Quick start configuration AppConnect for Android

MobileIron provides the default configurations needed to quickly set up and distribute AppConnect apps to devices. MobileIron provides the following default configurations for AppConnect for Android:

• A default AppConnect Device configuration, Default Android AppConnect Configuration, which includes the default AppConnect passcode and data loss prevention (DLP) settings that are automatically applied to all devices.
• A default Android AppConnect Passcode Service configuration. The passcode service communicates the AppConnect passcocde service URL to Android devices. The configuration cannot be edited.

When you add an AppConnect app to MobileIron Cloud, the app settings provided by the AppConnect app are automatically available. No additional app configurations are needed. Therefore, to quickly distribute an AppConnect app, simply add and distribute the AppConnect app as you would any other in-house app.

See the following:

• Adding AppConnect apps to MobileIron Cloud

To customize the configuration for the AppConnect app, see the following:

• Adding an AppConnect Custom Configuration
• Adding an AppConnect Devices configuration
• Android AppConnect Devices field description

Adding AppConnect apps to MobileIron Cloud

You add Android AppConnect apps to MobileIron Cloud in the same manner you add any Android app. Apps are distributed to devices in the distribution list you selected when adding the app. To add AppConnect apps provided by MobileIron, in MobileIron Cloud, go to Apps > App Catalog > +Add and select In-House. The MobileIron AppConnect apps for Android are identified as For Android AppConnect in the app's tile.

Before you begin 

1. Obtain the AppConnect apps for Android.

   • Check with the app developer for the location of in-house and third-party AppConnect apps.

   NOTE:

   The AppConnect apps for Android provided by MobileIron are available in the App Catalog for upload to MobileIron Cloud.

2. Put the APK files where they are available for upload to MobileIron Cloud.

Procedure 

1. In MobileIron Cloud, go to Apps > App Catalog > Add+ > In-House.

   Figure 1. Add app the App Catalog in MobileIron Cloud

   

2. Choose the app to add.

   • To add an in-house app or third-party app, click Choose File to navigate to the APK file or drag and drop the APK file.
   • To add MobileIron apps, select the tile for the Android AppConnect app from apps available in Business Apps.
3. Click Next.
4. You can choose to keep the defaults or optionally, make selections for App Information, Screenshots, App Delegation, and Distribution by clicking Next.
5. Click Done to add the app to the App Catalog..

6. Select the app in the App Catalog to verify the app's compatibility.

   If the app uses an older version of AppConnect that is incompatible with MobileIron Cloud, a warning message is visible in the app's details. If the AppConnect version is not compatible, the app is not installed on Android devices.

   Figure 2. Verify AppConnect app compatibility

   

Next steps 

• If your app requires any custom configurations, create an AppConnect Custom Configuration.

  See Adding an AppConnect Custom Configuration.

• To customize the passcode and data loss prevention (DLP) settings, edit the default AppConnect Device configuration or create a new AppConnect Device configuration. See Adding an AppConnect Devices configuration.

Related topics 

• See the MobileIron Cloud Administrator Guide or Help for more information on adding apps to the MobileIron Cloud app catalog.
• See Android AppConnect Devices field description for the field descriptions and defaults for settings in the Android AppConnect Device configuration.
• To add an AppTunnel configuration, see Adding an AppTunnel configuration

Adding an AppConnect Custom Configuration

The settings in an Android AppConnect app are automatically available. To customize the app behavior, add certificates, or allow screen capture in the app, create an AppConnect Custom Configuration. You configure key-value pairs to customize the app behavior and add certificates for distribution.

Before you begin 

• Check your app documentation for the key-value pairs supported by your app.
• For the supported key-value pairs see AppConnect key-value Pairs.

Procedure 

1. In MobileIron Cloud, go to App > App Catalog.
2. Click the app listing to edit the settings.
3. Go to App Configurations > AppConnect Custom Configuration.
4. Click Add to add a new AppConnect Custom Configuration.
5. Enter a name for the configuration.
6. Enter the key-value pairs for the desired configuration and certificates.
7. Optionally, select Allow screen capture.
8. Select a distribution option.
9. Click Save.

Related topics 

AppConnect for Android key-value pairs

Adding an AppConnect Devices configuration

Using AppConnect for Android requires that an AppConnect Devices configuration is set up. This configuration specifies settings that are not specific to a particular AppConnect app such as the AppConnect passcode requirements and data loss protection(DLP) requirements.

MobileIron provides a default AppConnect Devices configuration, Default Android AppConnect Configuration, which is by default applied to all devices. You can either edit the default configuration for you specific deployment or create a new configuration.

Figure 3. Default AppConnect Android Devices configuration

Procedure 

1. In your instance of MobileIron Cloud, go to Configurations > +Add.

2. Enter AppConnect Devices in the Search Configuration text box to filter quickly to the configuration.

   Figure 4. Add AppConnect Device configuration

   

3. Click the tile for AppConnect Device.
4. Select Android to diplay the settings for the AppConnect Device configuraiton for Android.
5. Update the settings as needed and click Next.
6. Select a distribution option and click Done.

Next steps 

To add an AppTunnel configuration, see Configuring AppTunnel for AppConnect apps

Related topics 

Android AppConnect Devices field description

Android AppConnect Devices field description

The following table describes the settings in the AppConnect Devices configuration.

Table 1. Android AppConnect Devices settings description

Setting	What To Do
Name	Enter a name that identifies this configuration.
Description	Enter a description that clarifies the purpose of this configuration.
AppConnect Passcode
Enable Secure Apps Passcode	Select to require users to enter their secure apps passcode before accessing AppConnect apps.
Numeric	Select to allow the passcode to have only digits in it. However, the user can choose to create an alphanumeric passcode.
Alphanumeric	Select to require the passcode to contain at least one digit and one letter.
Don't specify	Select to allow the passcode to have characters of any type.
Minimum passcode length	Select the minimum number of characters required.
Minimum number of complex characters	For alphanumeric passcodes, select the minimum number of complex characters required. NOTE: A complex character is any character which is not 0-9, a-z, or A-Z. For example, $, \, and ä are special characters.
Maximum Password Age	Select an age from the list or select Custom to enter a specific number of days after which the user must change the secure apps passcode.
Auto-Lock	Select the amount of time that passes before the AppConnect auto-lock feature requires the user to re-enter the secure apps passcode.
Passcode history	Enter the number of unique secure apps passcodes that the user must enter before repeating a passcode. For example, if you set this option to 3, then the user must use 3 different passcodes when resetting the secure apps passcode before being able to reuse the first passcode.
Maximum number of failed attempts	Select a value between 1 and 10. Select “None” if you do not want to limit failed attempts. If the device user fails to correctly enter the AppConnect passcode after a certain number of attempts, the user cannot access AppConnect apps.
Allow user to recover passcode	Select to allow the user to recover passcode.
Enable Fingerprint Authentication	Drag the slider to the right to switch ON the option to allow the user to use fingerprint for authentication. By default, the option is OFF.
App Authorization
Unauthorized message	Enter the default message that is displayed to the user if the app is not authorized on the device. If you do not enter a default message, the system provides one.
Data Loss Prevention Settings
Copy/Paste No restrictions Among AppConnect apps Within an AppConnect app	Select if you want the device user to be able to copy content from AppConnect apps to other apps. You can override this option in each app’s individual AppConnect container policy. When you select this option, then select either: No restrictions Select if you want the device user to be able to copy content from the AppConnect app and paste it into any other app. Among AppConnect apps Select AppConnect apps if you want the device user to be able to copy content from the AppConnect app and paste it only into other AppConnect apps. Within an AppConnect app Select if you want the device user to be able to copy content from the AppConnect app and paste it only into the same AppConnect app.
Allow Camera	Select to allow camera photo access for all the AppConnect apps on an Android device.
Allow Gallery	Select to allow all the AppConnect apps on an Android device to access images from the gallery.
Allow Media Player	Select to allow all the AppConnect apps to stream media to media players.
Allow Screen Capture	Select to allow AppConnect apps to do screen capture.
Allow web	Select to allow an unsecured browser to attempt to display a web page when a device user taps the page’s URL in a secure app. If you do not select Allow web, only Web@Work can display the page.
Allow Non-AppConnect apps to open URLs in Web@Work	Select to allow device users to choose to view a web page in Web@Work or other AppConnect-enabled browser when they tap a link (URL) in an app that is not AppConnect-enabled.