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Constant Device Check In's

JM
Joshua M
511Tactical

Recently after having some reported reboots and crashing issues on some of our devices, we logged into the Mobi Control web interface to fix and verify the settings on a few of the troubled devices, and noticed that the server hardware/resource utilization was around 50-60% constantly with no stop. We've noticed that all of our devices are constantly checking in, non stop, once or even twice every second. Almost every active device is now exhibiting this behavior.

We attempted to update our server and mobicontrol version to hopefully alleviate the issue. These are the specifications before the update.

MobiControl Version: 13.4 MR
OS: Microsoft Server 2012 R2
MS SQL Version: 10.50.6000
Devices: Android 5.1.1
Agent Version: 14.0
Device Type: Zebra TC8000 & WT6000
MX Management system version: 7.2.10.3

These are the current specs after applying updates and updating the server:

MobiControl Version: 15.3.1.1151
OS: Microsoft Server 2019
MS SQL Version: 13.0.5698
Devices: Android 5.1.1
Agent Version: 14.4.1.1064
Device Type: Zebra TC8000 & WT6000
MX Management system version: 7.2.10.3

We were able to successfully update the SQL database, the Server OS, the mobicontrol version, and agents on the devices. The check in behavior has remained after these updates and has us stumped as to what might be the root cause of the issue. We're not sure when this behavior started, as we noticed it when we another problem surfaced and then noticed this behavior. Any insight from your team would be greatly appreciated.

4 years ago
Android
ANSWERS
MD
Matt Dermody Diamond Contributor
4 years ago

The TC8000 devices have known issues with SOTI MobiControl wherein the low memory of the device coupled with the poor memory management of Android L leads to constant crashing as there isn't enough ram to run the OS, SOTI agent, device services, and your business apps all at once. 

https://discussions.soti.net/thread/frustrating-issue-with-mobicontrol-agent-constantly-disconnecting-and-reconnecting-on-tc8000-scanners/

Your WT6000s may be experiencing  something similar if you are running the low memory version of that device on Android L. We have seen better results with the higher memory WT6000s running N with SOTI, although those are starting to have issues with MX and applications like Zebra Enterprise Browser at start up, so they're not entirely safe either.

Unfortunately, I do not think there is going to be a solution for you in this situation. Upgrading the OS and LG on the devices or updating your SOTI server and Agent will only make the situation worse as that will only introduce more bloated and resource hungry versions of the software that you are already running on those devices. We have begun removing our end customers TC8000s from SOTI MobiControl completely and switching to a manual StageNow based configuration image in order to bring some level of stability to this device model. It's really an unfortunate position to be in as we made the switch to recommending SOTI to our end customers in the first place because of the need to configure, manage, and support the TC8000. Now, several years later they don't seem to be compatible any more. 

Note that the TC8000 did release in 2015 so it is technically at the end of its expected software lifecycle anyway (5-7 years). The WT6000 is right behind it as well.

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