Automate Android Updates

This document provides guidelines on managing OS updates for Android devices.

Admins have several capabilities to manage and control Android updates across their devices. These features offer flexibility and control, ensuring that OS updates are deployed efficiently across managed devices.

Key Capabilities for Admins:

• Schedule Updates: Admins can define specific time frames and days for deploying Android OS updates. This ensures that updates are applied at times that are convenient for the organization, minimizing disruption to users.
• Freeze Update Deployment: To avoid deploying updates during critical operational periods, admins can configure freeze periods. This feature allows organizations to pause updates for up to 90 days, ensuring that no updates are rolled out during vacations, or non-business days.
• Delay Updates: Admins can delay the release of Android OS updates to end-users for up to 30 days from the time the update is received on the device. This allows sufficient time for thorough testing and compatibility checks before deploying updates across the organization.
• Deploy Updates Automatically: Once updates are available, they can be automatically scheduled and deployed to the managed devices, ensuring all devices remain up-to-date without manual intervention.
• One-Time Automate OS Policy Setup : Configure a one-time OS update policy that automatically applies to all upcoming updates, streamlining the setup process and ensuring uniform deployment across all devices.

Android Update Management Prerequisites

Configure and Distribute Android OS Updates

Before you configure an Android OS update policy, it is essential to familiarise yourself with the options provided under the "Automate OS Updates" feature. Understanding these settings is crucial for tailoring the update process to meet your operational needs. Available options include:

• OS Update Deferrals: Allows administrators to delay updates for a specified period (up to 30 days) to test and ensure compatibility. The deferral period is calculated from the date the update is first received on the device.
• Freeze Periods: Prevent updates during critical business periods to ensure uninterrupted operations. For example, a business may set a freeze during the holiday season to avoid updates while most employees are on vacation.
• Scheduling Deployment Windows: Define specific timeframes for updates to minimize disruptions. For example, a hospital configures updates to occur during the early morning hours, ensuring that patient care systems are fully operational during peak hours and reducing the risk of disruptions during critical medical operations.

To configure an Android update policy, follow these steps:

1. On the MDM server, navigate to the top menu, select Device Mgmt, and choose Automate OS Updates from the left pane.
2. Click on Create Policy, select Android, and provide a name for the policy.
3. Configure the necessary policy settings, such as scheduling deployment windows and setting up update delays. Once you've configured the settings, click Save to finalize and publish the policy.
4. To deploy the policy, select it from the list, click Distribute Policy, choose the device group or device, and click Select to distribute the OS update policy to the selected devices.

Let's delve into managing OS update deferrals, freeze periods, and scheduling windows for Android devices. These features enable precise control over update timings to minimize disruptions during critical operations.

Deferring Android Updates with the "Delay" Option

The "Delay" option in ManageEngine allows administrators to defer Android updates for up to 30 days, calculated from when the OS update is received on the device. Deferring updates is crucial in scenarios where app compatibility is a concern. For instance, if your organization relies on a business-critical app that only supports Android 14, releasing Android 15 without proper testing could lead to compatibility issues.

By deferring the Android 15 update, your IT team can thoroughly test the app with the new OS, address any issues, and ensure business continuity before rolling out the update to all devices.

Here’s how an Android OS update policy with a 30-day deferral is applied and managed through MDM:

Configuring the Deployment Schedule

The Deployment Schedule configuration allows administrators to define how and when OS updates should be rolled out to managed devices.

For example, in a scenario where an organization wants to avoid disruption during peak business hours, they might choose to deploy updates only during specific weeks and days. Let’s say an IT team decides to deploy updates in the last week of the month, on Sundays, between 2 AM and 6 AM. By setting this schedule, the organization ensures that employees will experience minimal disruption, as the updates will only be deployed during non-working hours.

Freeze Period: Ensuring Update Control During Critical Times

To ensure even greater control over when updates are applied, especially during vacations or non-business days, administrators can utilize the Freeze Period feature. This allows them to completely suspend OS updates, ensuring no disruptions occur during holidays or other important operational windows.

For example, in the education sector, freeze periods can be configured during exam seasons to prevent updates from disrupting essential systems like learning management platforms. During a freeze period, devices will not receive system update notifications, security updates won't be installed, and users cannot manually install updates.

How to Configure a Freeze Period in MDM:

• Specify the Start and End Date: to suspend OS updates. Ensure each freeze period does not exceed 90 days.
• Add Multiple Freeze Periods: Use the (+) icon to configure additional periods. Ensure there is a minimum gap of 60 days between each freeze period.
• Check for Overlaps and Duplicates: Ensure that freeze periods do not overlap or duplicate.
• Save and Distribute: Click Save to publish the policy, then select the policy and click Distribute Policy to apply it to a device group.

For example, if a freeze period is set from April 1 to June 30, the next possible freeze period can begin from August 31, ensuring the minimum 60-day interval requirement is met.

Notifications will be received only when updates are available on the device. The user will also be notified 5 minutes before an OS update begins, giving them an advance alert before the update starts.

In all these cases, the features ensure that organizations can control update processes to fit their specific needs.

Monitoring OS Update Status

The following remarks are displayed in the Remarks column under the Devices tab of the associated Android policy:

• No System Update Available: The device(s) will update automatically when an OS update becomes available.
• System Update Available: The update will be deployed as per the policy.

Troubleshooting Android OS Update Failures

In the event of issues during the update process on android devices, troubleshooting steps can help resolve them. For detailed troubleshooting, refer here.

Best Practices for Android OS Update Management

• Staggering Update Roll-outs: Begin with a small test group to identify issues before deploying updates across the organization, minimizing potential disruptions.
• Backup and Restore Considerations: Ensure devices are backed up before major updates to prevent data loss and allow quick recovery in case of issues.
• Network and Bandwidth Planning: Schedule updates during off-peak hours to reduce the strain on your network and avoid interrupting normal business operations.
• Batchwise Update Deployment: Deploy updates in batches by creating groups of devices. This approach helps manage network resources effectively and control the rollout process more efficiently, ensuring a smooth update experience across different segments of the organization.