The location services
Trio's location services provide the ability to monitor the physical location of managed devices. Trio agents are installed on the user’s device, and permissions must be granted for the service to function. Location updates run continuously in the background, operating silently without affecting the device's performance.
The location information the admins receive includes:
Check-in/out information
Device location history
Device live location
Data is collected from dynamic geofences (currently circular, with rectangular fences on the roadmap), providing organizations with information on arrivals and departures.
The agents could be installed on multiple platforms. The coverage includes:
Android RMM
Windows Agent
IOS (MDM)
MacOS (MDM)
Android EMM
What users can get from the Location Services feature?
IT administrators managing and monitoring users' devices can collect geolocation information such as the location history, live location, and geofence data. This will elevate device security, monitoring the location and whereabouts.
Data synchronization
Geodata synchronization on Trio is variable, and admins can select the preferred frequency to collect device data and synchronize with the server. The collection is according to both time and location, and notifications will be sent to the Trio servers according to the system configuration and organization policies.
Live location
IT administrators can also view the live location of managed devices as they move within or outside the geofence. The updates to the location are synced with the Trio backend and delivered to the admin. All places visited by the device are recorded and provided to the IT admin as the "Location History."
Location History
The location history on the Location Services tab offers the latest locations the managed device has visited as pins on the map. The locations are stored according to the data sent by the device GPS to the Trio backend servers upon the agent calls. The time intervals between updates are set by the configurations made by the Trio agent on the client device. If the users select the specific assigned device on the panel, they can review the latest locations the device has been in.
Read more: The Location Services
Geofencing
Geofencing rules are a set of policies assigned to each geofence and applied to endpoints. Each geofence records data on arrivals, activities within the location, and departures. These rules can be defined by IT administrators using Trio’s web platform.
Notifications
When managed devices check-in or out of the designated perimeters on the map, a notification is sent to the IT manager’s panel, providing real-time updates on the location of devices within or outside these geofences.
Data collection rate and source
Data is collected based on both time and distance traveled by the managed device. Location accuracy and the ability to interpret addresses are enhanced by using the OpenStreetMap (OSM) API. Each endpoint (device) makes an API call to OSM and synchronizes the data with the Trio backend.
Geofencing rules
There are three different states for the devices to get applied with the rules:
No Rule: Devices need to be assigned to the fences. If a device is not assigned and there is no rule applied, IT admins receive location data (both live and historic) along with check-in/out notifications. However, entering or leaving a geofence is not accompanied by any specific actions or rules.
Inside the fence: A device needs to be assigned to the fence to follow the rules in that office. For example, there are some active profiles in an office. When the devices are assigned to that fence and are a part of the office, as they check in the office fence, rules will apply to the assigned devices.
Outside the fence: When the assigned devices step out of the fence, they’re no longer following the rules and will be free until they get back to the fence.
Read more: Addin a Fence
Conclusion
In conclusion, Trio's geofencing and location-tracking capabilities provide IT administrators with powerful tools to monitor and manage the physical locations of managed devices. By utilizing dynamic geofences, customizable rules, and real-time data collection through the OpenStreetMap API, organizations can ensure that their devices operate within specified parameters. The system facilitates efficient monitoring through features like location history, check-in/out notifications, and the enforcement of security profiles, ultimately enhancing operational oversight and security for mobile assets.