Updates to the firmware on mobile devices can be problematic for IT organizations. You have no control over when a user decides to update their device, which makes it impossible to understand how that action will affect the applications necessary for business continuity. In the world of desktops, we have had a tool bag full of options for many years — but mobile devices have remained a challenge … until now.

Samsung to the rescue! The electronics company announced this week the ability to enable IT admins to control when a device gets an update, as well as what version. This capability is known as Enterprise Firmware Over-The-Air (E-FOTA), and it is coming to XenMobile.

Currently, users receive the update in one of two ways: from the mobile phone (telecom) provider or directly from Samsung. Several telecom providers in the US modify the firmware distribution from Samsung, and as a result, they decide when to make the update available to their users. This leaves IT at the mercy of their users and crossing their fingers, hoping that their critical applications continue to work.

In the new paradigm, IT will be able to use XenMobile MDM and Samsung Knox capabilities to test out the new firmware and all their internal applications before the update is provided to users. Then they can use the policy on XenMobile to set configure the Samsung device with the correct E-FOTA update server and control which update to install. IT now has the power to pass on certain updates that do not provide value or break your critical applications.  As long as the device is registered with the system, IT will be able to manage the updates. Review the basic flow:

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Watch this blog for additional information as XenMobile adds this new capability.

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