CANAL+ Group is a leader in the creation and distribution of content in the world. CANAL+ Group invests 3.5 billion euros in content every year, making the group a key player in sport, films, series and entertainment. CANAL+ Group is an innovative, technology-based company, with a leading direct to consumer digital offer via its CANAL+/myCanal app, which is deploying internationally at an accelerating rate and currently has a presence in more than 40 countries and territories. With the support of its subsidiary STUDIOCANAL and its network of 14 production companies, CANAL+ Group is the leading producer and distributor of feature films and TV series in Europe. It holds a catalogue of nearly 9,000 titles from more than 60 countries.
The rise of working from home and flexible workplace practices guided a change in CANAL+'s approach to device management, prompting the adoption of cloud solutions for effective remote management and security.
Embracing cloud solutions for remote device management
CANAL+ Group started using Jamf Pro at the end of 2018 with an on-premises solution.
Initially, the IT team managed macOS devices for CANAL+'s support teams. At the end of 2020, it began integrating macOS devices in other business areas, in particular for CNews Digital and advertising network services.
CANAL+ then migrated from an on-premises instance to a cloud instance in a way that was transparent to users in order to support its deployment objectives. This transition was essential to facilitate remote management of devices outside the group's network and to support the growing remote working trend.
Enhancing mobile device management and security
CANAL+ has combined two powerful solutions: Jamf Pro and Jamf Connect. Together, they enable streamlined management of user authentication and identity access on macOS devices based on the Okta directory.
Following the successful implementation of Jamf for Macs throughout the organisation, Thomas Lemaire's team, who is an Apple consultant, chose Jamf for the deployment of CANAL+'s iPhones and iPads.
Thanks to Jamf's robust management capabilities, CANAL+ efficiently deploys applications, configures settings and updates iPhones and iPads with Jamf Pro. This capability extends to devices used in critical locations such as control rooms and production facilities, where Jamf Pro maintains strict access controls and essential restrictions.
In 2024, the Apple team at CANAL+ developed an innovative solution for integrating live iPad content into a program broadcast. Leveraging Jamf Pro's advanced iPad and Apple TV management features, CANAL+ was able to optimize and secure the use of AirPlay, enabling a guest on set to share their iPad screen live. The HDMI video signal from the Apple TV is then captured in the control room for seamless on-air broadcast. In this way, viewers can follow the content displayed on the iPad in real time, enhancing the interactivity of programs.
We've chosen Jamf's solutions because they are the gold standard in the industry. When it comes to MDM, Jamf Pro is synonymous with excellence. That's why CANAL+ has opted for the best solution available to streamline the management of our Mac computers.
Swift implementation and significant growth
Implementation was swift, resulting in smoother user account management and a reduction in the number of support tickets relating to passwords.
CANAL+ benefits from the Premium Cloud, which enables the instance's network ports to be customised, access control to be strengthened, audit logs to be collected and the instance's update dates to be customised.
Thanks to Jamf, CANAL+'s IT team has been able to keep pace with the very high demand for new devices. In 2024, more than 1,000 Apple devices (macOS, iOS and iPadOS) will be managed with Jamf Pro, representing a 250% increase since 2019.
Future plans include the introduction of a BYOD programme with Jamf Pro. Employees' personal mobile devices will be able to access corporate data provided they meet CANAL+ security requirements. Jamf Pro allows employees to enrol with a managed Apple ID, without interfering with their privacy or degrading their user experience.
Thanks to its robust update management functionality, Jamf Pro has made it possible to standardize macOS versions across CANAL+'s entire fleet, improving compliance and security. The Self-Service catalogue of tools and applications gives users greater autonomy by enabling them, depending on their role in the company, to install additional applications without having to ask for user support.
Since the end of 2023, CANAL+ has been expanding internationally. Jamf Pro and Jamf Connect are being used as part of a centralised management system to save on costs and ensure that employees working outside France are as efficient as possible.
We couldn't be more pleased with the outcomes we've achieved since starting our collaboration with Jamf. All our objectives have been fully met. Thanks to Jamf Pro, teams can rest assured that devices are up-to-date and application vulnerabilities are promptly addressed.