Easy iOS Update...Sung to the Tune of "All I Want for Christmas"!

[Mchmiel]

Our school is in its first trimester of a 1:1 iPad initiative and is feeling a bit queesy about updating our 135 iPads to the new iOS 5 operating system.  We just recovered from the interesting task of unboxing, tagging, registering, loading apps and updating.  When the thought of now installing iOS 5 crosses our minds, I admit I become a bit anxious.  I need help!

 

Who out there has tackled the update for a large number of iPads?  When I attempted to update 5 at a time via our cart, I was at first thrilled to see that it went fairly quickly.  But, the party was short lived.  Is there a way to get around having to add passcodes to each iPad again?  We will not use iCloud with these devices as they are all tied to one iTunes account.  Or, must I face the music and realize that all 135 iPads need to be set one by one after the update has taken place?

[Kathy Niebuhr]

We are doing an initial 1:1 with 2nd grade 292 iPads and rolling out today.  Tried multiple methods of getting them up and running...all time consuming.  Didn't try Xcode or developer code option...we are new to Macs/iPads in our district..thought it was over my head. 

My problem--6 Bretford carts synced the new apps wonderfully--3 carts per Macbook.  The next 3...it would find the iPads but wouldn't sync the apps, but it would sync the updates to the apps.  Anyone know what box/preference/option I need to see if I have checked or unchecked to get them to sync the new apps.

[Mark O'Neil]

I have started updating groups of iDevices at the schools i look after and have documented the workflow I am following.  You may find it answers some of your questions, like retaining passwords.

http://www.techlog.ca/ipad-deployment-ios-5-upgrade-strategy-and-st...

 

[Deborah Dubb]

I too have the daunting task of updating our 25 iPads.  Not enough hours in the day to do it.  I would love to find a quicker way....and also wonder about our wireless network getting overloaded.

 

[Mchmiel]

My other question concerns the wireless update feature.  Because our 130 devices are tied to one iTunes account, would it even be possible to update/load apps without overloading our wireless network?  

 

Man, I wish the update would have come out mid-August instead of mid-October!  

[David Gavin]

How about making a backup of the updated iPad and the restore all other iPads from this backup? As the iOS5 update in itself takes quite some time (compared to earlier updates) this could easily be at least as fast. Haven't tested is though...

[Lee Crook Bruner]

One option to expedite the process:

After you've updated one machine, on the next one hold down the "Option" key when you click on "Update" and this will let you select the iOS 5 update file (Library:iTunes:iPad Software Updates). This way you're not downloading the 700+MB in iTunes every time you plug in a new machine. I've had mixed results with this option - sometimes I get a 3002 error msg after syncing 1 or 2 machines. Is anyone else trying this technique?

I'm in the same boat - VERY hesitant to start updating 70+ machines after just getting them up and running!