Create a scheduled install (or uninstall) so that apps appear on your devices when you choose. Installing apps through the Esper Console usually occurs over a seven day window. Once that time elapses, you’ll need to install the apps again if those initial installations failed. Sometimes, you need to wait a longer time before installing apps on those devices again. What if your devices won’t be online for a week or two? A month? Or a year?
In this article:
- Why Do Scheduled Installs?
- Creating a Scheduled Install or Uninstall
- Checking the Schedule Window
- Editing, Canceling, or Deleting a Scheduled Install
- Troubleshooting
Why Do Scheduled Installs?
At times, you’ll want to install apps through the Console’s typical methods via provisioning or from the Device or Group App Menu. However, these methods will time out after seven days (168 hours). Once they time out, you’ll need to reattempt the app installations.
This could be inefficient if you’re not sure when these devices will go online. Scheduled app installs are one way of getting around the seven day time out window.
Creating a Scheduled Install or Uninstall
Step 1: Navigate to the Scheduled Install Section
Go to Devices & Groups and select the Group on which you’d like to install the app. Click on the Details (eye) icon.
Go to Devices & Groups and click on the Actions button to open the dropdown. Then select App Management.
Step 2: Set the Application Information
Fill out the following information:
- Name the scheduled install a helpful name (such as the app you’re planning to install)
- Select the action. You can schedule an app install or an uninstall.
- Select the app. Only one app can be scheduled at a time.
- Select the app or build version.
Step 3: Set the Installation Schedule
Whether you are installing or uninstalling, you can create a window of time when these actions take place. Select Install relative to Device time or Console time.
Then, specify if the installation will be non-recurring or recurring.
When an installation is non-recurring, that means the apps will install (or uninstall) at any point within the install window. This option is recommended for devices in a warehouse or in a similar storage location where they won’t disrupt your day-to-day business or end-user experience.
In this example, the installation window will begin on March 21st, 2023 at 2:00 AM. The window will close on May 21st, /2023 at 2:00 AM. (Note: both times are device times, as selected in the previous step.)
When an installation is recurring, the app will install (or uninstall) only on the days and times specified. Use this option for devices that are out in the field. The installations will only run on the specified days between the hours you set, ensuring that you don’t interrupt an end user’s experience.
In this example, a recurring install is set between the hours of 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The window will start on March 21st, 2023 and end on August 20th, 2023. Although the installation window date starts on March 21st (a Tuesday), it will not start installing apps until 12:00 AM on March 22nd (a Wednesday) since Tuesdays are not approved on this recurring schedule.
Once you’ve set the scheduled times, click Create schedule. A schedule will be created.
Checking the Schedule Window
Once an installation is scheduled, you can view its progress from the Group’s Apps section, the group’s Event Feed, and the Scheduled Install section. It may take a few minutes before the View button becomes active.
To see each device’s status, navigate to the group’s Apps section, and then select Results > View.
You can also cancel the installation (or uninstallation) from this menu.
Editing, Canceling, or Deleting a Scheduled Installation
You may cancel an install (or uninstall) at the group or device level. See Checking the Installation to see how to cancel installs for individual devices.
To cancel the scheduled installation, go to the group’s Apps menu and click the Scheduled Install tab.
Then, under the Action tab, click on the ellipsis (...).
Here, you’ll find options to:
- Edit or update the installation, including changing the dates, selected app, and type of action (install or uninstall).
- Cancel the installation. The remaining queued commands will be canceled, but the event will still appear in places such as the Event Feed, Group App Menu, and the Schedule Install menu. In the Group App History section, the event will have a status of Successful, even if it was Canceled before any apps were installed.
- Delete the installation. The remaining queued commands will be canceled, and the event will be deleted from places such as the Event Feed, Group App Menu, and Schedule Install menu.
Troubleshooting
There are a few reasons why apps could fail to install (or uninstall) even by the end of the window.
- The device never came online and so could never receive the command. Check the last time the device was online in Device Information.
- A firewall prevented the command from reaching the device. You may see “Command Timed Out” in the Group’s Event Feed.
- The device has a very slow network connection, and the app you’re trying to install is very large. You may see “Download Timed Out” in the Event Feed.
Even devices that are newly added to the Group will install the apps as long as they were added within the scheduled window. Use Scheduled updates to manage applications at scale.