The fall release of SOTI MobiControl 2024.0 is one of the biggest single product updates for SOTI and the SOTI ONE Platform. One new item of note - we have changed the version numbering of our products; this was done to provide a predictable and regular cadence of releases customers can follow.
This release is packed with so many powerful features to help drive efficiency, reduce costs and boost security that we had to split this launch blog into two. You can read part one, which looks at updates to Shared Device capabilities, here.
As we said in part one, there’s a lot to unpack. So, let’s dive in.
SOTI MobiControl for Microsoft Windows
The What
SOTI MobiControl takes Windows Management to the next level in three critical areas:
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Deployment |
Productivity |
Security |
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Deployment
- Step-by-Step Deployment Choices, Including Microsoft Entra ID for Cloud Deployment
Productivity
- PowerShell Scripting with Script Status and Output
- Task Scheduler
- BitLocker Recovery Keys
- SOTI XTreme Hub Support for Windows Modern Devices
Security
- Windows Defender Firewall
- Password Complexity
- Windows Modern Lockdown
- Out of Contact Payload
- Block Peripheral Access
Over 1.3 billion devices worldwide use Windows 10 within their business operations and 90% of Fortune 500 companies have trialed or deployed Windows 11. These new features enable devices to get into the hands of workers faster, help increase efficiency and protect against threats which can result in lost data and hefty fines.
The Why
Let’s break this down by the same three critical areas
Deployment
- Step-By-Step Deployment Choices: Device enrollment can be a time-consuming process with many hurdles and integration points. Now, SOTI MobiControl automates these integration points when deployment occurs through Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Microsoft Azure Active Directory). It’s a simple step-by-step, set-it-once and you’re done process which supports on-premise and Cloud deployments. The process is now streamlined, and IT staff save valuable time and resources allowing for faster deployment of devices to users. When getting devices into the hands of workers as quickly as possible is essential to business success, spending time on a frustrating enrollment process just isn’t an option. Furthermore, this helps customers migrate from on-premise to SOTI MobiControl Cloud along with the ability to adopt Microsoft Entra ID for user management.
Productivity
- PowerShell Scripting with Script Status and Output: SOTI MobiControl now provides enhanced status updates on script execution. Did it execute successfully? Did it fail? And if it failed, why? It’s the ability to capture the script status and to request output from the device for display on the SOTI MobiControl console. In other words, you can see if the script was sent to the device, if it was successful or not and the reason behind any failures.
- Task Scheduler: An overwhelming majority of business leaders (92%) agree that enabling automation is critical to success. Task Scheduler allows this by automating the execution of recurring script-based tasks such as showing a message on the device to the user at predefined time intervals. Another time-saving feature of the Task Scheduler is that admins can assign these recurring tasks to device groups, user groups or even create filters to send scripts based on custom criteria such as battery level. The Task Scheduler frees up the time required for admins to perform repetitive tasks regularly and it ensures device users still have the data and information they need to get the job done. It’s a true definition of a win-win.
- BitLocker Recovery Keys: You can now view BitLocker recovery key information right from the SOTI MobiControl web console. Quickly unlock devices for users who may have accidentally locked themselves out and get them back to work as soon as possible.
- SOTI XTreme Hub1 Support for Windows Modern Devices: SOTI XTreme Hub is ideal for retail and transportation and logistics (T&L) customers with low bandwidth connections who need to provide workers with critical content such as video files, apps and firmware updates over-the-air. It’s estimated that poor connectivity costs 71 hours per employee per year in lost productivity – that’s essentially two work-weeks of lost productivity per worker. SOTI XTreme Hub solves that problem by optimizing how data is sent from a central corporate location to a destination and ultimately, onto the devices of workers. As a result, employees don’t need to wait to get the data and tools they need to stay productive while updates aren’t clogging up or competing for bandwidth availability. And now, this game-changing technology is available for Windows Modern devices. SOTI XTreme Hub can improve the distribution time of business-critical packages, apps and data to Windows Modern devices by up to 10X.
Security
- Windows Defender Firewall for Windows Modern Devices: Prevent unauthorized connections from the Internet or other networks onto an internal enterprise network. Using Firewall Rules, admins can now filter and allow or deny incoming and outgoing traffic by things like IP address, port number, port location or network type. With Firewall Settings payloads, admins can configure global private and public settings for Windows Defender Firewall. All these deployments for Windows Modern devices can be done without using Group Policy or Microsoft Intune.
- Password Complexity: The most easily hacked password is 123456 and can be hacked in less than one second. Furthermore, over 80% of data breaches are caused by poor passwords. Now, Password Complexity enforces the use of stronger and more complex passwords in the authentication payload to protect corporate devices against phishing attacks, security breaches or unauthorized attempts to access the device.
- Windows Modern Lockdown: This new feature replaces the standard Windows Modern home screen with a customizable home screen that only grants access to authorized apps and websites. Updates to the Windows Modern Lockdown rendering engine and menu bar ensure modern web pages and apps load quickly, run smoothly and are protected against unauthorized use or browsing. SOTI MobiControl now also supports auto-launching of apps and web pages as soon as a user logs into a Windows Modern device.
- Out of Contact Payload: When needing to protect data and provide security in case a device is lost, stolen or out of contact for a specific period, the Out of Contact Payload can now automatically perform actions like wipe the device, lock the device or send a message to the device – without the need for manual intervention. This secures company data from hackers, thefts and any other potential risks.
- Block Peripheral Access: The rise of malicious software through USB devices or serial connections continues to be a challenge for IT mobility managers. In fact, 52% of malware threats are designed to utilize removable or USB media. To combat this threat, SOTI MobiControl now blocks external peripherals from connecting to Windows devices. This is particularly important for retail stores looking to adopt visitor management and control access to kiosks. Unmanaged access can expose system or network vulnerabilities due to people trying to infiltrate the devices using USB or other serial tools.
Three Ways to Discover SOTI MobiControl
- Available for SOTI Premium Plus and Enterprise Plus Service customers only.
