Mimecast for Mac - Deployment

This article contains information on deploying Mimecast for Mac, including standalone and managed installation options, their advantages and disadvantages, and step-by-step instructions for efficient application deployment.

Introduction

Mimecast for Mac can be deployed as a standalone installation, or a managed installation to multiple Mac desktops via third party endpoint management software. The guidelines outlined below provide an overview of the deployment options, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Standalone Installation

For standalone installations, you can download the disk image (DMG file) and allow users to initiate the installation of Mimecast for Mac. Users will need local admin rights to perform this task.

Updates to the app will also require the user to have local admin rights.

Standalone installations are useful for organizations with few users, or for environments where mass deployment tools or technical knowledge may not be available.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Easier for environments with few users or Mac devices. Allow users to initiate the installation as needed.	Difficult to control and monitor Mimecast for Mac installations.

Managed Deployment

Administrators can also deploy the app to multiple workstations using third party endpoint management software. This allows the administrator to deploy and manage the application for users who do not have local admin rights.

Download the installer package (PKG file) from the Application Downloads page and deploy it to multiple workstations. The application will automatically update with new versions as they become available, as configured within Preferences.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Applications are deployed to many workstations over a short period of time. Centralizes control, monitoring, reporting, and issue resolution of deployment. May reduce the need of hands-on support at the workstation. Users are able to run pre-approved software updates on demand when convenient for their work schedule.	Requires supporting infrastructure and systems. Requires appropriate administrator skills and experience.