Manual Chapter : Managing Devices for F5 Access
back-action BIG-IP APM and F5 Access for macOS 7.2.7

Updated Date: 06/22/2026

Managing Devices for F5 Access

With an MDM, you manage devices by enrolling them. Refer to your MDM documentation to enroll devices. With this release, your MDM vendor may not include built-in support. We provide general guidance for your MDM configuration, if it supports custom configurations.

Important: A user must enroll the device with the MDM in order for you to manage the device. However, you can deploy VPN configurations to the devices that aren’t under management. F5 Access must be installed on the device to deploy configurations. F5 Access can be installed either by the user, or deployed with the MDM solution.

A configuration profile enables the per-app VPN feature on a managed device, and specifies which apps use the VPN.

  1. Create a configuration profile for the device.

    Configuration profiles are described at the Apple Configuration Profile Reference.

Configure Access Policy Manager® to provide the necessary support for per-app VPN features.

These are settings for identifying devices in an MDM profile.

Hardware manufacturers have phased out support for many methods of device identification, including UDID, wireless MAC, and others. To identify devices, you can use the device IDs assigned by the MDM.

Key Type Description
MdmAssignedId String The internal device ID assigned to the device by the MDM.
MdmInstanceId String An arbitrary string that identifies particular MDM instance.
MdmDeviceUniqueId String An assigned ID for the device.
MdmDeviceWifiMacAddress String The wireless MAC address of the device.
MdmDeviceSerialNumber String An assigned serial number for the device.

In this example, the commands are deployed in the VendorConfig document.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
...
    <key>VendorConfig</key>
    <dict>
     
       <key>MdmAssignedId</key>
       <string>`MDM assigned ID here`</string>
       <key>MdmInstanceId</key>
       <string>`some MDM instance ID here`</string>
       <key>MdmDeviceUniqueId</key>
       <string>`device macOS UDID here`</string>
       <key>MdmDeviceWifiMacAddress</key>
       <string>`device wifi mac address here`</string>
       <key>MdmDeviceSerialNumber</key>
       <string>`device serial number here`</string>
    </dict>
...

This setting configures Always On mode in an MDM profile.

In the MDM configuration profile, you can enable Always On VPN by setting an On Demand rule with the key URLStringProbe. This allows the On Demand VPN to start as soon as the “probed” URL is contacted.

The code is used as follows.

<key>OnDemandRules</key>
			<array>
				<dict>
					<key>Action</key>
					<string>Connect</string>
					<key>URLStringProbe</key>
					<array>
						<string>https://on.example.com</string>
					</array>
				</dict>
			</array>

Includes a sample configuration profile for an Always On VPN profile.

The following example uses sample data only. For your own configuration, items like the PayloadDisplayName, PayloadUUID, UserDefinedName, and the user name, password and certificate information must be customized to your network and installation.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>PayloadContent</key>
	<array>
		<dict>
			<key>IPv4</key>
			<dict>
				<key>OverridePrimary</key>
				<integer>0</integer>
			</dict>
			<key>PayloadDescription</key>
			<string>Configures VPN settings, including authentication.</string>
			<key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
			<string>Always on VPN (URL probe)</string>
			<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
			<string>com.f5.access.macos.vpn.profile</string>
			<key>PayloadOrganization</key>
			<string></string>
			<key>PayloadType</key>
			<string>com.apple.vpn.managed</string>
			<key>PayloadUUID</key>
			<string>3A0ED411-E55C-4551-AE35-950CE54B08D5</string>
			<key>PayloadVersion</key>
			<integer>1</integer>
			<key>Proxies</key>
			<dict/>
			<key>UserDefinedName</key>
			<string>OnDemandAlwaysOnConfig</string>
			<key>VPN</key>
			<dict>
				<key>AuthName</key>
				<string>username</string>
				<key>AuthPassword</key>
				<string>password</string>
				<key>AuthenticationMethod</key>
				<string>Password</string>
				<key>RemoteAddress</key>
				<string>https://vpn.example.com</string>
				<key>ProviderType</key>
          			<string>packet-tunnel</string>
          			<key>ProviderBundleIdentifier</key>
          			<string>com.f5.access.macos.PacketTunnel</string>
			</dict>
			<key>VPNSubType</key>
			<string>com.f5.access.macos</string>
			<key>VPNType</key>
			<string>VPN</string>
			<key>VendorConfig</key>
			<dict/>
			<key>OnDemandEnabled</key>
			<integer>1</integer>
			<key>OnDemandRules</key>
			<array>
				<dict>
					<key>Action</key>
					<string>Connect</string>
					<key>URLStringProbe</key>
					<array>
						<string>https://vpn.example.com</string>
					</array>
				</dict>
			</array>
		</dict>
	</array>
	<key>PayloadDescription</key>
	<string>F5Access test</string>
	<key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
	<string>OnDemandRuleURLProbeTest</string>
	<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
	<string>com.f5.access.macos.vpn.profile</string>
	<key>PayloadOrganization</key>
	<string></string>
	<key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
	<false/>
	<key>PayloadType</key>
	<string>Configuration</string>
	<key>PayloadUUID</key>
	<string>A6F83919-B570-41FE-A84F-52DAC24838E8</string>
	<key>PayloadVersion</key>
	<integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Settings for the device-wide VPN profiles in an MDM configuration.

Configure a device-wide VPN by specifyng the VPN payload. For the PayloadType value, specify com.apple.vpn.managed.F5 Access 2.0 VPN configurations must define the following keys:

Key Type Description
PayloadType String com.apple.vpn.managed
VPNType String VPN
VPNSubType String com.f5.access.macos
ProviderBundleIdentifier String Optional key: com.f5.access.macos.PacketTunnel
OnDemandEnabled Int Optional key: 1 if the VPN connection should be brought up on demand, or else 0.
OnDemandRules Array of Dictionaries Optional key. Determines when and how an on-demand VPN should be used. See On Demand Rules Dictionary Keys for details.

Includes a sample configuration profile for the device-wide VPN configuration profile.

The following example uses sample data only. For your own configuration, items like the PayloadDisplayName, PayloadUUID, UserDefinedName, and the user name, password and certificate information must be customized to your network and installation.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>PayloadContent</key>
	<array>
		<dict>
			<key>IPv4</key>
			<dict>
				<key>OverridePrimary</key>
				<integer>0</integer>
			</dict>
			<key>PayloadDescription</key>
			<string>Configures VPN settings, including authentication.</string>
			<key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
			<string>VPN (Client Certificate)</string>
			<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
			<string>com.f5.access.macos.vpn.profile</string>
			<key>PayloadOrganization</key>
			<string></string>
			<key>PayloadType</key>
			<string>com.apple.vpn.managed</string>
			<key>PayloadUUID</key>
			<string>3A0ED411-E55C-4551-AE35-650CE54B08D5</string>
			<key>PayloadVersion</key>
			<integer>1</integer>
			<key>Proxies</key>
			<dict/>
			<key>UserDefinedName</key>
			<string>vpn_test</string>
			<key>VPN</key>
			<dict>
				<key>AuthName</key>
				<string>*user\_name*</string>
				<key>AuthPassword</key>
				<string>*user\_password*</string>
				<key>AuthenticationMethod</key>
				<string>Password+Certificate</string>
          			<key>PayloadCertificateUUID</key>
          			<string>C9BF4927-E819-4521-88DE-2AEB6E1DC3D8</string>
				<key>RemoteAddress</key>
				<string>https://test.lab.example.com</string>
				<key>ProviderType</key>
          			<string>packet-tunnel</string>
          			<key>ProviderBundleIdentifier</key>
          			<string>com.f5.access.macos.PacketTunnel</string>
			</dict>
			<key>VPNSubType</key>
			<string>com.f5.access.macos</string>
			<key>VPNType</key>
			<string>VPN</string>
			<key>VendorConfig</key>
			<dict/>
		</dict>
		<dict>
        		<key>Password</key>
		        <string>123456</string>
        		<key>PayloadCertificateFileName</key>
        		<string>identity.p12</string>
		        <key>PayloadContent</key>
		        <data>
MIIJCQIBAzCCCM8GCSqGSIb3DQEHAaCCCMAEggi8MIIIuDCCA28GCSqGSIb3DQEHBqCCA2AwggNcAgEA
MIIDVQYJKoZIhvcNAQcBMBwGCiqGSIb3DQEMAQYwDgQIzdOkMx7b/skCAggAgIIDKNjtUzTS2/diyoiU
...
1Ez4mnbrWzElMCMGCSqGSIb3DQEJFTEWBBQAFBOqYFJlbkBoqPfCMK5F1BXODDAxMCEwCQYFKw4DAhoF
AAQUqF+54GDMxB3FcOmVKmAOIMKzxl8ECAKbcibSFUHZAgIIAA==
           </data>
	        <key>PayloadDescription</key>
        	<string>Provides device authentication (certificate or identity).</string>
        	<key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
        	<string>identity.p12</string>
        	<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
        	<string>com.f5.access.macos.vpn.credential</string>
        	<key>PayloadOrganization</key>
        	<string/>
        	<key>PayloadType</key>
        	<string>com.apple.security.pkcs12</string>
        	<key>PayloadUUID</key>
        	<string>C9BF4927-E819-4521-88DE-2AEB6E1DC3D8</string>
        	<key>PayloadVersion</key>
        	<integer>1</integer>
      	   </dict>
	</array>
	<key>PayloadDescription</key>
	<string>f5 mac tunnel test</string>
	<key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
	<string>mac_vpn_mdm_profile</string>
	<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
	<string>com.f5.access.macos.vpn.profile</string>
	<key>PayloadOrganization</key>
	<string></string>
	<key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
	<false/>
	<key>PayloadType</key>
	<string>Configuration</string>
	<key>PayloadUUID</key>
	<string>A6F83919-B570-41FE-A84F-52DAC24838D8</string>
	<key>PayloadVersion</key>
	<integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Settings for the per-app VPN profile in an MDM.

The per-app VPN payload supports all of the keys described in the Apple Configuration Profile Reference. These keys, specific to the per-app VPN payload, are described in that reference as well.

Key

Type

Description

PayloadType

String

com.apple.vpn.managed.applayer

VPNType

String

VPN

ProviderType

String

packet-tunnel

VPNSubType

String

com.f5.access.macos

ProviderBundleIdentifier

String

Optional key: com.f5.access.macos.PacketTunnel

VPNUUID

String

A globally-unique identifier for this VPN configuration. This identifier is used to configure apps so that they use the per-app VPN service for all of their network communication.

OnDemandMatchAppEnabled (optional)

Boolean

If true, the per-app VPN connection starts automatically when apps linked to this per-app VPN service initiate network communication.

If false, the per-app VPN connection will not start.

If this key is not present, the value of the OnDemandEnabled key is used to determine the status of per-app VPN On Demand.

SafariDomains (optional)

Array

This key is a special case of App-to-Per App VPN Mapping. It sets up the app mapping for Safari with a specific identifier and a designated requirement.

The array contains strings, each of which is a domain that triggers a VPN connection in Safari. Do not specify a full URI; rule matching works only with the domain name. The rule matching behavior is as follows:

  • Before being matched against a host, all leading and trailing dots are stripped from the domain string. For example, if the domain string is .com the domain string used to match is com.
  • Each label in the domain string must match an entire label in the host string. For example, a domain of example.com matches “www.example.com”, but not old.badexample.com.
  • Domain strings with only one label must match the entire host string. For example, a domain of com matches com, not www.example.com.

Includes a sample configuration profile for the per-app VPN configuration profile.

The following example uses sample data only. For your own configuration, items like the PayloadDisplayName, PayloadUUID, UserDefinedName, and the user name, password and certificate information must be customized to your network and installation.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
      <dict>
        <key>IPv4</key>
        <dict>
          <key>OverridePrimary</key>
          <integer>0</integer>
        </dict>
        <key>PayloadDescription</key>
        <string>Configures VPN settings, including authentication.</string>
        <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
        <string>VPN (Per-App VPN Test)</string>
        <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
        <string>com.f5.mdm.perapp.vpn.vpn</string>
        <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
        <string/>
        <key>PayloadType</key>
        <string>com.apple.vpn.managed.applayer</string>
        <key>PayloadUUID</key>
        <string>5A015006-D559-4C5C-B197-737CF4DCFA96</string>
        <key>PayloadVersion</key>
        <integer>1</integer>
        <key>Proxies</key>
        <dict/>
        <key>UserDefinedName</key>
        <string>Per-App VPN Test</string>
        <key>VPN</key>
        <dict>
          <key>AuthName</key>
          <string>test</string>
          <key>AuthPassword</key>
          <string>test</string>
          <key>AuthenticationMethod</key>
          <string>Certificate</string>
          <key>PayloadCertificateUUID</key>
          <string>C9BF4927-E819-4521-88DE-2AEB6E1DC3D8</string>
          <key>RemoteAddress</key>
          <string>https://portal.example.com</string>
          <key>OnDemandMatchAppEnabled</key>
          <true/>
          <key>ProviderType</key>
          <string>packet-tunnel</string>
          <key>ProviderBundleIdentifier</key>
          <string>com.f5.access.macos.PacketTunnel</string>
        </dict>
        <key>VPNSubType</key>
        <string>com.f5.access.macos</string>
        <key>VPNType</key>
        <string>VPN</string>
        <key>VendorConfig</key>
        <dict/>
        <key>SafariDomains</key>
        <array>
          <string>example.com</string>
          <string>main.example.com</string>
        </array>
        <key>VPNUUID</key>
        <string>FEC8510C-3F8A-4C51-8EFC-21A21D485C3C</string>
      </dict>
      <dict>
        <key>Password</key>
        <string>123456</string>
        <key>PayloadCertificateFileName</key>
        <string>identity.p12</string>
        <key>PayloadContent</key>
        <data>
            MIIL2QIBAzCCC58GCSqGSIb3DQEHAaCCC5AEgguMMIILiDCCBj8G
            CSqGSIb3DQEHBqCCBjAwggYsAgEAMIIGJQYJKoZIhvcNAQcBMBwG
            ...
            BBQAFBOqYFJlbkBoqPfCMK5F1BXODDAxMCEwCQYFKw4DAhoFAAQU
            hxd6YPi7JKB/24dSls9gKO/DHVoECHap2RUyKvQTAgIIAA==
            </data>
        <key>PayloadDescription</key>
        <string>Provides device authentication (certificate or identity).</string>
        <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
        <string>identity.p12</string>
        <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
        <string>com.f5.mdm.perapp.vpn.credential</string>
        <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
        <string/>
        <key>PayloadType</key>
        <string>com.apple.security.pkcs12</string>
        <key>PayloadUUID</key>
        <string>C9BF4927-E819-4521-88DE-2AEB6E1DC3D8</string>
        <key>PayloadVersion</key>
        <integer>1</integer>
      </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>PerApp VPN Payload Test</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>MDM - Per-App VPN</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.f5.mdm.perapp.vpn</string>
    <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
    <string/>
    <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
    <false/>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>06A850CC-BC81-43FB-AA16-42BE472D2421</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
  </dict>
</plist>

Settings for mapping an app to Per-App VPN.

If you want applications to use Per-App VPN service for all of their network communication, add a payload dictionary with the following keys to the configuration profile.

Key Type Value
PayloadType String com.apple.vpn.managed.appmapping
AppLayerVPNMapping Array of dictionaries An array of mapping dictionaries.

Key

Type

Value

Identifier

String

The app’s bundle ID. For example, for Google Chrome: Identifier: com.google.Chrome

Identifier: org.mozilla.firefox

VPNUUID

String

The VPNUUID of the Per-App VPN defined in a Per-App VPN payload

DesignatedRequirement

String

The code signature designated requirement of the app that will use the Per-App VPN.

SigningIdentifier

String

The code signature signing identifier of the app that will use the Per-App VPN.

Includes a sample configuration profile for app to per-app VPN mapping.

The following example uses sample data only. For your own configuration, items like the PayloadDisplayName, PayloadUUID, UserDefinedName, and the user name, password and certificate information must be customized to your network and installation.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
   <dict>
   <key>PayloadContent</key>
   <array>
      <dict>
         <key>PayloadDescription</key>
         <string>Configures VPN app mapping settings</string>
         <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
         <string>VPN (Per-App VPN TCP App Mapping)</string>
         <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
         <string>com.f5.access.macos.perapp.vpn.appmapping</string>
         <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
         <string/>
         <key>PayloadType</key>
         <string>com.apple.vpn.managed.appmapping</string>
         <key>PayloadUUID</key>
         <string>6B015006-D559-4C5C-B197-737CF4DCFA96</string>
         <key>PayloadVersion</key>
         <integer>1</integer>
         <key>AppLayerVPNMapping</key>
         <array>
            <dict>
               <key>Identifier</key>
               <string>com.google.Chrome</string>
               <key>VPNUUID</key>
               <string>6A015006-D559-4C5C-B197-737CF4DCFA96</string>
               <key>SigningIdentifier</key>
               <string>com.google.Chrome</string>
               <key>DesignatedRequirement</key>
               <string>(identifier "com.google.Chrome" or identifier "com.google.Chrome.beta" or identifier "com.google.Chrome.dev" or identifier "com.google.Chrome.canary") and (certificate leaf = H"85cee8254216185620ddc8851c7a9fc4dfe120ef" or certificate leaf = H"c9a99324ca3fcb23dbcc36bd5fd4f9753305130a")</string>
            </dict>
            <dict>
               <key>Identifier</key>
               <string>org.mozilla.firefox</string>
               <key>VPNUUID</key>
               <string>6A015006-D559-4C5C-B197-737CF4DCFA96</string>
               <key>SigningIdentifier</key>
               <string>org.mozilla.firefox</string>
               <key>DesignatedRequirement</key>
               <string>anchor apple generic and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.9] /* exists */ or anchor apple generic and certificate 1[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.2.6] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.13] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[subject.OU] = "43AQ936H96"</string>
               </dict>
         </array>
      </dict>
      <dict>
         <key>PayloadType</key>
         <string>com.apple.vpn.managed.applayer</string>
         <key>PayloadDescription</key>
         <string>Configures VPN settings, including authentication.</string>
         <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
         <string>VPN (Per-App VPN App Mapping)</string>
         <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
         <string>com.f5.access.macos.perapp.vpn.vpn</string>
         <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
         <string/>
         <key>PayloadUUID</key>
         <string>5A015006-D559-4C5C-B197-737CF4DCFA96</string>
         <key>PayloadVersion</key>
         <integer>1</integer>
         <key>Proxies</key>
         <dict/>
         <key>UserDefinedName</key>
         <string>App Mapping</string>
         <key>VPN</key>
            <dict>
               <key>AuthName</key>
               <string>test</string>
               <key>AuthPassword</key>
               <string>test</string>
               <key>AuthenticationMethod</key>
               <string>Password</string>
               <key>RemoteAddress</key>
               <string>https://portal.example.com</string>
               <key>OnDemandMatchAppEnabled</key>
               <true/>
               <key>ProviderType</key>
               <string>packet-tunnel</string>
               <key>ProviderBundleIdentifier</key>
               <string>com.f5.access.macos.PacketTunnel</string>
            </dict>
         <key>VPNSubType</key>
         <string>com.f5.access.macos</string>
         <key>VPNType</key>
         <string>VPN</string>
         <key>VendorConfig</key>
         <dict/>
         <key>VPNUUID</key>
         <string>6A015006-D559-4C5C-B197-737CF4DCFA96</string>
      </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>PerApp VPN Payload TCP Test</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>MDM - Per-App VPN TCP</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.f5.access.macos.perapp.vpn</string>
    <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
    <string/>
    <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
    <false/>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>06A850CC-BC81-43FB-AA16-42BE472D2421</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
   </dict>
</plist>