MDM Watchdog

MDM Watchdog is a standalone utility app for Macs to help admins uncover MDM connectivity problems. Works with any MDM solution.

For customers using Addigy, MDM Watchdog is automatically enabled for all devices and is always up-to-date with best practices.

Latest version logs MDM issues rather than fix them

Following guidance from Apple, the latest version of the Watchdog utility will only log errors when Macs are not receiving MDM commands. Fill out the form above to get a download link.

For a much more robust way to manage devices without leaving your MDM, try the new Watchdog, featuring Addigy’s agent software used by tens of thousands of companies.

On-demand Webinar

How the MDM Watchdog utility app works

Our resident Apple experts Bryce Carlson, Product Manager, and Carlos Ruiz, Senior Software Engineer, showcase how the MDM Watchdog Utility works to solve stuck macOS devices and how to use it with any MDM tool.

FAQs

Yes, it only relies on native APIs that are available on any Mac running on macOS High Sierra or later. Your MDM’s role is to deploy and monitor the utility on your Macs.

When we started hearing about the Mac admin community having trouble managing Software Updates, we ran our own analysis and found that a significant amount of Macs were not responding to MDM commands in general. After finding a solution that greatly improved our metrics, we realized we could package a standalone utility for general use that includes most of what we added to Addigy.

MDM will continue to evolve and be improved, and in time we expect that the benefits of MDM Watchdog will no longer be necessary.

This standalone PKG uses the same algorithm as the built-in version within Addigy. However, in order to ensure your data privacy, this PKG utility does not communicate with Addigy in any way.

Customers using Addigy MDM Watchdog is automatically enabled for all devices, and is always up-to-date with best practices. The built in MDM Watchdog also leverages Addigy MDM data points that your MDM may not expose or have available to measure connectivity and health. This can only be done from the MDM Server itself. However, we’re offering this for all MDMs as a free resource using all the device-side components available to gauge MDM health locally. If you want to learn more about Addigy, request a free trial.

MDM Watchdog only writes output to the local log file on the Mac it is running on. MDM Watchdog does not use network resources or ever contact Addigy.

Follow these steps:

log show –predicate ‘process = “mdm-watchdog”‘
Sample Output showing that MDM Watchdog has not had to restart either the MDM Service or Software Update Daemon:
- mdm-watchdog: MDMEnrolled: true
  - MDMIdentityError: false
  - MDMClientStuck: false
  - MDMSoftwareUpdatesStuck: false
  - MDMClientRestarted: false
  - SoftwareUpdateDaemonRestarted: false
  - LastMDMKickstart: 0001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000 UTC
  - LastSoftwareUpdateDaemonKickstart: 0001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000 UTC

Check this page for the latest version, or subscribe to MDM Watchdog updates in the form above. We will email subscribers every time a new version is available.

We’ve outlined the steps here. We have simplified the migration process by leveraging a script or PKG file.

Yes! Thank you. You can email [email protected]. Also, please follow the conversation on MDM Watchdog on MacAdmins Addigy slack channel and Addigy’s Community Subreddit.

WATCHDOG TERMS & CONDITIONS

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY. THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND THE MASTER SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT SET FORTH AT HTTP://WWW.ADDIGY.COM/LEGAL (COLLECTIVELY, THE “WATCHDOG T&C’S”) GOVERN YOUR ACQUISITION AND USE OF WATCHDOG SOFTWARE AND SERVICE PROVIDED BY ADDIGY (“WATCHDOG”). BY ORDERING, RECEIVING, CONFIGURING, OR OTHERWISE USING ADDIGY SERVICES INCLUDING WATCHDOG, OR OTHERWISE ACCEPTING THE WATCHDOG T&C’S, YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO THE WATCHDOG T&C’S. DO NOT USE WATCHDOG IF YOU DON’T AGREE AND ACCEPT THE WATCHDOG T&C’S. IF YOU ARE ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF A COMPANY OR OTHER LEGAL ENTITY, YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BIND SUCH ENTITY AND ITS AFFILIATES TO THE WATCHDOG T&C’S, IN WHICH CASE THE TERMS “YOU” OR “YOUR” SHALL REFER TO SUCH ENTITY AND ITS AFFILIATES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SUCH AUTHORITY, OR IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, YOU MUST NOT ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT AND MAY NOT USE WATCHDOG.

Watchdog is free Software. As further set forth in the Watchdog T&C’s, Addigy has no liability, indemnity or other responsibility for Watchdog. You take and use Watchdog at your sole risk and responsibility. You hereby acknowledge and agree that Addigy makes no representations or warranties with respect to Watchdog and does not test, police or monitor Watchdog. Watchdog is provided ”AS IS” and with all faults without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and noninfringement. In no event shall Addigy be liable for any claim, damages, indemnity or other liability of any kind, whether in an action of contract, tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with Watchdog or the use or other dealings with Watchdog. You bear all risk of use of Watchdog and your sole and exclusive remedy will be to stop use of Watchdog.

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