OEMConfig – Breaking the boundaries of Android device management
OEMConfig is a provision by the device manufacturers that guarantees the latest device management capabilities before anyone else for Android.
Rhino is a range of rugged devices from Social Mobile, a vertically integrated OEM and consultancy specializing in designing customizable GMS Android-powered smart solutions for enterprise.
Rhino range of rugged smartphones and tablets are built with security as its main focus for enterprises seeking higher security.
Hexnode’s partnership with Social Mobile enables our users to leverage Socialmobile’s API for device management via OEMConfig which extends the management capabilities beyond our native features.
Note:
Social Mobile’s OEMConfig app is called the Rhino OEMConfig.
UPDATE: The old Rhino OEMConfig app has been deprecated. Please update the app in your portal and reconfigure the app to enforce OEMConfig restrictions.
The main list of Social Mobile devices include:
- Social Mobile Rhino T8
- Social Mobile Rhino C10
- Social Mobile Rhino M22
- Social Mobile Rhino K27p
Besides these, they also specialize in printers
Hexnode’s Android device management capabilities can be leveraged to manage Social Mobile (Rhino) devices directly.
Enrollment
Hexnode MDM provides a wide variety of enrollment methods for Android devices, you are free to choose the ones that are convenient for your business model.
No authentication enrollment: It is the fastest enrollment method available. It only requires the server name. No authentication and no enrollment credentials are needed. All devices enrolled this way are assigned to a default user.
Email/SMS enrollment: Here the enrollment credentials are sent to the users via email or SMS. These credentials have to be entered to complete the enrollment process.
Self-Enrollment: This method allows the users to enroll their devices via Azure Active Directory, Active Directory, or Google user credentials. For other users, the admin may create a default user and a dedicated password manually or assign a common password or individual passwords for the users and sends it to them as a bulk mail. The enrollment process is pretty much the same.
QR code enrollment: In certain scenarios, it is difficult to enroll devices with credentials like username, password and portal name. Hexnode MDM lets you enroll devices easily by scanning a QR code.
ROM enrollment: If your enterprise has a collaboration with Social Mobile you can flash a custom ROM to the Android Device with Hexnode MDM as a system app.
Android Enterprise Enrollment: Previously known as Android for work, it is currently the main enrollment method for android devices. It creates a separate work container on the devices. The separation of corporate and personal data is necessary if the devices are BYOD (Bring your own device) or COPE (Corporate owned personally enabled). The Hexnode for work app is used for Android enterprise enrollment. AFW# and ADB methods are also used for Android Enterprise Enrollment.
Zero-touch enrollment: This is ideal for bulk deployment of devices. The devices need to be purchased from a Social Mobile zero-touch reseller partner. It is ideal for corporate-owned devices as it is a one-time configuration process. Hence, the devices come pre-configured out of the box. This also eliminates the need for user intervention in setting up the devices.
Management
Hexnode provides the A – Z in device management. The main management features for Social Mobile (Rhino) devices include:
Device info and monitoring: Android Device monitoring features include device summary which provides a summary of the hardware info like model, type, OS version, root info, battery level, memory level. It also provides enrollment details (last checked-in, last scan, device id, enrollment date, and status).
Location information is also available with map support to pinpoint the exact location the device was last active at. Compliance to policies and restrictions, the number of apps currently on the device, activity status, the number of policies currently associated, kiosk status, and last checked-in time can also be viewed from the Manage section.
The device info section includes the device model name, manufacturer (Social Mobile (Rhino)), Serial no, UID, etc. Network Info section includes the phone number of the SIM cards on the device, IMEI numbers of the device, roaming status, carrier details, etc.
Application, Policies, Security sections under manage has the full list of associated policies and applications.
Actions: A large list of actions are available for Rhino devices. Scan option is used for scanning the devices to refresh the data and listing the current device status, it can also be used to scan the device location. Lock, wipe, remote ring, enabling lost mode actions are useful in cases of emergency (lost or stolen devices with valuable corporate data).
Changing the device owner, installing and uninstalling applications, associating configured policies, OS updates, changing the friendly name for the device, changing ringtone, importing contacts to device can all be done remotely via the actions tab in device management.
Enabling and disabling kiosk mode can be achieved at the click of a button. Broadcasting notifications and messages to the selected devices are very popular among our users.
The action tab also allows the exporting of device details as a pdf file. When you are all done with a device you can disenroll it from the Henoxde MDM portal using the Disenroll device action.
Action History section shows the activity log for the device along with the status of each action and messages related to it.
Remote control and view: The manage tab for Android devices provides the remote device view option. This is achieved via the remote view app which can be remotely installed on any device. It lets you view the user’s device in real-time. This nifty feature lets you monitor the users that require supervision.
The remote control feature is available for Android 5.0+ and Android Enterprise devices. The remote control allows admins to monitor and take control of the device from their PC. It can come in handy when you need to take control of the devices to diagnose and fix problems reported by the users in real-time.
Data Management: The data management section under Manage shows the data usage by the device as a whole and for each app individually.
Total data usage, Mobile data usage, WIFI data usage as a whole, and for each application are listed under this section. The data usage details can be exported as a CSV or PDF from here. The section also has filters to view the usage by dates and periods. A list of apps with blocked data access are also listed here.
Users, devices, and groups: All enrolled devices can be divided into groups for easier monitoring. Similarly, users can also be grouped.
Grouping of devices and users not only allows easier monitoring, it also helps in managing them together via actions and policies. Grouping is highly recommended in cases where the device count is high.
Hexnode MDM also supports dynamic grouping. Dynamic groups keep changing automatically based on certain specified conditions. In dynamic grouping, devices move in and out of the group during the periodic group sync, whereas custom groups maintain devices as a fixed list. The sufficiency of minimal manual effort makes dynamic grouping more desirable than manual grouping.
Restrictions
Device Functionality: Enable or disable device functionality features like camera, USB file transfer, safe mode, lock screen orientation and lock screen timeout.
Network Settings: Provision to forcefully turn the Wi-Fi on and off besides disabling or enabling the feature can be useful to certain enterprise needs.
Enabling or disabling Bluetooth, tethering, a portable wi-fi hotspot, and data roaming can be done.
Synchronization settings: Backing up or restoring data from google drive can be disabled on Android 8.0+ devices in device owner mode.
Advanced device functionality restrictions: Disabling of the device microphone, screen capture, making a call, volume adjustment, and the copying of content between normal and work profiles are available for Rhino devices.
Advanced Display settings: Hiding the device status bar and displaying dialogs/windows are available under this section.
Advanced Connectivity settings: Bluetooth data transfer, android beam, configuring Bluetooth, configuring cell broadcast, configuring cellular network, configuring Wi-Fi, configuring hotspot and tethering, and the ability to reset network settings can be disabled from the Hexnode MDM portal.
Advanced account and application settings: Sending SMS, configuring user credentials, and modifying the user’s Google accounts (add, delete, switch) can be done here.
Installing and uninstalling apps, modifying application settings, app verification before installations, allowing the installation of applications from unknown sources, parent profile app linking, and app runtime permissions can all be enabled or disabled to suit your enterprise’s needs.
Other advanced settings: Factory reset protection can be disabled or bypassed on devices in Android Enterprise device owner mode.
Enabling location sharing, USB debugging, factory reset, reading external connected media, setting up time zone, updating date and time automatically, and configuring VPN can also be done via the Hexnode MDM portal.
All advanced device settings are available only for Android Enterprise devices.
Policies
Password: Secure your Social Mobile (Rhino) devices with Hexnode’s password policy. Password complexity, password age, password history can be configured for the devices. Added security via auto-lock and device wipe after a set number of failed attempts can also be configured. This method is used to lock the entire device in normal mode. In device owner mode the password policies are only applicable to device owner container and work apps.
For devices running Android 7.0+ enrolled in profile owner mode the work profile alone can be locked with the password policy.
App Management: Mandatory app policy allows you to install applications on the device. In android enterprise mode (as managed google apps), rooted devices, and devices with Hexnode MDM app as a system app, apps can be installed on the device silently. In all other cases, user intervention is required to install applications.
Blacklisting of apps in Android Enterprise devices will cause the device to fall out of compliance if the blacklisted applications are present on the device. In the Profile Owner mode, blacklisted apps will be hidden from the work container. Whitelisting of apps causes all other apps(not whitelisted) to be considered as blacklisted.
App Cataloging is used to create a customized app store on the end user’s device. App configuration and app permissions can be used to manage and configure the applications before pushing them to the devices (Only in Android Enterprise).
Networks: Wi-Fi networks can be pre-configured and associated to the devices so that they can connect automatically to the network without prompting the users to enter passwords. This saves the organization the hassle of sharing the credentials with each employee.
Security: Certificates can be installed on the Rhino devices remotely to ensure higher security. Similarly, OS updates can also be scheduled on devices enrolled in Device Owner mode.
Configurations: Wallpaper for the device home screen is customizable on all devices with Android 4.4 and above from the Hexnode MDM portal.
Mobile Data Management and File Management: The Mobile data management feature on Android 6.0+ devices allow admins to monitor how Wi-Fi and mobile data connection are used. Usage limits can be set up, network connectivity can also be restricted if limits are reached (monthly, daily, etc. on the device as a whole or on apps individually). This can be useful in tracking data hogging applications.
File Management can be used to upload files (videos, audios, images, documents) to a designated space within an enrolled device.
Kiosk Features: In most enterprises, the devices are used to access only a limited set of applications. Single app and multi-app kiosk modes by Hexnode MDM can be used for locking down your devices to only the required applications.
Hexnode also provides the option to run apps in the background as certain apps require access to other apps to function properly. The devices can be turned into Digital signages for advertisements and can be set up as a self-service kiosk. A custom kiosk launcher, kiosk screen savers, website kiosks are just the tip of the iceberg.
Kiosks can also be highly customized by restricting device actions and buttons. Kiosk exit settings and website kiosk settings should be configured as per the requirement to adapt the kiosk to the enterprise’s needs. Hexnode browser lite and Hexnode kiosk browser features can also be modified to control how the website kiosk works.
Rhino devices are commonly used as rugged devices, hence Hexnode’s extensive kiosk capabilities will complement it quite nicely.
Geofencing and Location Tracking: Location tracking is useful for turning automatic location tracking on and off and setting the location tracking interval. Users will not be able to change these settings once the configuration policy is associated.
Geofencing is used to create a virtual fence on the map when devices exit the fence they will be marked as non-compliant and the admins will be notified. One of the many high-security Hexnode features.
Android Enterprise Compliance: This policy can be used to deactivate the Android Enterprise container on non-compliance. The deactivation time can be set for securing corporate data.
Other key features
Apps: The apps tab has everything related to applications. You can add enterprise apps and push them to the devices directly or via policies. App catalogs, app grouping, store layouts can be configured here.
You can turn websites into web apps and push them to the devices. Customizing apps, creating file shortcuts for video and pdf files, app management, app configurations, app permissions, and OEMConfig capabilities can be created and modified here.
Admin Settings and Reports: In addition to all the specific features Hexnode’s common alert and management features are also available for Rhino devices.
Inactivity settings to mark devices as inactive after a specified period. Scheduling device scans at regular intervals. Added compliance setting like device encryption, device inactivity, MDM app removal from the device, battery level alerts and notifications, etc.
Action and compliance notifications can be enabled/disabled to notify the admins or users as the case may be. A detailed report section shows a list of device, user, compliance, location, data management, application, and audit reports. These reports can be filtered and viewed. They can also be scheduled and exported as a CSV or PDF file.
How to manage Social Mobile (Rhino) devices using Hexnode MDM
To access the OEMConfig set of features for Social Mobile (Rhino) devices
Step 1: Go to the Apps tab on your Hexnode portal
Step 2: Select Add apps > Managed Google Apps
Step 3: Search for Rhino OEMConfig application and Approve it
Step 4: Go to policies > New policy > New blank policy > Android > App configurations > Configure > Add new configuration > Select the Rhino OEMConfig app
Selecting the application will show you the list of all available device features that can be managed on Rhino devices using OEMConfig.
Select the management options for the required features and save the policy. Assign this policy to the required Rhino devices for management.
Key Settings
Enable home long press (Google assistant): Allows long-press of the home button to be disabled (no Google Assistant invoke). When unchecked, it will not be possible to invoke Google assistant via the long press on home soft key. Invocation through other means will not be impacted.
Enable recents soft key: Allows the recents soft key button to be hidden. When unchecked, the recents soft key will not be visible.
Enable home soft key: Allows the home soft key to be hidden. When unchecked, the home soft key will not be visible.
Enable back soft key: Allows the back soft key to be hidden. When unchecked, the soft key will not be shown on the device.
Enable power button (long press): Controls the ability to long-press on the power button and bring up the power menu.
Enable volume buttons: Controls the ability to toggle volume through the volume buttons. Should NOT impact access to recovery/factory modes. Will not prevent access to volume via Settings.
Enable camera button (long press): Controls the ability to long-press on the camera button. Only applicable to devices with camera buttons.
Enable camera button (short press): Controls the ability to short-press on the camera button. Only applicable to devices with camera buttons.
Enable multifunction button (long press): Controls the ability to long-press on the multifunction button. Only applicable to devices with multifunction buttons.
Enable multifunction button (short press): Controls the ability to short-press on the multifunction button. Only applicable to devices with multifunction buttons.
Enable PTT button (long press): Controls the ability to long-press on the PTT button. Only applicable to devices with PTT buttons.
Enable PTT button (short press): Controls the ability to short-press on the PTT button. Only applicable to devices with PTT buttons.
Enable scanner button (long press): Controls the ability to long-press on the scanner button. Only applicable to devices with PTT buttons.
Enable scanner button (short press): Controls the ability to short-press on the scanner button. Only applicable to devices with PTT buttons.
Enable wake device on scan button press: Controls the ability to wake the device by pressing the scan button. Enabled by default, only applicable to devices with scan buttons.
Advanced Settings
Enable quicksettings icons: These are the icons visible when pulling down the notification panel. This configuration option offers a way to freeze the icons so they cannot be toggled (making them status icons only) as well as hiding the panel all together.
Enable notification panel settings icon: The notification settings icon is the small settings cog seen when pulling down the notification panel. It is normally visible underneath the quick settings icons and takes the user into settings. This can prove troublesome for organisations who want to provide access to notifications but not offer an icon for settings. By setting this configuration option to false, the system will disable/remove the icon.
Enable notification panel: The notification panel is what’s pulled down to gain access to all notifications, quick settings, settings icon, etc. By setting the configuration option to false , the system will disable the notification panel, and prevent notification icons showing in the status bar.
Enable status bar: The status bar is the top-most bar on the screen on most devices, and includes time, battery, network indicators, and notification icons. By setting this configuration option to false, the system will disable the status bar entirely, effectively hide it from view. The notification panel will still be invoked with a swipe down.
Enable navbar (whole bottom nav & background bar): Allows the navbar to be completely hidden from view, and the device to act as if it’s not there. Only suitable for 3-button navigation or pill navigation. Can be set to used instead of disabling soft keys individually.
Enable access to device recovery: Preventing access to recovery could be dangerous, use with caution!
Screen state: Allows the device screen to be set to always on (Useful in kiosk applications or other such situations where the screen going off is detrimental to use. Keyguard/lockscreen will not apply when enabled unless manually turned off with the power button. Will cause significant battery drain.), always off (Allows the admin to keep the screen off. Useful for headless applications and really no other situations. Use with caution.) or manual.
Force brightness level (0 to 100): Allows the admin to set a specific brightness that applies to devices and cannot be modified. Automatic brightness should be disabled if this is used. Setting this to a value outside the 0 – 100 range allows user control over screen brightness.
Enable automatic brightness: For Rhino devices, automatic brightness is set by default, and so this config will also be set by default. Leaving this to true when sending the configuration will prevent automatic brightness from being disabled, and will enforce it on devices with automatic brightness disabled. Setting to false will do nothing to the devices. Must be set to false if manual brightness is being set.
Device name: Allows an admin to enter the device name
Enable roaming: Allows an admin to disable roaming services on the device
Enable screen lock: Allows an admin to disable the screen lock (sets to none in settings)
Enable key guard: Allows an admin to disable the use of keyguard – or setting any type of passcode – on a device. Disabling it may impact apps or system services that require a passcode, such as certificates.)
Wake up applications: When installed, applications remain inactive until opened by a user. By adding a package name here, the device will automatically wake an app following installation. Use with caution.
Apply update from storage: Allows an admin to send the update package zip normally distributed via OTA to a folder on the system named “systemUpdate” on /storage/sdcard0/, when file “RhinoUpdate.zip” is detected in the folder, initiate system update procedure immediately.
Note:
It is highly recommendable to use the native policies wherever possible as the OEMConfig features are still relatively new. The introduction of OEMConfig has opened up a new set of possibilities which will be added to in the future and the existing features are expected to get more fine-tuned.
As the name suggests Rhino Mobility device is truly a beast in a device, their array of rugged devices come with at least 3 years of security updates and 1 OS update.
A dedicated device management service like Hexnode MDM can assist such devices to maximize productivity at any workplace.
Share your thoughts