Are you Ready to Deploy MacOS Big Sur?

 Are you Ready to Deploy MacOS Big Sur?

Check List:

Delay software update Policy in your MDM for Testing MacOS BigSur.

Enrol to AppleSeed for IT Program and Beta Test and Complete all Test.

Evaluation of MacOS Big Sur Brand new UI, features and Capabilities.

IT infrastructure like VPN, printer Drivers, Application and Management Policy Test Completed.

Training and Announced of Launch for Internal Team.

 

macOS Big Sur Compatible devices:

(https://www.apple.com/macos/big-sur-preview/)

• 1. iMac 2014+
• 2. iMac Pro 2017 
• 3. Mac Pro 2013+ 
• 4. MacMini 2014+ 
• 5. MacBook 2015+ 
• 6. MacBook Air 2013+ 
• 7. MacBook Pro 2013+

Plan for upgrade:

Prepare Package:

Download Install macOS Big Sur app from the Mac App Store.

Build a pkg using Package building tools. Like the Composer, VMware Airwatch Admin Assistant app.

Upload the pkg to MDM.

Create a Policy to deploy in End-user Device.

Jamf MDM users: 

Upload the Package to Jamf Pro console using Jamf Admin.

Option A

Cache Install

1. Log in to Jamf Pro. 
2. Click Computers at the top of the page. 
3. Click Policies. 
4. Click New 
5. In the General payload, enter a display name for the policy. For example, “Cache Install macOS Big Sur.pkg”. 
6. Select Recurring Check-in as the trigger. 
7. Choose “Once per Computer” from the Execution Frequency pop-up menu. 
8. Select the Packages payload and click Configure. 
9. Click Add for the PKG file. 
10. Choose “Cache” from the Action pop-up menu. 
11. Specify a distribution point for computers to download the package from. 
12. Select the Maintenance payload and click Configure. 
13. Ensure that the Update Inventory checkbox is selected. 
14. Click the Scope tab and configure the scope of the policy. 
15. Save 

Create a Smart Computer Group with the Cached PKG File

1. Click Computers at the top of the page. 
2. Click Smart Computer Groups. 
3. Click New. 
4. On the Computer Group pane, enter a display name for the smart computer group. For example, “Install MacOS Big Sur.pkg Cached”. 
5. Click the Criteria tab. 
6. Click Add.
   
7. Click Choose for “Cached Packages”.
   Note: Only your 30 most frequently used criteria are listed. To display additional criteria, click Show Advanced Criteria. 
8. Choose “has” from the Operator pop-up menu. 
9. Click Browse. 
10. Click Choose for the PKG file.
    Note: The PKG file is not available as a value until it has been cached on at least one computer. 
11. Click Save.

Create a Policy for Upgrading macOS

Option 1 self service:

1. Click Computers at the top of the page. 
2. Click Policies. 
3. Click New. 
4. In the General payload, enter a display name for the policy. For example, “Upgrade macOS”. 
5. Choose “Once per Computer” from the Execution Frequency pop-up menu. 
6. Select the Packages payload and click Configure. 
7. Click Add for the Install macOS Big sur.pkg file.
8. Choose “Install Cached” from the Action pop-up menu.
9. Select the Files and Processes payload and click Configure. 
10. In the Execute Command field, enter the file path to the installer with the --startosinstall command. For example, "/file/path/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall". (To suppress end-user messages during installation, add the --agreetolicense flag to the command).
11. Click the Scope tab. 
12. Click Add. 
13. Click the Computer Groups tab. 
14. Click Add for the smart computer group with the cached PKG file you just created. 
15. Click the Self Service tab. 
16. Select Make the policy available in Self Service. 
17. Configure how the policy is displayed in Self Service using the settings on the pane. 
18. Click Save.

Option 2 Creating Policy for upgrading macOS Automatically:

1. Click Computers at the top of the page. 
2. Click Policies. 
3. Click New. 
4. In the General payload, enter a display name for the policy. For example, “Upgrade macOS”. 
5. Choose “Once per Computer” from the Execution Frequency pop-up menu. 
6. Select the Packages payload and click Configure. 
7. Click Add for the Install macOS Big Sur.pkg file. 
8. Choose “Install Cached” from the Action pop-up menu. 
9. Select the Files and Processes payload and click Configure. 
10. In the Execute Command field, enter the file path to the installer with the --startosinstall command. For example, "/file/path/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall" (Optional) To suppress user messages while installing macOS, add the --agreetolicense flag to the command. 

12. Click the Scope tab. 
13. Click Add  . 
14. Click the Computer Groups tab. 
15. Click Add for the smart computer group with the cached PKG file you just created. 
16. Click the User Interaction tab and enter messages to display to users or allow users to defer the policy. 
17. Click Save.

Option B

Direct Install:

Purchase Mac OS Installer from Apple Business Manager from Apps and Book.

1. Click Computers at the top of the page. 
2. Click Mac App Store Apps. 
3. Click New. 
4. Do one of the following: 
• To add the app by browsing the App Store, enter the name of the app, choose an App Store country, and then click Next. Then click Add for the app you want to add. 

5. Use the General pane to configure settings for the app, including the distribution method. For apps distributed using managed distribution, you can also enable automatic app updates. 
6. Click the Scope tab and configure the scope of the app. 
7. Click the Self Service tab and configure the way the app is displayed in Self Service. 
8. You can customize the text displayed in the description for the app in Self Service by using Markdown in the Description field.
9. Click the Managed Distribution tab, and then click the Device Assignments tab.
10. Select the Assign Volume Content checkbox. 
11. Choose the location that has purchased the app to distribute to computers.
12. Click Save 
13. Click Computers at the top of the page. 
14. Click Policies. 
15. Click New. 
16. In the General payload, enter a display name for the policy. For example, “Upgrade macOS”. 
17. Choose “Once per Computer” from the Execution Frequency pop-up menu. 
18. Select the Files and Processes payload and click Configure. 
19. In the Execute Command field, enter the file path to the installer with the --startosinstall command. For example, "/file/path/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall" (Optional) To suppress user messages while installing macOS, add the --agreetolicense flag to the command. 

12. Click the Scope tab. 
13. Click Add. 
14. Click the Computer Groups.
15. Click Save.

VMware | workspace One MDM:

Option A

1. In the Workspace ONE UEM Console, click Apps & Books.
2. Expand Applications and click Native.
3. Select Purchase
4. Click Sync Assets 
5. Enable Device Assignment for. MacOS upgrade
6. Click Ok click Save and Assign
7. Assign to Pre-Big Sur Device
8. Set Assignment Type
9. Click Save and Publish.
10. Click Add Application on the Internal tab.
11. Upload macOS Application to Workspace ONE.
12. Upload Metadata File
13. Add Image to App
14. Assign the Application On-Demand
15. Save and Publish

Option B

.

1. Click Add Application on the Internal tab.
2. Upload macOS Application to Workspace ONE.
3. Upload Metadata File
4. Add Image to App
5. Assign the Application On-Demand
6. Save and Publish

Configure Post Install Script in Workspace one.

1. In the Workspace ONE UEM Console, click Devices.
2. Expand Profiles & Resources and click Profiles.
3. Click Add.
4. Click Add Profile
5. Select Profile Platform and Context - Select Apple macOS> Select Device Profile.
6. Configure General macOS Device Profile Settings
7. Configure Custom Attributes Payload (paste the Install script)
8. Set the Execution Interval to Schedule.
9. Set Report Every to 8 Hours.
10. Click Save and Publish, then click Publish.

Note:  please validate the script, this plan is for reference only. I am not responsible if any data loss