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Agent Distribution II: macOS Devices

Distribute Empirum Agent on Modern Devices

With the power of Matrix42 Unified Endpoint Management, you can benefit from combining the capabilities of a modern enterprise mobility management solution with all the capabilities that the classic lifecycle management provides. With a hybrid management it is very easy to provide a streamlined onboarding process for new employees on macOS or Windows 10/11 platform devices, where devices will be shipped to employees to utilize an Out-of-the-box enrollment with the Apple Device Enrollment Program or Windows 10/11 Autopilot to a modern management layer (Silverback) and the fulfillment of classic management scenarios (Empirum), like installations of legacy applications. This ensures an easy starting process for new employees which is very easy to handle, fast and quite unique in the Secure Unified Endpoint Management market. In such scenarios the device is set up and configured with Silverback, which will be leveraged to install the Empirum Agent on top. The following guide describes the steps and configuration to achieve co-managed devices with Matrix42 Secure Unified Endpoint Management. 

Requirements

  • The UEM Agent must be able to connect to the Empirum (depot) server. Usually this will be done via https
  • Empirum should be prepared for automatic assignments in order to automate the process of assigning and activating computers
  • Mac Empirum Agent for Silverback minimum version 2102.0
  • On Apple Silicon devices in combination with macOS components until 2107, ensure to have Rosetta 2 activated.  Open Terminal and run /usr/sbin/softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license to install Rosetta 2 before deploying the Empirum Agent. For newer macOS components version, the Rosetta 2 installation is not required.
  • Configured File Upload Service

Agent Integration

There are two options to download and integrate the UEM Agent in Silverback.

  1. Automated integration (recommended)
  2. Manual integration (optional)

Automated integration

  • Open the Unified User Experience
  • Login with UEM Object Library Manager or Administrative credentials
  • Navigate to Agent Configurations
  • Select Templates
  • Select the Agent Template which will be used as configuration for the integrated UEM Agent.
  • Click on "Integrate UEM Agent in Silverback"
  • The dialog shows the option to integrate the Windows and macOS UEM Agent. Click on one or both buttons to automatically integrate the UEM Agent. An App and a associated Tag will automatically created.
  • Close the dialog
  • Follow the steps in Create Assignment

Manual integration

Download UEM Agent

  • Open Matrix42 Marketplace and perform a login
  • Navigate to Empirum
  • Navigate to Add-Ons 
  • Navigate to macOS Components
  • Click Details and Downloads
  • Download the latest macOS Components
  • Unzip the package
  • Open the unzipped folder and navigate to 
    • Mac EmpirumAgent for Silverback
  • Here you should see now 2 files
  • Proceed with Unified User Experience

Add to Software Library

  • Open your Unified User Experience
  • Login with Administrative credentials
  • Navigate to Software Distribution
  • Select Apps 
  • Click + Add Application
  • Drag and drop now the EmpirumAgent.pkg file

As there is a validation for *.pkg, please ensure to have the file type in lowercase. 

  • Enter as Name e.g. Matrix42 UEM Agent
  • Enter a description
  • Upload an icon (optional)
  • Under Configuration, enter your adjusted installation parameters
    • e.g with the sample XML configuration parameters: 
<dict>
     <key>CommonParameters</key>
     <dict>
          <key>Servername</key>
          <string>empirum.imagoverum.com</string>
          <key>Username</key>
          <string>IV\agentuser</string>
          <key>Password</key>
          <string>C1125447A6305BB8259495B37C348B3464D31A5AB7B888387E8021388FD1B1FF335CB5094D9D9444B3D2CBB27AB6EE9242A56121F8CCC0B2</string>
     </dict>
     <key>Protocols</key>
     <array>
          <dict>
               <key>Type</key>
               <string>https</string>
               <key>Servername</key>
               <string>empirum.imagoverum.com</string>
               <key>Port</key>
               <string>443</string>
          </dict>
     </array>
</dict>

The password is encrypted with the Empirum tool Empcrypt

  • Press Upload
  • Wait until the upload process is finished
  • Press Finish

You can review the Add application process in the Administration application under Integration > Enterprise Service Bus > Remote Actions

Create Assignment 

  • Navigate to Assignments
  • Click + Add Assignment
  • Enter a name, e.g. Unified Endpoint Management Agent
  • Enter a description e.g. Unified Endpoint Management Agent deployment to modern managed macOS devices (optional)
  • Change the Status to Active
  • Click Devices
  • Click + 
  • Select your target device(s) and proceed with Select
  • Click Objects
  • Locate the application name, e.g. Matrix42 UEM Agent with the Object Type: Tag 

Tags are assignable Objects for Modern managed devices. 

  • Select the Matrix42 UEM Agent (Tag) 
  • Proceed with Select 
  • Press Summary
  • Review your Configuration, Assigned Devices and Assigned Objects
  • Press Save to finish the assignment
  • Wait until the assignment process is finished

The Tag is now assigned to included macOS devices and when the device the next time performs a check-in, the UEM Agent will be installed automatically. To speed up the process you can initiate remotely a device sync, which will be explained in the following sections.  

Device Synchronization

After the Assignment is done, you can initiate a device sync for speed up the Agent Installation on your target device(s). 

  • Navigate to Endpoint Devices
  • Locate your target device(s), which you added to the Assignment

Before installing the agent, the Management Type Modern is displayed

  • Click on the device to open the Device Preview
  • Press Refresh to force a device check-in 

Review Agent Installation 

Head over now to your managed macOS device(s)

Agent Installation 

  • The agent will now be transferred to the device. It may take some time. Please be patient 
  • Open your System Preferences
  • Navigate to Profiles
  • In the left panel you should see now a new Profile, Silverback Managed Preferences
  • Open Finder
  • Select Go in the Status Bar
  • Select Go to Folder
  • Enter /Library/Application Support/matrix42/
  • Click Go
  • Here you should see two Folders named as Empirum and EmpirumAgent
  • After a couple of time the Empirum Agent icon should appear within the Status Bar in the upper right

A reboot might be required on the target machine

  • Press alt/option on your keyboard and perform a left click on the Empirum Agent
  • Select General Information
  • Here you should see your connection information

Co-Managed State 

  • After the agent installation, perform again in the Unified User Experience a device refresh
  • Click Refresh to refresh the current tab 
  • The Management Status should now switch from Modern to Co-Managed

Next Steps

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