Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

  • Customers on the Pro and Enterprise plans can request an application through the ‘Support’ button under their username button in the top-right corner of the Automata Deploy Catalog web application. You will need to include a link to the application installer file(s) and the license/serial number (if applicable).

  • Automata Deploy utilizes CloudFlare for application package hosting.

  • The applications that are provided in the Automata Deploy Catalog are popular Mac applications that are not available via the Mac App Store. This includes applications that are Universal, built for Apple Silicon, and those built for Intel. Some applications will require Rosetta 2 to run on Apple Silicon Macs.

  • No SLA is currently available but Automata Technology Services aims to have Standard Catalog applications updated within 24-48 hours of when they are released by the vendor. This allows adequate time for packaging and appropriate quality testing.

  • The Automata Deploy Standard catalog includes many of the most popular Mac applications and we’re constantly adding more. A full list is available here.

  • For customers on the standard Deploy plan, applications are automatically updated to the latest release. For customers on the Pro and Enterprise plans, new versions are added to the Testing catalog but will not be pushed to clients until the updated version is selected in the Production catalog. This allows organizations to test and approve updates (version control).

  • No, while we provide installers that are free to download, they are not necessarily free to use. Some applications are free to use, some have trial periods that need a license key or login to unlock, and some require a license key to use. Each application will be different and you must purchase a valid license from the application publisher/vendor to legally use the application. Automata Deploy is a tool for automating the installation and updating of applications; licensing must be handled by the end-user/customer.

  • Yes. You can get licensed applications through the Automata Deploy catalog, although you are responsible for purchasing the license from the vendor. Automata Technology Services does not perform a license check, but customers on the Pro and Enterprise plans can use the built-in reporting to ensure licensing compliance.

  • No. Many customers need software patching and maintenance for their organization’s Macs but do not need the features of an MDM. In these cases, Automata Deploy is a perfect solution for those looking to manage their Mac software without the cost and administrative burden of an MDM. For organizations that do use an MDM, you can deploy the Automata Software Portal application via MDM as part of your standard device configuration workflow and use Automata Deploy for all of your software maintenance processes.

  • Software packaging costs are subjective depending on the software requested. Things like packaging complexity, size of the software package, and anticipated bandwidth needs are all taken into consideration when creating a quote for packaging software that is not included in the standard catalog. Sometimes we may package an application at no extra cost.