Evaluating Mac Computers for the EnterpriseStrategies and Best Practices for Planning, Testing,and Deploying the Mac Successfully in Your Enterprise

August 2008

�White PaperEvaluating Mac Computers for the Enterprise

Contents

Page 3 Why Mac in Your EnterpriseReal-World ChoicesSucceeding Together

Page 5 Planning and Executing a Successful EvaluationGap Analysis and Success Criteria DefinitionProof-of-Concept DevelopmentPilot Project DeploymentGeneral Availability SupportTimeline

Page 10 Lessons LearnedScope DefinitionIT Staff TrainingEnd-User Training

Page 11 How Apple Can Help PlanningProcurementDeploymentEnterprise Service and Support

Page 13 Summary

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Why Mac in Your Enterprise

You may be aware that the Mac offers a sleek, elegant industrial design and an intuitive user interface. And you probably know about the superb graphics and video-handling capabilities of the Mac. But what you may not realize is that the Mac is powerful, secure, and flexible enough to act as a full-fledged citizen on your enterprise network.

Today, C-level executives and IT managers are looking to tap into technology that can give their companies an edge. From the world’s only laptops that can start up in Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, and Linux to powerful, flexible desktop and server products like the iMac, Mac Pro, Xserve, and Xsan, Apple is becoming part of the standard enter-prise infrastructure for many innovative companies.

When deploying Mac computers in your enterprise—commercial, government, or nonprofit—you can feel confident in knowing that many organizations have already discovered that the Mac easily integrates with an existing environment, can be managed seamlessly, saves money, and helps employees be more productive.

Mac computers can be part of an Active Directory environment, and can work on your existing corporate networks, comply with your security policies, and work with your existing approach to managing clients. The Mac OS supports a wide variety of common enterprise standards, including Active Directory, LDAP, 802.1X, NFS, RADIUS, and VPN. Many enterprises have successfully integrated large numbers of Mac computers into heterogeneous environments to make them first-class citizens on their networks.

The initial purchase price of a Mac is comparable to that of a PC, and the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the Mac can be substantially lower than that of a PC. Some of its greatest cost savings are directly related to lower support costs. In fact, enterprises with large Mac deployments typically experience fewer help-desk calls and less virus and bug downtime and require fewer updates.

Real-World ChoicesApple has found that when enterprises make the Mac part of their approved standard computer list and allow employees to choose, many people prefer the Mac.

• A well-known Internet firm allows new employees to choose their computers: Over 50 percent choose the Mac.

• A major government agency encourages scientists to choose their own systems: Over 80 percent choose the Mac.

• A large high-tech hardware firm lets mobile users choose their own laptops: Over 75 percent choose the Mac.

• A market-leading magazine publisher enables users to choose their own systems: Over 55 percent choose the Mac.

“ Apple has beefed up some features that are important to corporate users. Integration problems with Microsoft’s Active Directory— a big sticking point that required third-party tools and workarounds—have been resolved in the Leopard release. Users can now update their own directory profiles, and digital sign-ing is now supported, allaying the fears of security-minded IT folks.

Adding to its appeal with administrators is the fact that OS X, unlike Windows, is based on the UNIX operating system and open standards such as Samba file and print services, the NFS file sharing protocol, RADIUS secure remote access, and LDAP directory services.

… it’s much easier to plug Macs into a corpo-rate setting than it was just 12 months ago.”

—Computerworld, “Can Macs conquer the enterprise? The time is ripe...” January 10, 2008.

�White PaperEvaluating Mac Computers for the Enterprise

The Mac can be deployed and managed just like every other computer on the network, so why not let employees choose the systems they prefer to use, especially if it can help save the organization money too?

Organizations are implementing large-scale deployments of Mac computers for mission-critical projects. For example:

• A major pharmaceutical/biotech company has deployed over 2000 Mac laptops for its sales force and is expanding to other groups.

• A large government organization has deployed 2000 Mac computers for a collabora-tive training environment.

• A well-known high-tech company is deploying 2000 Mac computers for its engineers to use for software development and testing.

Succeeding TogetherMaking the Mac part of your standard configuration options or deploying a large number of Mac computers in your organization can be done effectively by following some best practices. Following is an overview of some of the key steps in planning and implementing a successful deployment of Mac computers in your enterprise. Apple’s experience in working with large enterprises in pilot projects—from a simple proof of concept all the way to a full, enterprisewide deployment—can help you with this transition.

“ If you start with Apple’s relatively short list of SKUs...and then look for comparable Windows machines, you’ll find that Apple bests the competition in some ways and not others, but the pricing overall is surprisingly on par.”

—Scott. Finnie, Computerworld, “Mac vs. PC cost analysis: How does it all add up?” June 8, 2007.

“There’s no doubt that Apple’s approach resonates with enterprise IT in that you buy it once and deploy it everywhere without getting into lots of individual, additional license fees.”

—Michael Gartenberg, JupiterResearch, in Computerworld, “Microsoft vs. Apple: You do the math,” March 3, 2008.

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Planning and Executing a Successful Evaluation

Completing a successful evaluation and deployment usually involves a straightforward process for testing, integrating, and deploying Mac computers into heterogeneous environments. Working with Apple, you want to consider undertaking these four steps:

• Gap analysis and success criteria definition • Proof-of-concept development• Pilot project deployment• General availability support

Gap Analysis and Success Criteria DefinitionBefore engaging in even a proof of concept, it’s important to have a clear plan of the tasks a Mac needs to be able to fulfill for it to be a valuable part of your organization. Determine where Mac computers can best fit in your organization before you begin a full-scale pilot.

You can start with a gap analysis by collecting a list of the business tasks and applica-tions that your target user populations are currently running on existing computers. Together with Apple, you can then assess how best to accomplish those tasks on a Mac. Usually the same applications are available for the Mac, but sometimes you may need to look for equivalent alternatives or consider running some applications under virtualization in the short term.

Defining and documenting success criteria is an often overlooked, but critical, step for successful pilots. One of the tools available to help you is an Apple-developed client management assessment scale. Using this scale, you can clearly define your desired level of capabilities and policies to manage and support your Mac computers. In addition, by reviewing the technical materials available and by working with Apple, you can achieve your targeted support and management level.

Completion of the gap analysis and success criteria definition step has been the single most important factor in successful pilot projects of Mac computer deployment in enterprises.

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Scope DefinitionSelect a group of employees to use for the proof of concept and the pilot evaluation that resembles the population to which you’ll eventually deploy the Mac computers. The population to look for in this proof-of-concept and pilot group includes power users and employees with a willingness to try new products. You also want to match the type of work this group accomplishes to the key strengths of the Mac.

The proof-of-concept group is typically on the scale of 10 to 20 users, while the pilot group should be large enough for you to be able to estimate eventual cost savings from a wider scale deployment. Pilot projects consisting of 100 to 500 Mac computers have yielded good results for many of Apple’s larger commercial and government customers.

Apple products are used successfully in all types of job functions and usage models across commercial and government organizations—from mobility and engineering solutions to traditional creative solutions and more. The Mac is an especially good fit for groups with these characteristics:

• Extremely mobile (sales force, executives)• Develop and test software or web-based content (IT, engineering, web design)• Regularly use multiple operating systems or open source applications • Work with rich media—both video and graphics• Responsible for internal and external communications (training, marketing) • Want to reduce their support costs from help-desk calls, viruses, and bug patches

Software and Hardware SelectionDocumenting the software and hardware that your employees currently use is the first step in performing a gap analysis. You want to document the software capabilities that are mandatory or optional in the pilot group’s typical work. Most traditional productivity and enterprise applications are available for the Mac, including Microsoft Office, as well as most client-based versions of enterprise-class ERP and CRM applications. Web-based applications work well with Safari or Firefox browsers on the Mac.

Custom-developed applications can usually run or easily be recompiled to run on a Mac. In addition to supporting the typical computer programming environments, such as C and C++ available on a Mac, many open source languages, tools, and development environments are built into Mac OS X, including Java, Perl, Ruby on Rails, AJAX, and many more.

Software applications that are unavailable today for the Mac often have similar functioning equivalents available from third-party vendors or may be in the midst of porting to the Mac. With the various virtualization options available, you can often run your key Windows, Linux, or Solaris-based solutions directly on your Mac in a virtualized operating system window. Your Apple account team can assess the critical and optional software products needed for your pilot group. They can assist in finding alternatives and show you how others have handled similar situations.

The selection of Apple products also depends on the nature of the work and the employee population. Apple offers a range of hardware choices, as well as configure-to-order options, so you can get the desktop, laptop, or server combination that best fits your needs. Your Apple account team can guide you through the choices to select the mix that’s optimal for your test environment. For more information about available Mac models, visit www.apple.com/getamac/whichmac.html.

If you have a specific set of applications (including custom-built applications) that you want installed on your systems before Apple ships them, or if you would like unique asset tags placed on your equipment, Apple’s Enterprise Sales group can usually help you. Customizing your systems before they arrive can reduce the cost of acquiring and distributing Mac computers.

Third-party software applicationsA comprehensive listing of third-party software applications available for the Mac is located in the Macintosh Products Guide at http://guide.apple.com.

To learn more about software development on Mac OS X, visit www.apple.com/macosx/developer.

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Success Metrics IdentificationSetting success metrics and obtaining internal approval on them before the project begins is critical to the success of most pilot projects. Organizations typically get the best results when they use multiple milestones and success metrics so they can track progress over time and assess a project against a variety of criteria.

Often large enterprises question whether their existing Mac computers and new Mac computers deployed for a pilot project can be managed using the same client management policies and techniques as their PCs. The answer is yes. Apple has devel-oped a client management scale to help you assess your current and desired levels of Mac client management. After determining your current level of management using the Mac client management assessment scale, you can decide whether you want to increase it. The following are suggested measures. The noted levels do not represent a grade or value judgment; they simply describe a degree of management achieved. Mac computers can function effectively at any of the five levels of client management. There is no single, correct answer for how to manage the Mac in your environment. You must balance costs, benefits, and risks to determine the level that best suits your organization’s needs. Following is a summary of the Mac client management assess-ment scale, noting evaluations in seven different categories.

Mac Client Management Assessment Scale in the Enterprise

Level 1 � 3 � 5

Software imaging None Basic Basic Basic Advanced

Image and application None Basic Basic Network Advanced deployment

Directory services None None Centralized Centralized Centralized users users users

Support Hard Hard Easy Easy Very easy

Management policies None None None Managed Managed client client

Maintenance Hard Hard Hard Hard Managed

Security Minimal Minimal plus Better Good Very Good

Bottom line Scary Better Getting there Good Great

Many enterprises use this scale and associated best practices to develop detailed evaluation project plans. Your Apple account team can provide you with a copy of the Client Management Best Practices white paper or work with you in more detail to help you take advantage of these tips for your environment.

Some other metrics that have worked well for Apple’s commercial and government customers in evaluating the success of their pilot projects are:

• TCO savings from using the Mac. Track the number of help-desk calls and gauge the cost savings in CALs, software updates, virus updates, and hardware issues.

• Checklists of key capabilities. Assess how well the Mac can work within an Active Directory environment, follow security policies, use VPNs, and provide the ability for remote management (track, deploy, maintain, and control) similar to that available on other platforms.

• User surveys. Conduct a post-evaluation survey of user satisfaction and productivity to compare scores with the previous systems used.

• Risk/security assessment. Evaluate how the deployment of Mac computers lowers the risk to your IT infrastructure due to cyber-diversity and reduced impact of viruses.

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Proof-of-Concept DevelopmentAfter completing the gap analysis and success criteria definition step, you’re ready to begin the proof of concept (PoC). This often involves purchasing and distributing 10 to 20 Mac computers to mainly IT staff. This is the time when basic functionality of the systems can be tested and proven to work with your existing infrastructure. PoC participants should use the systems on a daily basis and exercise as many of the proposed applications as possible using the gap analysis as a guide to ensure feature parity between Mac and existing computers.

By working closely with Apple, you can be confident that any issues that arise can be quickly resolved and that the testing can stay on track.

During the PoC, you want to test new capabilities provided by the Mac and determine the best approach to manage and deploy the new Mac computers in your organization. Some organizations prefer to use their existing processes, while others have taken advantage of this opportunity to build a new and improved client management and deployment topology to further reduce costs.

At the end of the PoC, the original success metrics are revisited and possibly refined based on lessons learned. These metrics are then used going forward into the pilot project.

Pilot Project DeploymentAfter a successful PoC, the next step is to roll out a larger pilot project using the tech-niques that have been proven during the PoC. While still limited in scope, the pilot should be run as closely as possible to how a full-scale deployment would be run.

A wide variety of technical and IT process guidelines are available to train your IT staff in best practices for this rollout. Some customers prefer to hire Apple’s Professional Services team, outside system integrators, or other service providers to help implement their pilot programs.

A key task in a successful pilot is to designate an owner for the pilot—assigned from within your organization or hired as a temporary project manager. This person should run regular status meetings with all parties involved to review progress against the defined metrics and to resolve any issues.

General Availability SupportOnce the pilot has been successfully completed, your organization will be fully capable of scaling further to support general availability of Mac computers to either all of your users or large groups of them. All of the technology and control processes have been tested and proven during the PoC and pilot steps.

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Timeline

The timeline for an evaluation of Mac computers within an enterprise can vary dramatically, depending on the size of the pilot and the nature of the organization. While no one approach is right, a typical enterprise customer might implement the following timeline for a successful pilot evaluation project.

Three to four weeks Preparation stage

• Identifythescopeofthedeployment. •Definesoftwareandhardwareneedsforthegapanalysis. •Determinesuccessmetrics. •Developadetailedevaluationrolloutandtestplan. •Gainmanagementsupportfortheplan. •GetonsitedemoofMacOSXv10.5Leopard. •MeetwithAppleEnterpriseSalesaccountteamtodiscussevaluationplans.

Three to six weeks Proof of concept

• Configureanddistributecomputerstopowerusers. •Deploynecessaryusercommunicationandtraining. • ConsultwithAppleaccountteamforbestpractices,knowledgetransfer,andany additionalresourcesrequired. •Gatherfeedbackonwhatworks,andquicklyaddressanytechnicalissuesthatarise.

Two to three weeks Proof-of-concept analysis

•AssessresultsofPoCagainstpreviouslydeterminedsuccesscriteria. •Measurebothquantitativeandqualitativefactorswhilestillfresh. •DiscussinitialresultswithAppleEnterpriseaccountteamtoplannextsteps. • Summarizefindingsandrecommendationsforinternaldecisions.

Two to three months Pilot project

•DeployMaccomputersto100to500usersthatfallwithinthepreviously determinedscope. •Deployusercommunicationandtraining. • Exercisebestpracticestoensurethatthemethodologyusedduringthepilotcan beeasilyscaledtolargernumbers. •WorkwithyouraccountteamandotherresourcestoensurethatyourITstaffis fullyabletosupportthepilot.

Two to three weeks Pilot project analysis

•Makeanyfinaltweaksnecessarybasedonfeedbackfromthepilotgroup. • Refinethescopeofgeneralavailabilitybasedonlessonslearnedfromthepilot. •Moveintowide-scaledeployment.

Apple Professional ServicesIf you need assistance with large-scale deployments or any other broad technical needs, contact Apple Professional Services, a team of expert consultants who provide a range of deployment and integration services. For more information about Apple Professional Services, visit www.apple.com/services/consulting.

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Lessons Learned

Three major stumbling blocks have caused enterprise Mac evaluation projects to progress more slowly than expected. All can be avoided with proper planning.

Scope DefinitionOrganizations that don’t properly define the project scope often waste resources trying to make the Mac work in ways that may not make sense. A large number of users in your organization may want to be part of this pilot process. It is important to select those who meet the characteristics previously described and to work towards a clear set of success metrics. Without an initial focused effort, you may not achieve the potential cost savings or user satisfaction.

A well-developed gap analysis, success criteria definition, and project plan can go a long way toward helping you ensure that you have properly defined the scope for a successful pilot.

IT Staff TrainingMac computers can work within your existing IT infrastructure, and many of the same methodologies and techniques that you use with other computers can be applied to the Mac. To achieve the best results, however, there may be some differences. A variety of resources is available to train and support your IT staff. The willingness of an IT staff to learn and use new techniques and tools has been a key factor in the success of large-scale deployments.

End-User TrainingWhile Mac computers are very easy to use and typically provide a more productive environment than computers currently in use, they may not provide the same familiar experience for users.

Customers who have had the most successful pilots develop a plan to train their pilot users for an easy transition. You can work with Apple to evaluate the right combina-tion of onsite training, user guides, online training, and other resources to support your users. The more productive users become, the fewer the calls that the help desk will get, and the more quickly you will achieve the cost savings possible with a Mac deployment in your organization.

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How Apple Can Help

Apple’s Enterprise Sales group can help you in the four key steps of evaluating and deploying the Mac:

• Planning• Procurement• Deployment• Enterprise service and support

PlanningBefore you begin a large-scale deployment of Mac computers, you may want to meet with the experts from Apple’s Enterprise Sales group to develop a comprehensive plan. Learning best practices from other enterprises might save you time and improve the impact of your deployment. In addition, your account team can answer technical ques-tions and provide a liaison to Apple hardware and software engineers for questions that require additional assistance. By working with your account executive, you can even schedule an in-depth meeting with Apple engineers and executives at one of the Apple Executive Briefing Centers around the country.

ProcurementApple’s Enterprise Sales group offers a variety of ways to explore how Mac computers can fit into your company. Apple offers a Try & Buy program and an equipment seed pool for short-term loans. When you are ready to make a larger purchase, your account team can provide a quote as well as options for custom, build-to-order systems if needed. To simplify ongoing purchases, the Apple Enterprise Sales group can create an online Apple Store tailored for your organization to make it easier to purchase additional systems.

Many large organizations want custom asset tags on their systems and specific software images preinstalled from the factory so that employees can open a box and have their system ready to run within their environment. Apple Enterprise Sales can provide the asset tagging and custom software image loading services with ease.

Many organizations prefer to conserve capital and realize the value in leasing their computers. Apple Financial Services features customized, flexible, and easy-to- use lease options for businesses. Leasing helps create predictable payments and manage technology obsolescence for Apple or non-Apple equipment and services. Here are some advantages of using Apple Financial Services:

• Fast approvals• Range of payment structures• Flexible terms• Bundled solution• Trade-in options

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Deployment An important key to deploying Apple in your enterprise is to reduce or eliminate any special accommodations needed to support your Mac computers. When you purchase Apple products, you receive expert presales support for planning, technical questions, and more. However, some organizations have requirements that go beyond basic installation/integration services; they are looking for expertise in developing a custom, turnkey solution.

The Apple Professional Services team is staffed by Apple experts who can help you assess your technology needs, provide onsite deployment, determine best practices, and offer integration services. Apple Professional Services can also guide you to other resources, such as AppleCare support plans that can help maximize the ROI on your solution. This type of mentoring, combined with Apple’s certification process, can facilitate the levels of self-sufficiency that organizations want as they deploy more Apple solutions in their enterprises.

Management Services, Project Management, and Custom ServicesApple provides customized solutions and services for organizations seeking to deploy Apple hardware and integrate it with their existing infrastructure. Apple’s broad knowl-edge base of best practices, garnered over hundreds of successful deployments, allows delivery of on-time and on-budget solutions.

By working with Apple, you can gain access to technical expertise and domain knowl-edge that spans a wide range of application types and industries. Professional Services consultants have open access to the research and development teams that engineer the core technologies upon which Apple builds, as well as access to a large pool of software partners and developers. You’ll get the expertise you need throughout every stage of a project. Some project examples include:

• Building an Xsan environment to take your video workflow to the next level or to integrate Apple server and storage solutions into your heterogeneous computing infrastructure

• Tightening up your authentication and security practices

• Bringing older networks up to date with the latest features of Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server

Apple can help you deploy these business-critical tasks and ensure you understand your technology investment at every step of the process. Consult your Apple Enterprise Sales account team to learn more.

Enterprise Service and SupportLower your overall service and support costs by signing up for the right AppleCare support program. Support for Apple products is provided worldwide through AppleCare. AppleCare offers a range of support options appropriate for various types of users and organizations. Basic and high-end technical support (depending on the product and support program purchased), hardware repair services, and web-based technical resources are all available. Your organization can choose a standard support program or a customized service and support program, depending on need. Annual and incident-based plans for software and hardware support are also offered. For more information about AppleCare, visit www.apple.com/support/products.

Apple Rapid Deployment Don’t know where to begin? Consider hiring the Apple Professional Services Rapid Deployment Team for a one- to three-day onsite assessment. Their recommendations can help you plan the next steps for your specific project.

Xsan is a 64-bit clustererd SAN file system for Mac OS X. To learn more, visit www.apple.com/xsan.

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Summary

It’s time to look closely at making the Mac a first-class citizen in your enterprise. The Mac can easily integrate with your existing environment, be managed seamlessly, save you money through lower TCO, and make your employees more productive. By planning ahead with a successful evaluation and deployment project, your organiza-tion can realize the many benefits and TCO savings associated with integrating the Mac into your enterprise. Working closely with your Apple Enterprise Sales account team can help you benefit from the experiences and best practices of other enterprise evaluations and deployments.

For more information or help, contact your Apple Enterprise Sales account team or call Apple Enterprise Sales at 877-412-7753.

© 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iMac, Leopard, Mac, Mac OS, Xsan, and Xserve are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Safari is a trademark of Apple Inc. AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the U.S. and other countries. Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard is an Open Brand UNIX 03 Registered Product. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. Product specifications are subject to change without notice. This material is provided for information purposes only; Apple assumes no liability related to its use. August 2008 L367555B