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Honeywell CT60 and CK65 devices running Android 11, MobiControl unable to modify data in ..\Android\data due to Android security/privacy changes

Solved
J
JackRyan

We leverage MobiControl to manage our CK65s and CT60s. We also leverage Staylinked SmartTE and have historically pushed the staylink.ini file located in "%sdcard%/Android/data/com.staylinked.AndroidClient" using a MobiControl package so that it can establish the initial Staylinked sever connection.

As of Android 11, MobiControl can no longer push files to the "../Android/data" directory. I had come across this on the Honeywell support site: https://support.honeywellaidc.com/s/article/Android-11-permission-required-for-Workspace-One-Agent-SotiAgent

But this doesn't seem to work for the CT60 or CK65.
Staylinked allows you to manage the SmartTE config once connected, but we need to be able to pusht he server address via the staylink.ini file prior to it taking control.

Soti is currently working a case on this.
I have a ticket into Honeywell.
I have a support request with Staylinked.
I also have some help coming from a VAR we purchased the equipment through.

So now I'm reaching out to the community to see if anyone has had any luck with this at this point?

One of the issues is that when the Honeywell firmware package is pushed to upgrade the devices from 10 to 11, it seems like the SmartTE config is also wiped out as the application is updated.

Unfortunately, I'm running out of ideas short of a firmware rollback, which isn't something I want to worry about later since 80 of these devices have yet to be deployed. It'd be incredibly helpful to get them on the latest version of Android for the device prior to deployment.

SmartTE Staylinked mobicontrol permission honeywell Android 11
3 years ago
Android
ANSWERS
J
JackRyan
3 years ago

Since opening this thread, Honeywell and Staylinked have both responded to open tickets I had on the issue.

Staylinked stated that the issue would not be resolved until Honeywell and Staylinked came up with a resolution, but they were aware of the issue and there was no workaround.

Honeywell responded yesterday after escalation to T3 support. They stated that they were aware of the issue and in order to gain access to the Data folder, code has to be modified at the OS level. There is an engineering work request already submitted to resolve it and the required changes will be available starting from Android 11, MR 09. Expected release is mid November.

Solution
J
JackRyan
3 years ago

An additional update from Honeywell on this unfortunately is that MR09 will not be released until mid 2023. A workaround was provided me by Honeywell.

The workaround requires an application called SAAccessService - com.honeywell.saasedge
The solution was then to use a supplied script to copy the file from a location you can transfer to the location that the staylink.ini needs to be.

I created a MobiControl package that included the apk of the application, a copy of the staylink.ini that was downloaded the %sdcard%/download location, and then a post installation script that contained the script they sent me.

This did work. So, I recommend reaching out Honeywell to ask about this workaround if you cannot wait for the MR09 update in 2023.

DS
David Stalvey
2 years ago

Do you have that script?  I am trying do the same thing with StayLinked.

MD
Matt Dermody Diamond Contributor
3 years ago
J
JackRyan
3 years ago

So I actually did try this as well. And I would even prefer this management method, to pushing the ini file via MobiControl package, or file sync rule. It's a much more elegant solution. But it didn't seem to work. I'm not sure if this is due to the package already being installed on Honeywell devices, or if there was another reason.

MD
Matt Dermody Diamond Contributor
3 years ago

Can you try to remove the Package based installation of the APK and just use an App Policy with the Managed Configuration Payload? 

J
JackRyan
3 years ago

Unfortunately the application is preinstalled on the Honeywell build and is not uninstallable. I don't think you'd want to anyway, as at least the CK65 devices come prelicensed for the Staylinked server.

EL
Ed, Lowry
3 years ago

Try a file sync to the folder 

/enterprise/usr/staylink.ini

And then run a post script command of 

__chmod 777 /enterprise/usr/staylink.ini

J
JackRyan
3 years ago

That directory does not exist on these devices.
SmartTE on Honeywell devices is preinstalled and cannot generally be removed and loaded from the Play Store.

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