Testing app-specific configuration handling

To test app-specific configuration handling, use Core. If you are an in-house app developer and your enterprise uses  Core or Connected Cloud, you can use that Core. Otherwise, request a Connected Cloud instance for your testing. Connected Cloud is the cloud offering of the on-premise server Core. You then use a web portal called the Admin Portal to make configuration changes necessary for testing your app. All AppConnect apps require Mobile@Work on the device to interact with Core.

IMPORTANT: You must wrap your app before testing it with Core.

Apps that you test on Mobile@Work will also work with Ivanti Neurons for MDM and supported versions of Go. However, some AppConnect features are not supported by Ivanti Neurons for MDM and Go.

The steps for testing app-specific configuration handling in your app are:

  1. Requesting a Core test instance
  2. Downloading Mobile@Work to the device
  3. Logging in to the Admin Portal
  4. Creating a label for testing your app
  5. Enabling AppConnect on Core
  6. Configuring the AppConnect global policy
  7. Uploading the Secure Apps Manager to Core
  8. Uploading your AppConnect app to Core
  9. Configuring app-specific settings in Core
  10. Registering the test device to Core
  11. Pushing Core configuration changes to the device

Requesting a Core test instance

To request a Core test instance if one is not available to you, go to Request and Setup a Test Instance: Core / Ivanti Neurons for MDM / Sentry.

Downloading Mobile@Work to the device

Download Mobile@Work to the device from Google Play.

Logging in to the Admin Portal

If you requested an Ivanti  Connected Cloudtest instance, Ivanti provides you with the following information about your test Core:

  • the URL for accessing the Core’s Admin Portal

    The Admin Portal is a web portal for configuring Core. The URL has the format:

    https://m.mobileiron.net/<app partner name>

  • a user ID and password for accessing the Admin Portal

    You also use this user ID to register a device with Core.

  • a port number for Core, used when you register a device with Core.

    The port number is typically four or five digits.

If you are using your enterprise's Core or Connected Cloud, get the URL, user ID and password, and port number from your Core administrators. They might give you a separate user ID and password to use to register a device.

Procedure 

  1. Open a browser to the URL for accessing the Core’s Admin Portal.

    Use the URL of your test Core, appended with /mifs.

    Connected Cloud example:

    https://m.mobileiron.net/myCompany/mifs

    On-premise Core example:

    https://mycore.mycompany.com/mifs

  2. Enter your Username and Password.

  3. Click Sign In.

    You are now in the Admin Portal.

    When using a test instance from Ivanti, change your password when prompted.

Creating a label for testing your app

Core uses labels to associate policies and apps with devices. For testing your app, create a new label so that your testing impacts only your test device.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, go to Devices & Users > Labels.

  2. Click Add Label.

  3. Enter a name for the label.

    For example: AppConnect Test

  4. Enter a description.

    For example: Use only for devices testing new AppConnect apps.

  5. Select Manual for the Type.

  6. Click Save.

Enabling AppConnect on Core

To test your AppConnect app, ensure that AppConnect is enabled on Core.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, go to Settings.
  2. Select Additional Products > Licensed Products.
  3. Select AppConnect For Third-party And In-house Apps if it is not already selected.
  4. Click Save.

Configuring the AppConnect global policy

Using AppConnect for Android requires that you configure an 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.

  7. Select the policy.

  8. Select More Actions > Apply To Label.

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

  10. Click Apply.

Uploading the Secure Apps Manager to Core

The Secure Apps Manager is required for running AppConnect apps. You upload the Secure Apps Manager to Core as an in-house app. After uploading the Secure Apps Manager, you distribute it to your test device by applying the app to the label for your test device.

Procedure 

  1. Download the Secure Apps Manager app to your computer from Ivanti Getting Started.
  2. In the Core Admin Portal, go to Apps > App Catalog > Add+ > In-House.
  3. Click Browse and browse to the Secure Apps Manager.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Optionally make selections, clicking Next, and then Finish.
  6. Select the Secure Apps Manager entry on the Apps > Apps Catalog screen.
  7. Click Actions > Apply to Labels.
  8. Select the appropriate label and click Apply.

Uploading your AppConnect app to Core

You upload your Android AppConnect app to Core as an in-house app. After uploading the app, you distribute the app to your test device by applying the app to the label for your test device.

IMPORTANT: Wrap your app before uploading it to Core.

Procedure 

  1. In the 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 label and click Apply.

Configuring app-specific settings in Core

Using an AppConnect app configuration, you can configure settings that are specific to your AppConnect app. The configuration uses key-value pairs.

Core automatically creates an AppConnect app configuration for the Android AppConnect app when you upload the wrapped app to the App Catalog. 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.

Procedure 

  1. In the Admin Portal, select Policy & Configs > Configurations.
  2. Select the automatically-created AppConnect app configuration for the app.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. To add a key-value pair:
    1. Click Add+.
    2. Enter the key name.
    3. Enter the key value.
  5. Click Save.

Registering the test device to Core

To run your AppConnect app, you must first launch Mobile@Work and follow its instructions to register with Core.  This procedure will install the Secure Apps Manager and your app on the device.

After you complete the registration procedure, you can run your AppConnect app and test its handling of the app-specific configuration you configured on Core.

Pushing Core configuration changes to the device

If you change configuration on Core, such as your app-specific key-value pairs, you can make Core send the changes to the device immediately.

Procedure 

  1. Open Mobile@Work.
  2. Navigate to the Device Status screen if not already there.
  3. Tap the refresh icon in the upper right-hand corner.

  4. This action causes the Mobile@Work to check in with Core, which causes Core to deliver any configuration changes to the device.