Apple has largely cornered the consumer market when it comes to must-have gadgets, so it has been eyeing the enterprise as a means to expand. That's what last year's iOS IBM deal was about, and the two companies are now collaborating on Macs, too.

IBM is offering a cloud-based service intended to help IT departments more easily get employees up and running on Macs.

IBM has some experience in that department, having deployed Macs to its own employees via a program known as Mac@IBM. Last year's enterprise deal with Apple then "presented an opportunity for IBM to commercialize this offering using its own experience in enterprise deployment and the ability to scale to clients' specific needs."

With IBM's program, IT departments can order Macs and have then delivered with all the necessary software and settings pre-configured, including Casper Suite from JAMF Software. IBM will also support those who use personal Macs at work.

"Ease of adoption and use are at the foundation of every Apple product, and as these devices are used more in the workplace, people expect the same experience they enjoy with Apple technology in their personal lives," Richard Patterson, general manager of infrastructure services at IBM Global Technology Services, said in a statement.

"IBM's new enterprise services ensure a great user experience for clients using Macs, providing world-class support from installation through the life of the product," he added.

The offering will work with MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, and Mac Pro.