Overcoming 5 common IT objections to Macs in the enterprise

Introduction

Despite continued growth trends and high-profile case studies of organizations of all sizes that continue to adopt Mac for business successfully, there can sometimes be considerable pushback against supporting macOS devices for work.

Often, these objections come from perceived challenges of managing macOS or the impact supporting multiple platforms may have on an organization’s security posture.

To be fair, supporting devices across multiple platforms does introduce variables that make managing and securing device fleets less straightforward compared to a single platform. But as with any technical challenge or project, a little planning and the right solution helps established IT teams and growing ones to simplify provisioning Mac computers – automating deployment, management and security across their infrastructure alongside Windows PCs with parity.

In this blog, we debunk five common myths to show experienced IT teams and those new to Apple that deploying, managing and securing Mac at scale is often surprisingly easier to implement and automate than Windows PCs.

Cost: Mac is too expensive

Probably the most common objection to Mac in the enterprise is the cost associated with procuring Apple computers in the first place. Oftentimes, opponents of using Mac devices for work cite the upfront costs as being prohibitive. But IT personnel and leaders need to understand that more goes into deriving value than just looking at the upfront cost.

Given that Apple tightly controls its supply chain, the high-end components it uses, combined with its industrial-grade design, allow Mac computers to deliver long-term savings through greater durability than many PCs. This results in a lowered Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), a savings of $547 per Mac deployed over five years, thanks to providing end users with apps and services available out of the box while requiring fewer repairs, among other salient points.

Another measure of value to business operations is their Return on Investment (ROI) of 186%. Not just a financial metric, ROI quantifies benefits that are key to your business over the lifecycle of the device. In the case of Mac, Forrester recently conducted a Total Economic Impact (TEI) study on businesses adopting Mac, and here their key findings:

• Management and device support costs were reduced by one-third.
• Greater energy efficiency equals consuming 56% less energy than PCs.
• Risk exposure from internal/external data breaches decreased by 15%; from lost or stolen assets, it decreased by 90%.
• Employee productivity increased by 3.5% due to device performance and reliability.
• Mac retains three times the residual value of PC after four years of use.

Compatibility: Our infrastructure is designed for Windows

IT veterans who’ve supported Mac and Windows before cloud-based identity providers (IdP) were the standard will surely remember binding macOS to a Windows domain to enable support for authenticating with Active Directory credentials. Much to their frustration (and that of end-users), when connections would mysteriously “break,” new users were unable to log in, while those who were currently logged in would be unable to access company resources over the network.

“Thank the maker” for the shift to cloud-based authentication!

Because of this, Mac compatibility thrives with seamless support for major enterprise applications, like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Manager (CRM). The shift to the cloud has bolstered support for cross-platform software tools deemed a standard for business continuity, like productivity (Microsoft 365), messaging (Slack) and collaboration (Zoom), among tens of thousands of other business tools.

On the IT side, the key to minimizing the complexity of managing Mac alongside Windows lies in enabling support between enterprise solutions. And the way to do that is via integration. Consider the following widely used solutions as examples of how integrations allow Mac to play in Windows playgrounds without hiccup:

• Microsoft Entra ID: Centrally manage user identities and permissions.
• Okta Single Sign On (SSO): Secure access to apps and services.
• Platform Single Sign On (PSSO): Streamline Mac provisioning by accessing secured resources out of the box.
• Splunk: Gather and analyze endpoint telemetry data for data-driven security decisions.

Management: They are difficult to standardize and maintain

Managing the device lifecycle doesn’t occur in a vacuum – this applies to any platform. Critical features like same-day support for updates and security patches, app deployment, and policy-based compliance enforcement are keys to enforcing a strong organizational security posture.

Just like Windows management is optimized when solutions provide native support, the peak of Mac management is achieved full support for its native features and functions are provided. Not only is device performance maximized, but the user experience is upheld. Furthermore, automation allows device provisioning without requiring IT to ever touch a Mac. Known as zero-touch deployment, this workflow saves IT admins and end-users time by:

• Provisioning Mac right out of the box the moment it’s powered on
• Implementing baselines and benchmarking secure configurations
• Installing apps and configuring services necessary for productivity
• Keeping system updates, software and security patches up to date
• Enforcing compliance with industry and/or regional requirements

Depending on the size of your company, chances are that device counts outnumber IT personnel by the hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands to one. Regardless of the ratio, IT needs to work smarter, not harder to maximize business value. Spending precious human capital on critical yet repetitive tasks mean admins aren’t utilizing their skills (or time) to enhance processes or develop workflows that more closely align with business operations or drive initiatives.

Security: Macs introduce vulnerabilities to the network

Apple’s commitment to security and privacy is unmatched in the industry because both are core tenets of its philosophy when designing hardware, software and the services that run on them. Because of their belief that “privacy is a fundamental human right,” controls and options are built-in that wrest control over when and how apps use data in the hands of end users, according to Apple’s Platform Security. While this sits in stark contrast to Windows’ approach to enterprise security, it’s important to note that management and endpoint security solutions that natively support Apple’s device management and security frameworks build upon the robust software, services and functionality that make Mac one of the most secure platforms out of the box. Apple underscores this commitment to hardware and software security, and user privacy through:

• End-to-end encryption: Data at rest and data in motion, including communications through iMessage.
• Gatekeeper: Prevent compromised apps from executing through code-signing enforcement.
• Secure Enclave: Safeguard authentication through biometrics and protect data with a dedicated security coprocessor.
• Secure Boot: OS integrity validation in the chain of trust, including signature verification of system code and security policies upon boot.
• Transparency, Consent and Control (TCC): Control app access to user data with granular settings requiring explicit consent to use hardware components, upholding user privacy.
• System Integrity Protection (SIP): Restrict overwriting critical system files while preventing kernel modifications in memory.
• Lockdown Mode: Reduce risk for executive-level targets of sophisticated threats to limit attack surfaces for exploitation by advanced persistent threats (APTs).

Some key steps IT can take to minimize risk and mitigate vulnerabilities with Mac are:

• Provision Mac using zero-touch deployment so it’s secure and ready for end-users right out of the box.
• Establish security baselines by applying secure configurations and enforce compliance using policy-based management.
• Deploy managed apps only from trusted sources, making sure to validates app integrity and automatically keep them up to date.
• Implement automated patch management processes so that known vulnerabilities are mitigated by always running the latest version.
• Integrate endpoint security and identity and access management (IAM) alongside management for end-to-end visibility.
• Actively monitor endpoints and analyze telemetry data to quickly identify non-compliance and/or threats.
• Seamlessly integrate with SIEM solutions for deep insight into endpoint health and to aid in threat hunting workflows.
• Automate incident response by maintaining a baseline security posture, aiding incident response and performing timely remediation.
• Prevent network threats, mitigate credential misuse and restrict compromised devices from accessing enterprise resources with Zero Trust architecture.
• Iteratively manage device inventory and repair requests, supporting endpoints across their full lifecycle.

Knowledge: We’re experts with Windows – not Apple

Security is not one size fits all. Different software offers varying levels of solutions; the key is to find the solution that meets your unique needs. This applies equally to all platforms.

Despite Microsoft holding a dominant market share in the enterprise, Apple’s growing demand amongst employee choice programs combined with:

• Minimal TCO and Maximum ROI values
• Compatibility with enterprise software
• Ease of standardization and management
• Data security while preserving user privacy

Signals that Mac is more than ready, and capable, of handling productivity workloads while adding value to business operations – not taking away from it.

A critical point to consider, however, is the role that knowledge plays in setting up organizational workflows and processes to manage and secure Mac alongside Windows and to eliminate security gaps that represent risk of a data breach. With this in mind, understand that Jamf for Mac works with – not in place of – solutions like Microsoft Intune. By integrating both, IT extends management and security, maintaining compliance across their entire infrastructure with parity, eliminating security gaps between both platforms.

Another crucial aspect of successfully integrating management and security for multiple platforms is training to build upon the skills Windows admins have developed, to bridge the gap in understanding how to achieve an equally strong security posture with Mac endpoints. Jamf offers a variety of instructor-led and self-paced courses to help build your IT team’s knowledge and comfort level working with Apple. For additional support, Jamf’s tiered service agreements exist to ensure that your experts get help from our experts – when they need it.

Conclusion

By debunking these five myths, it’s clear that commonly held IT objections to Mac for businesses of all sizes are nothing to push back against. Rather, IT Directors and admins alike should embrace the benefits that adopting Mac will yield – a lower total cost of ownership, industry-leading security and privacy controls, and compatibility with enterprise applications.

Managing and securing Mac alongside Windows computers through powerful solutions enhances productivity and streamlines comprehensive workflows, enforcing compliance while holistically extending protections across the enterprise.

Lastly, investing in solutions and training ensures that IT supports both platforms without added complexity, freeing them to focus on delivering value to stakeholders while leadership aligns IT with business operations and goals by maintaining compliance, maximizing efficiency and reducing costs.