Apple DEP-2025 - Apple Deployment and Management Certification Exam

Declarative Device Management (DDM) reports changes proactively. TheMobile Device Management Protocol Referencestates, "Declarative Device Management enables devices to report state changes to MDM without polling, improving efficiency."

Apple documents that devices prioritizepreferred networksfirst — these are networks the user or MDM has explicitly joined and saved. If no preferred networks are available, devices then attempt to joinprivate networks(those that do not broadcast public hotspots but are available locally). Finally, as a last resort, devices may joinpublic networks, such as captive Wi-Fi portals or unsecured hotspots. Apple Learning highlights this hierarchy to ensure consistent enterprise behavior and user experience. Administrators can influence priority through MDM-delivered Wi-Fi payloads, placing organizational SSIDs at the top of the preferred list. Public networks are deliberately last in the sequence because they are less secure and more likely to involve captive portals, which disrupt automatic connectivity.

Apple devices come with built-in security features, such as data encryption, Secure Enclave, and passcode enforcement, which MDM solutions leverage to secure devices. These features allow MDM to enforce policies like requiring a passcode, enabling encryption, or remotely wiping a device if lost. Location Services (option A) provides geolocation data but is not a core security capability used by MDM for securing devices. Enrollment profiles (option B) are the mechanism to connect a device to MDM, not a capability that secures the device itself. TheApple Platform Security Guidehighlights how MDM utilizes these built-in features to enhance device security, making option C the correct choice.

In Apple Business Manager (ABM), the Administrator role is required to purchase apps through the Apps and Books section, as it has permissions to manage financial transactions and content acquisition. Other roles, like Content Manager, can distribute but not purchase apps. An Apple Developer account (option B) is for app development, not purchasing. A Managed Apple ID (option C) is for users, not administrators buying apps. User acceptance (option D) is irrelevant to purchasing. TheApple Business Manager User Guideconfirms the Administrator’s purchasing authority.

Shared iPad is designed for multi-user environments such as schools or shared workstations. Apple Learning specifies that the core requirement is anenrollment profile configured for Shared iPad within the MDM solution. This profile enables the device to support multiple Managed Apple IDs, allowing each user to sign in and access their own apps and data, stored locally and in iCloud. Devices must also be supervised and have sufficient storage. While ABM supports Managed Apple IDs, it is not where Shared iPad is enabled; instead, the function is triggered by the enrollment profile during setup. Apple stresses this distinction to ensure IT admins configure the workflow correctly at the MDM level rather than attempting to activate it solely in ABM or through one-time commands.

Lost Mode, an MDM feature for supervised devices, allows device tracking by locking the device, displaying a custom message, and reporting its location (if Location Services are enabled). It’s a security tool for recovering lost or stolen devices. Additional restrictions (option B) are a supervision feature, not Lost Mode’s benefit. Network performance (option C) and data separation (option D) are unrelated. TheMDM Protocol Referencehighlights tracking as Lost Mode’s primary benefit.

User Enrollmentprovides cryptographic separation of work and personal data on iOS and iPadOS. Apple Learning emphasizes that when a Managed Apple Account is used with User Enrollment, organizational data such asCalendar events and Contactsare stored separately in managed containers. This prevents enterprise data from being merged with or copied into personal apps, ensuring privacy and security. Notes and Safari bookmarks remain personal data, not split into managed partitions under User Enrollment. SMS attachments are private by design and inaccessible to MDM. The separation guarantees that organizational calendars and contacts cannot leak into the personal environment while also shielding personal information from IT oversight. This dual-protection model is foundational to Apple’s BYOD approach, which balances organizational control with user privacy.

Configuration profiles allow IT administrators to manage location settings on a device, such as enabling/disabling Location Services, restricting app access to location data, or enforcing privacy settings. These profiles are deployed via MDM or manually. Find My (option B) uses location for tracking but isn’t a management tool. iCloud (option C) is unrelated to location management. MDM (option D) delivers profiles, but the profiles define the settings. The Apple Platform Deployment Guide details location control via profiles.

Auto Advance skips Setup Assistant. ThemacOS Deployment Referencestates, "Auto Advance automatically skips all Setup Assistant panes on a Mac connected to Ethernet, streamlining deployment." Options B, C, and D are not standard MDM features.

Deploying macOS configuration profiles to devices requires an MDM solution, which pushes the profiles remotely via APNs to enrolled devices, ensuring centralized management. An Apple Developer account (option A) is for app development, not profile deployment. User acceptance (option C) is needed for manual installation but not for MDM deployment, especially on supervised devices. A VPN configuration (option D) is unrelated. TheApple Platform Deployment Guidespecifies MDM as the standard method for deploying profiles to macOS devices.