Quick start configuration for AppConnect for Android

Complete these tasks to quickly set up AppConnect for Android on MobileIron Core. However, for more information about each task, including details about all the settings, see the provided references and also details in Using AppConnect for Android.

Before you begin 

  1. Obtain the AppConnect Apps for Android that Ivanti provides.

    Download the Secure Apps Manager for Android from:

    https://support.mobileiron.com/mi/android-sam/current/

    Download Secure Android Email+, Web@ Work, Docs@Work, FileManager, and TouchDown for SmartPhones, from:

    https://support.mobileiron.com/support/CDL.html

  2. Obtain in-house and third-party AppConnect apps.

  3. Put all the APK files where they are available for upload to MobileIron Core.

Procedure 

  1. Uploading the Secure Apps Manager to Core for Android AppConnect quick start.
  2. Uploading the AppConnect apps to Core for Android AppConnect quick start
  3. Enabling Core licensing options for Android AppConnect quick start.
  4. Configuring the AppConnect global policy for Android AppConnect quick start.
  5. Configuring the AppConnect container policy for Android AppConnect quick start.
  6. Configuring settings specific to the app for Android AppConnect quick start.
  7. Configuring email attachment control for Android AppConnect quick start.
  8. Configuring registration for Android devices with AppConnect using Android Quick Setup

Uploading the Secure Apps Manager to Core for Android AppConnect quick start

You upload the Secure Apps Manager to MobileIron Core in the same manner you add any in-house app. After uploading the Secure Apps Manager, you can distribute it to devices by applying the app to labels that contain the appropriate devices.

Procedure 

  1. In the MobileIron Core Admin Portal, go to Apps > App Catalog > Add+ > In-House.
  2. Click Browse and browse to the Secure Apps Manager.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Optionally make selections, clicking Next, and then Finish.
  5. Select the Secure Apps Manager entry on the Apps > Apps Catalog screen.
  6. Click Actions > Apply to Labels.
  7. Select the appropriate labels and click Apply.

Next steps 

Continue to Uploading the AppConnect apps to Core for Android AppConnect quick start.

Uploading the AppConnect apps to Core for Android AppConnect quick start

You upload Android AppConnect apps to MobileIron Core in the same manner you add any in-house app. After uploading the apps, you can distribute the apps to devices by applying the apps to labels that contain the appropriate devices.

Procedure 

  1. In the MobileIron Core Admin Portal, go to Apps > App Catalog > Add+ > In-House.
  2. Click Browse and browse to the AppConnect app.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Optionally make selections, clicking Next, and then Finish.
  5. Select the app entry on the Apps > Apps Catalog screen.
  6. Click Actions > Apply to Labels.
  7. Select the appropriate labels and click Apply.
  8. Repeat for each AppConnect app.

Next steps 

Continue to Enabling Core licensing options for Android AppConnect quick start.

“Managing Mobile Apps for Android” in the Core Apps@Work Guide.

Enabling Core licensing options for Android AppConnect quick start

In the Admin Portal, in Settings > System Settings > Additional Products > Licensed Products, you specify whether you have a license for:

  • AppConnect for third-party and in-house apps
  • AppTunnel for third-party and in-house apps
  • Docs@Work
  • Web@Work

The following table shows which Android secure apps you can deploy for each option. Select each option only if your organization has purchased it.

Table 14.   Android secure apps you can deploy with each licensing option

If you enable Docs@Work, you can deploy:

If you enable AppConnect for third-party and in-house apps, you can deploy:

If you enable Web@Work, you can deploy:

  • Docs@Work
  • Secure Android Email+
  • TouchDown for SmartPhones*
  • Web@Work

 

  • Secure Android Email+
  • TouchDown for SmartPhones*
  • FileManager
  • Other third-party AppConnect apps*
  • In-house AppConnect apps
  • Web@Work

*In addition to purchasing the Additional Products option, these apps have an additional cost.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, go to Settings > System Settings > Additional Products > Licensed Products.
  2. Select the appropriate options.
  3. Click Save.

Next steps 

Continue to Configuring the AppConnect global policy for Android AppConnect quick start.

Configuring the AppConnect global policy for Android AppConnect quick start

Using AppConnect for Android requires that you configure an AppConnect global policy. This policy specifies settings that are not specific to a particular AppConnect app. For example, you configure the AppConnect passcode requirements, data loss protection requirements, and whether device users can use AppConnect apps that have no AppConnect container policy on the device.

This procedure shows using a new AppConnect global policy, but you can also edit the default AppConnect global policy.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, select Policies & Configs > Policies.

  2. Select Add New > AppConnect.

  3. Set the AppConnect field to Enabled.

  4. Complete the form.

    Most fields default to suitable values.

  5. In the Security Policies section, select Authorize for the field Apps without an AppConnect container policy.

  6. Click Save.

    If you created a new AppConnect global policy, continue to the next step to apply it to the appropriate labels. You do not need to apply the default AppConnect global policy to a label.

  7. Select the policy.

  8. Select More Actions > Apply To Label.

  9. Select the labels to which you want to apply this policy.

  10. Click Apply.

Next steps 

Continue to Configuring the AppConnect container policy for Android AppConnect quick start.

AppConnect global policy

Configuring the AppConnect container policy for Android AppConnect quick start

This task is necessary only if:

  • You did not select Authorize for the field Apps without an AppConnect container policy in the AppConnect global policy. When Authorize is not selected, an AppConnect container policy is required to authorize an AppConnect app on a device.
  • You want to apply a different screen capture data loss protection (DLP) setting for this app than the setting specified in the AppConnect global policy. This setting in the AppConnect container policy overrides the setting in the AppConnect global policy.

    MobileIron Core automatically creates an AppConnect container policy for the Android AppConnect app when you upload the app to the App Catalog. However, you must also create an additional AppConnect container policy for the app if you want to apply a different screen capture DLP setting to different devices.

Note the following:

  • Make sure only one AppConnect container policy for a specific app is applied to each device.

  • Core keeps in sync the labels that you apply to the app and the labels that you apply to the automatically-created AppConnect container policy.

  • Therefore, make sure that the same labels are not applied to the automatically-created AppConnect container policy and the AppConnect container policy that you manually create.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, select Policy & Configs > Configurations.

  2. Select the automatically-created AppConnect container policy for the app.

  3. Click Edit.

    Alternatively, to create a new AppConnect container policy for the app:

    1. Select Actions > Save as.

    2. Enter a name for the AppConnect container policy.

    3. Enter a description for the AppConnect container policy.

  4. Select Allow Screen Capture if you want to allow screen capture for this app. Your selection overrides the choice for the screen capture setting on the AppConnect global policy.

    No other settings apply to Android. Also, the ability to open a document is always restricted to the secure container on Android devices.

  5. Click Save.

  6. If creating a new AppConnect container policy:

    1. Select the policy you just created.

    2. Select More Actions > Apply to Label.

    3. Select the labels to which you want to apply this policy.

    4. Click Apply.

    5. Select the automatically-created AppConnect container policy.

    6. Select More Actions > Remove from Label.

    7. Select the labels that you applied to the policy that you just created.

    8. Click Remove.

Next steps 

Continue to Configuring settings specific to the app for Android AppConnect quick start.

AppConnect container policies

Configuring settings specific to the app for Android AppConnect quick start

Using an AppConnect app configuration, you can configure settings that are specific to an AppConnect app. Because MobileIron Core provides these settings to the app, device users do not have to manually enter configuration details that the app requires. Each AppConnect app’s documentation should specify the necessary configuration. The configuration uses key-value pairs.

MobileIron Core automatically creates an AppConnect app configuration for the Android AppConnect app when you upload the app to the App Catalog. However, you can create additional AppConnect app configurations for the app if you want to apply different configurations to the app on different devices.

Note the following:

  • Make sure only one AppConnect app configuration for a specific app is applied to each device.

  • Core keeps in sync the labels that you apply to the app and the labels that you apply to the automatically-created AppConnect app configuration.
    Therefore, make sure that the same labels are not applied to the automatically-created AppConnect app configuration and the AppConnect app configurations that you manually create.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, select Policy & Configs > Configurations.

  2. Select the automatically-created AppConnect app configuration for the app.

  3. Click Edit.

    Alternatively, to create a new AppConnect app configuration for the app:

    1. Select Actions > Save as.

    2. Enter a name for the app configuration.

    3. Enter a description for the app configuration.

  4. In the App-specific Configurations section, edit the value of existing key-value pairs.

  5. To add a key-value pair:

    1. Click Add+.

    2. Enter the key name as provided by the app’s documentation.

    3. Enter the key value.

  6. Click Save.
  7. If creating a new AppConnect app configuration:

    1. Select the app configuration you just created.

    2. Select More Actions > Apply to Label.

    3. Select the labels to which you want to apply this app configuration.

    4. Click Apply.

    5. Select the automatically-created AppConnect app configuration.

    6. Select More Actions > Remove from Label.

    7. Select the labels that you applied to the policy that you just created.

    8. Click Remove.

Next steps 

Continue to Configuring email attachment control for Android AppConnect quick start.

AppConnect app configuration

Configuring email attachment control for Android AppConnect quick start

This step is required only if:

  • You are deploying an AppConnect for Android email app, such as Email+ for Android or Touchdown for SmartPhones.
  • You want to use the email attachment control feature in the Standalone Sentry,

Procedure:

  1. In the Admin Portal, go to Services > Sentry.
  2. Select the Standalone Sentry that handles ActiveSync for the devices.
  3. Select the edit icon.
  4. In the section Attachment Control Configuration, select Enable Attachment Control.
  5. For iOS And Android Using Secure Email Apps, select Open With Secure Email App.
  6. Click Save.

“Email Attachment Control with Standalone Sentry” in the Sentry Guide for Core.

Configuring registration for Android devices with AppConnect using Android Quick Setup

New registration of Android 10+ devices are limited to Android Enterprise or MAM-only modes. From MobileIron Core version 11.3.0.0, Device Admin is restricted for new device registrations with Android OS 10.0 and later. However, for AppConnect, the Core administrator can register devices and SAM-wrapped apps by adding a new policy in Android Quick Setup and assign it to Android devices.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, go to Policies & Configurations > Policies.

  2. Click Add New > Android > Android Quick Setup.

  3. Fill out the form.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Assign to label so that it gets applied to Android devices with Android 10.0 and later.