Introduction
This is a user guide for the Snow Device Manager (SDM) web user interface for the Manager role. Snow Device Manager is a cloud-based enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution that enables organizations to automatically manage mobile devices across their entire IT estate. Using the Snow Device Manager web user interface, managers can monitor, manage, and secure mobile devices in the workplace. The manager can also send applications, settings, and configurations to the devices.
System description
The components of the Snow Device Manager architecture are:
Device | Devices enrolled in a Snow Device Manager domain receive applications, settings, and configurations from the server. Snow Device Manager also retrieves device hardware information, and application information from the devices. |
SDM SaaS | The SDM SaaS server maintains connection with all devices in a Snow Device Manager domain and deploys applications, settings, and configurations to the devices. |
https://web.snow.dm | Through the web-based user interface, devices are managed and configured, either individually or multiple devices at once. The web user interface provides different views and capabilities depending on the user's role. |
Domain administrator | The Domain administrator is a windows client through which the Snow Device Manager domain can be configured and connected to external services, such as Apple DEP, and Google EMM. The Domain administrator is also used for setting up the Cloud Extender. |
Cloud Extender | The Cloud Extender is installed on the customer’s network and provides an integration point to the customer's Active Directory and Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Office 365 account, so that user and device data can be synchronized with Snow Device Manager. |
Corporate accounts | In order to support for example application management and device enrollment programs, the Snow Device Manager domain needs to be connected to the corporate accounts of the platform providers, such as Google EMM, Apple DEP, and VPP. |
Push & messaging services | The SDM SaaS includes connections to push and messaging services for initiating device updates and sending out enrollment messages through sms and email. |
Conceptual overview
The domain hierarchy is central in Snow Device Manager. The domain hierarchy is created by synchronizing the organization's Active Directory (AD) with Snow Device Manager, and is a representation of the structure of the organization.
The domain hierarchy consists of a domain root with underlying user groups, arranged in a tree structure. Every user in the domain belongs to a user group. Every device in the domain is associated to a user.
To apply settings to devices, packages are added to user groups. The package is a container for the settings, such as Wi-Fi, passcode, restrictions or applications.
When the package is added to a user group, the settings are applied to the devices in the user group.
The package settings are also inherited by the user groups located beneath the user group to which the package has been added. That is, the settings will also be applied to the devices in the underlying user groups.
A domain hierarchy with user groups. A package with Wi-Fi settings is added to user group B. The Wi-Fi settings are applied to the devices in the user group, as well as the devices in the underlying user groups.
If a package only supports a specific device profile, for example Android or iOS, only devices with the supported profile will be targeted.
When a device is added to a user group, the package settings for that user group are automatically applied to the device. If the device is moved from one user group to another in the domain hierarchy, the settings for the new user group will automatically be applied to the device. When the device is removed from the domain, all package settings are automatically removed from the device.