Silent Deployment of Cisco ThousandEyes Mobile Endpoint Agent Using SOTI MobiControl

Deploy, configure, and register the Cisco ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent on Android devices using SOTI MobiControl. The deployment uses Android Enterprise and Managed Google Play to complete registration without end-user interaction.

SOTI MobiControl

Android Enterprise

Prerequisites

Ensure the following conditions are met before starting the deployment:

 

• Device and OS Requirements:
  • Devices are running Android 11 or later.
  • Devices support Google Mobile Services (GMS)
    • Devices running AOSP without Google Play are not supported.
  • Devices are enrolled in SOTI MobiControl as Android Enterprise (Fully Managed).
• Account and Access Requirements:
  • Administrative access to the SOTI MobiControl Web Console.
  • Access to Managed Google Play is enabled in the environment. This is done by registering an Android Enterprise binding in the SOTI MobiControl Web Console’s Global Settings area. ( Global Settings > Android > Enterprise Bindings).
    • Important: the same binding must be used in both the app policy, when it is created later on, and in the Enrollment policy for enrolling the device. If the device is already enrolled in MobiControl via an Enrollment policy that did not include this Enterprise Binding at the time of enrollment, the device will need to be unenrolled and re-enrolled to properly receive the Enterprise Binding.
  • A valid Cisco ThousandEyes account.
  • A valid ThousandEyes Connection String.
• Application Compatibility
  • Cisco ThousandEyes Mobile Endpoint Agent v1.4.1 or later
• Android Permissions Used by the Agent
  • The ThousandEyes Mobile Endpoint Agent requires the following Android permissions granted during deployment to function correctly:

    • · READ_PHONE_STATE
      
      · ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION
      
      · ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
      
      · ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
      
      //These permissions are granted during the deployment process.

Steps

Important: This is a multi-part process. All steps must be completed in the order provided to ensure successful deployment and agent registration.

 

Part 1: Deploy the ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent from Managed Google Play 

1. From the SOTI MobiControl Web Console, select Policies from the main menu.

2. Navigate to the Apps policies page and create a new app policy.

3. Select Android > Android Enterprise as the platform.

4. In the Apps section, select Add new app.

5. Select Managed Google Play Apps as the source.

6. Select + (Add) to search for and select the ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent.

 

Part 2: Configure the Agent Using AppConfig

1. After adding the app, configure the app by selecting the three-dot menu, then select Configure to navigate to the Managed App Config tab.

• Important: If you want the app to be installed immediately when the app policy is assigned, make sure to navigate to Installation Options and change the priority from default to High Priority. When set to default, the app installs when a device connects to Wi-Fi, is charging, and is idle.

2. Paste your connection string in the connection field.

3. Alternatively, switch to the JSON view to paste the following JSON, replacing YOUR_CONNECTION_STRING with your ThousandEyes account connection string:

{

  "connection_string": "YOUR_CONNECTION_STRING",

  "skip_terms_of_service": true,

  "device_name": "{{SerialNumber}}",

  "auto_register_agent": true

}

4. Save and assign the app policy and its configuration to your target devices.

 

Part 3: Grant Required Permissions Using Android Legacy Script

The ThousandEyes agent requires runtime permissions to be granted after installation.

Tip: Confirm the ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent status is installed before proceeding with part three.

 

1. In the SOTI MobiControl web console Devices view, select your target device/ device group and choose the send script action.

2. Select Legacy as the script type.

3. Enter the following command to grant phone permission:

afw_set_permission_grant_state com.thousandeyes.endpointagent android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE allow

afw_set_permission_grant_state com.thousandeyes.endpointagent android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION allow

afw_set_permission_grant_state com.thousandeyes.endpointagent android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION allow

afw_set_permission_grant_state com.thousandeyes.endpointagent android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION allow

4. Select Send Script to deploy the script to the same device group as the app policy.

Note: The ThousandEyes agent must launch once to complete registration and start background services.

Result

This configuration automatically:

• Registers the agent with ThousandEyes
• Skips the Terms of Service prompt
• Assigns the device serial number as the agent name
• Completes registration without end-user interaction

 

Verify in SOTI MobiControl

1. Confirm the ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent status is installed.

2. Confirm the AppConfig policy and legacy script are successfully deployed.

Verify in ThousandEyes

1. Log in to the ThousandEyes portal.

2. Navigate to Endpoint Experience > Agents.

3. Confirm the device appears as Registered and Active.

4. Verify telemetry data is being reported.

Successful verification confirms the agent is fully deployed and operational.