Migrate Windows devices with Hexnode Gateway

In today’s fast-changing tech landscape, efficiently managing devices in an organization is critical to the growth of the organization. Such corporate devices can be constantly monitored and managed through MDM solutions, which organizations choose depending on their budget and feature requirements. Due to evolving business needs or limitations with the existing MDM, an organization might want to change its MDM service provider. Migration to a different MDM solution requires the device to be wiped.

Hexnode Gateway streamlines this process by enabling efficient migration of devices previously enrolled in a different MDM solution to Hexnode UEM without the need for the device to be wiped. This document elaborates the steps involved in the migration of a Windows device completely or partially managed by a different MDM solution to Hexnode.

Migrate Windows to Hexnode UEM

The Hexnode Gateway app for Windows helps migrate it to Hexnode from a different MDM. Hexnode Gateway can be installed by first downloading the configuration file from the Hexnode UEM portal. The following are the steps to create the required configuration file on the Hexnode UEM portal.

1. Navigate to Enroll > All Enrollments > Migration > Windows.
2. If you have already generated the configuration file, skip to step 12. If not, click on Generate a New Configuration File.
3. Provide a suitable name for the configuration file under the Configuration name field.
4. Admins can choose to migrate their managed Windows devices with using either of the options Migrate with Gateway UI or Migrate silently.
   • Migrate with Gateway UI– The user is prompted to initiate migration from the Hexnode Gateway app. It is the default method. The following options are accessible on the Hexnode Gateway application only when Migrate with Gateway UI is enabled.
     

     Settings	Description
     Enforce Hexnode Gateway app in full screen	When checked, the device is restricted to the Gateway app until the migration is complete.
     Allow user to exit full screen (Available only when Enforce Hexnode Gateway app in full screen is enabled)	When checked, the user can exit the Hexnode Gateway app from full screen temporarily. Full screen can be exited for 15 seconds by tapping the Hexnode icon on the left of the app screen 5 times.

   • Migrate silently– The device is migrated to Hexnode without any user intervention.

Configure network settings

5. Wi-Fi settings– Enable the option Add Wi-Fi settings to configuration file to configure the Wi-Fi settings. The configured Wi-Fi settings will reflect on the device once the configuration file is installed.
6. VPN settings– Enable the option Add VPN settings to configuration file to configure the VPN settings. The configured VPN settings will reflect on the device once the configuration file is installed.

Configure device settings

7. Configure the Enrolled device name by giving a suitable name. This field accepts all wildcards.
8. Add the device to a device group by choosing one from the available dropdown under Add to device group and clicking on Add.
9. Check Escrow BitLocker recovery key to retrieve the recovery password from the device and store it on the Hexnode UEM portal. The retrieved recovery password can be viewed under Manage > Device Summary > Hardware Info.
10. Click on Generate a custom MSI file to generate the configuration file in downloadable format. It may take a few minutes to prepare the configuration profile in MSI format. You will be notified via mail once the profile is generated.
11. Download the MSI file onto your device.
12. Deploy the configuration file to target Windows devices using your existing MDM.

Complete device migration

Once the MSI file is deployed on the device, the Hexnode Gateway app opens up. Depending on the existing enrollment status of the device, follow the suitable steps.

Case 1: The device is enrolled via Autopilot

1. Reassign the device in the Azure portal to an MDM server associated with this Hexnode UEM console.
2. A pop-up message requesting the user to enroll the device with Hexnode UEM arises on the device end. Click on Open Hexnode Gateway.
3. Now, click Migrate to Hexnode UEM in the Hexnode Gateway app to disenroll the device from the existing MDM and initiate enrollment.

Case 2: The device is enrolled but not via Autopilot

1. A pop-up message requesting the user to enroll the device with Hexnode UEM arises on the device end. Click on Open Hexnode Gateway.



2. Click Migrate to Hexnode UEM in the Hexnode Gateway app to disenroll the device from the existing MDM and initiate enrollment.

Case 3: The device is not enrolled

1. Click on Enroll to Hexnode UEM in the Hexnode Gateway app to enroll the device.

Once the status bar loads and the enrollment with Hexnode is complete, the Hexnode Gateway app will be uninstalled from the device.