technology company manages 15,000 iPads with Fleet, using GitOps workflows and API automation to replace manual device management.">
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<meta name="useBasicArticleTemplate" value="true">
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<meta name="cardTitleForCustomersPage" value="Technology platform"> |