Resolving issues encountered during Apple VPP integration with Hexnode on Mac

Organizations can easily purchase, distribute and manage apps and books in bulk with Apple’s Volume Purchase Program. Hexnode UEM integrated with VPP enables enterprises to silently deploy apps and books to macOS devices. The common errors caused while integrating Hexnode UEM and VPP are:

1. Unable to deploy VPP apps to devices via Hexnode

Issue:

The VPP app Install Application command fails in the Action History tab with the error message “No available application license was found.”

Probable Solution:

This could be due to the lack of unassigned app licenses. From the Apple Business Manager/ Apple School Manager console, you can revoke app licenses that are no longer needed to acquire unassigned licenses or purchase new licenses for the app.

2. Unable to contact the VPP server for app sync

Issue:

Hexnode cannot sync VPP apps purchased for your organizational account.

Probable Solution:

This could be due to a communication problem between the Hexnode server and the VPP server from where the apps are purchased.

First, ensure Apple service is available at the moment. To allow access to the VPP server, allowlist the domain “vpp.itunes.apple.com” along with all other ports and domains in your proxy/firewall.

This might also be due to the expiration of the VPP token. Hexnode and Apple VPP can no longer connect with each other if the VPP token put up on the UEM server has expired, causing the sync operation to fail. To re-establish communication, try renewing the VPP token.

3. In-app purchases in VPP apps are blocked

Issue:

When attempting to purchase additional paid features for VPP apps via in-app purchasing, an error message “You are not allowed to make purchase” appears.

Probable Solution:

This error is shown because Apple does not support in-app purchases for VPP apps.

To enable in-app purchases for an app, you must install it through the Apple App Store rather than VPP. Users will be allowed to make in-app purchases with their own Apple ID through the Apple store. Finally, organizations can repay the users for their expenses.

Another option is to ask the developer to create and publish a new version of the same software with in-app purchases included as built-in features. In this instance, the developer will have to maintain two different versions of the same app, one with extra built-in features and the other with limited features. However, the developer has complete control over this.

4. The VPP app is not installing on the device

Issue:

The VPP app is not installed on the device when pushed through the Hexnode console.

Probable Solution:

You have to verify that the VPP token used to integrate with Hexnode is not shared with any other UEM/MDM to avoid revoking of license assigned to devices in Hexnode UEM. Also, ensure that devices can access the domain “vpp.itunes.apple.com” through a firewall/proxy.

5. VPP app installations shows ‘Pending’ in the Action History page

Issue:

VPP app installations via Hexnode are in the ‘Pending’ state for a long period of time. This usually happens when the VPP token is invalid or out-of-date. This can occur due to two reasons:

• Annual expiry: Your VPP token expires annually. So, keep a note of your token’s renewal date to avoid uninterrupted services.
• Password changes: If the password of the account from whom the token has been downloaded and integrated with the MDM has been changed, the token becomes invalid.

Probable Solution:

To download a new VPP token follow the below steps:

1. Sign into your Apple Business Manager account
2. Click your name at the bottom of the sidebar, click Preferences, then choose Payments & Billing.
3. Select Apps and Books and scroll down to ‘Content Tokens’.
4. Click on the Download button next to your required content token.
5. Once the token is downloaded, go to the Hexnode UEM portal and navigate to the Admin tab.
6. Select the Apple Business/School Manager tab on the left side to select Apple VPP and click on the account name that matches the Apple VPP user ID for which the VPP token is to be renewed.
7. Click on Choose file next to the, “Renew VPP Token file” label and upload the server token file which was downloaded previously from the Apple Business Manager website.
8. Click on Save.

6. VPP app installation suspended after multiple failed attempts

Issue:

App installation of a VPP app via the Required Apps policy is suspended after the app installation or automatic app update gets marked ‘Failed’ three times in the Action History sub-tab.

This results in the action being marked ‘Suspended’ at the fourth attempt with automatic app installation and/or automatic app update for the application being further suspended. In such cases, the application’s status in the Applications sub-tab is marked as either:

• Missing – The app could not be installed, and automatic app installation has been suspended.

This occurs in the case the app failed to install on the device consecutively three times.

• Installed – The latest version (Version no.), could not be installed on the device and automatic update is temporarily suspended for the app.

This occurs in the case the app was previously installed on the device, however, the automatic app update failed three times.

Probable Solution:

Once marked ‘Suspended’, Hexnode suspends automatic app installation and/or automatic app updates for the application. To re-initiate the process, the admin must run the Install Application action for the VPP app.