Introduction
Apple's Push Notification service (APNs) is an essential component of Mobile Device Management (MDM) for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It enables Primo to communicate remotely with Apple devices.
An APNs certificate is required to activate MDM on Apple devices.
What is APN and why connect it to Primo?
APNs serves as the official communication channel between MDMs and Apple devices.
Once configured, it allows Primo to:
- Push remote configurations (encryption, firewall, updates, password settings, sleep settings, app installation, WiFi deployment, etc.)
- Send real-time commands, even when the device is locked or in sleep mode
- Ensure silent communication, without user interaction
To use APNs, Apple requires a Push certificate that's valid for 12 months. This certificate verifies that your MDM is authorized to manage devices.
Its certificate must be renewed annually.
Prerequisites
Before starting, make sure you have:
- A professional Apple ID
- Administrator access to the Primo Cockpit
Create and import the APN certificate in Primo
- Go to Primo Cockpit → Settings → MDM → Provide your APN certificate
- Download the CSR (Certificate Signing Request) file
- Go to the Apple Push Certificates portal
- Sign in with your Apple ID
- Click on Create a certificate
- Upload the CSR downloaded from Primo
- Download the APN certificate
- Upload it to Primo
Your MDM instance is now fully configured and operational!
APN certificate renewal
The certificate uploaded to Primo remains valid for 12 months. Primo will notify you via email and display an information banner in the cockpit when it's time to renew. Simply repeat the above steps using the same Apple ID.