System for cloud-managed mobile device administration
An improved system for cloud-managed mobile device administration (MDM) is described. MDM may be implemented with the use of a third-party product that has management features for particular vendors of mobile devices. The cloud-managed mobile device administration and provisioning eases the administrative burden during deployments, and for on-going mobile device administration. Multiple systems may also manage mobile devices after putting the device into supervised mode, instead of being locked into using the computer that provisioned it originally for any subsequent management and administration needs.
1. A system comprising:
an administrative module comprising a frontend console and a central database;
a plurality of server modules associated with the administrative module wherein each server module comprises a server module interface for connecting with a mobile device group;
a plurality of mobile device groups wherein each of the plurality of mobile device groups is associated with one of the plurality of the server modules and wherein each of the mobile device groups includes at least one mobile device having mobile device data including device data and version data;
wherein the central database includes central data related to each of the plurality of mobile device groups and the mobile device data of at least one mobile device;
wherein the server module interface retrieves the mobile device data for the at least one mobile device via a wired interface and wherein the administrative module compares the mobile device data retrieved by the sever module interface with the central data when the at least one mobile device is connected to the server module interface;
wherein the server module interface provides installation data retrieved from the administrative module for the at least one mobile device when the at least one mobile device is connected to the server module interface via the wired interface; and
wherein the content of the installation data is selected by the administrative module based on the permission level of the at least one mobile device that is connected to the server module interface.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the content of the installation data includes cryptographic keys to lock the at least one mobile device.
3. The system as in claim 2 wherein the content of the installation data is selected by the administrative module based on the device data of the at least one mobile device that is connected to the server module interface.
4. The system as in claim 2 wherein the content of the installation data is selected by the administrative module based on the version data of the at least one mobile device that is connected to the server module interface.
5. The system as in claim 4 wherein the administrative module does not provide installation data related to the most recent version of the version data.
6. The system as in claim 2 wherein the content of the installation data is selected by the administrative module based on the nature of the server module that is connected to the at least one mobile device via the server module interface of that server module.
7. The system as in claim 2 further comprising a hardware appliance for connecting to the at least one mobile device via the wired interface.
8. The system as in claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of mobile device groups are in separate geographical locations.
9. The system as in claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of mobile device groups are in separate functional groups.
10. A system comprising:
a network comprising:
an administrative module comprising a frontend console and a central database incorporating a plurality of customizable data properties controllable via the frontend console;
a plurality of server modules associated with the administrative module wherein each server module comprises a server module interface for connecting with a plurality of mobile devices having mobile device data;
wherein the central database includes central data related to the mobile device data of at least one mobile device;
wherein when the at least one mobile device is connected to the server module interface via a wired interface: 1) the server module interface retrieves the mobile device data for the at least one mobile device, 2) the administrative module compares the mobile device data retrieved by the sever module interface with the central data, 3) the administrative module provides instruction data to the server module interface based on the plurality of customizable data properties, and 4) the server module modifies the instruction data based on the properties of the at least one mobile device; and
a second central database including non-network data incorporating the plurality of customizable data properties that interfaces with the administrative module, wherein the plurality of customizable data properties include data related to the mobile device.
11. The system as in claim 10 , further comprising when the at least one mobile device is connected to the server module interface via a wired interface: 5) the administrative module provides instruction data to the server module interface to prevent outside updates of the at least one mobile device.
12. The system as in claim 11 further comprising a hardware appliance for connecting to the at least one mobile device via the wired interface.
13. The system as in claim 10 wherein the plurality of customizable data properties also includes data related to the user of the mobile device.
14. The system as in claim 10 wherein the plurality of customizable data properties also includes data related to the location of the mobile device.
15. The system as in claim 10 wherein the non-network data is provided via an application device interface.
16. The system as in claim 15 further comprising a second network that furnishes the non-network data.
17. A system comprising:
a network comprising:
an administrative module comprising a frontend console, a central database having central data incorporating a plurality of customizable data properties controllable via the frontend console and a reporting module for reporting properties related to the central data;
a plurality of server modules associated with the administrative module wherein each server module comprises a server module interface for connecting with a plurality of mobile devices having mobile device data;
wherein the central data includes the mobile device data of at least one mobile device;
wherein, when the at least one mobile device is connected to the server module interface via a wired interface: 1) the server module interface retrieves the mobile device data for the at least one mobile device, 2) the administrative module compares the mobile device data retrieved by the sever module interface with the central data, and 3) the administrative module provides instruction data to the server module interface based on the plurality of customizable data properties
wherein the mobile device data comprises error data related to malfunctions of the mobile device and wherein the customizable data properties comprise aggregate error data related to the malfunctions of the network; and
wherein the frontend console reports on the relationship between the aggregate error data and the mobile device data.
18. The system as in claim 17 , further comprising a second central database including second network data incorporating the plurality of customizable data properties that interfaces with the administrative module.
19. The system as in claim 17 , further comprising a hardware appliance for connecting a plurality of the at least one mobile device via the wired interface.
20. The system as in claim 19 , wherein the wired interface uses the USB protocol.