I am researching MDM options within Android, iOS and Windows Phone. Apple makes its API’s available for MDM applications to utilise which includes the provisioning of email accounts, vpn settings and user-installed application control.
Is the same thing available for Android? I have websites telling me that Android MDMs can manage app distribution and do blacklisting, as well as distribute email accounts and vpn settings but the only configuration APIs I can find deal with simple policies such as password length, etc.
See Boxtone an example of an Android MDM claiming application blacklist:
http://boxtone.com/android-management.aspx
If the APIs aren’t available, how is this possible?
the device setting physically reside on the server during setup. For example you create a default user profile that contains a certain email account, vpn, applications etc.. for a group. When setting up the device you push these setting to the device. The setting can either be locked down (admin has pin access) or left open for the user to modify. For example using a 4 digit pin I can go in and add another email account, disable areas etc.. Without that pin the user gets what is given to him via the profile. I haven’t used boxtone as of yet though.
Many of these API’s apple has available for are for tracking purposes sent to the sever from without the application. As an example I’m currently going through one the IOS API’s for airwatch which allow me to code areas for logging and information sent to the server. Gives the server info of application usage for diagnosing a series of issues.
for further reading here is an android enterprise MDM provided by android. (keep in mind the vast majority of businesses are IOS based) unless you’re looking at BYOD. I’ve had some issues implementing MDM on particular android devices (which is part of the downfall of so many different devices).
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/admin/device-admin.html