X World 2026
25-26 AUGUST • NAARM | MELBOURNE
Introduction to Managing JAMF with Terraform
In the modern technology operations world, Infrastructure as code is extremely popular and has many benefits over the traditional ClickOPS approach when it comes to managing infrastructure and configuration. Some of those benefits include configuration drift detection, source/version control, peer reviewing changes, easy roll backs and automating changes using CI/CD pipelines. This presentation is an introduction to managing JAMF resources using the popular IAC tool Terraform, while demonstrating how we are using Terraform for the management of our large staff and student facing Mac fleet. Some of the topics covered will include: • Initialling the JAMF Pro and JAMF Platform providers and authenticating to JAMF. • Managing the Terraform state file. • Reviewing and Applying changes to your JAMF configuration. • Different approaches to importing existing JAMF configuration into Terraform. • Structuring your code and using outputs to make resources available between different Terraform projects. • Some of the Terraform language (HCL) features that help you to reduce code minimisation. • And much more!.
About the presenter
Mike Harris is a Senior Apple Engineer and higher education IT specialist with over 25 years of industry experience. He has spent the last 13 years managing RMIT University's extensive Apple fleet through Jamf.
Interview
We asked Mike a few questions about where Apple's heading and what he's working on.
What are you most excited about in Apple's upcoming OS releases?
The new DDM Privacy Framework/Controls replacing PPPC profiles. This will make for a much improved student experience in labs.
Is there new hardware you're hoping Apple ships?
Cheaper displays, and bring back target display mode for iMacs.
What's the best thing you've built that nobody's heard of?
A launch agent and script, which would automatically connect our student lab Macs to Wi-Fi if the ethernet connection failed, and then automatically remove the Wi-Fi configuration once the issue with ethernet was resolved. Also many years ago a NetBoot solution running on Linux which we used to replace macOS Server, for our lab build process.
Finish this sentence: "You should come to my talk if…”
...you have an interest in infrastructure/configuration as code, but don't know where to start.
