can someone help me deploy survey123 smartphones that are only for data collection (i.e. Android "kiosk" mode?)

[AurelieShapiro]

I have deployed survey123 on android phones for field data collection in a remote location in Zambia. The app works great, the issue is that our collectors enjoy the phones a bit too much for facebooking, whatsapp, video streaming and so they run out of data credit and they can't send in their data and we have to go pick up the phones.

So i need a solution to lock down the apps in Android so that they can ONLY use Survey123.

I have tried these kiosk apps which restrict the phones to only a few apps, but survey123 won't completely work as there seems to be a browser interaction I am not aware of, so it does not let you complete a survey. I have also tried parental controls for kids but those are giving me problems too.

I'm sure someone has come across a way to deploy professional data collection devices with Survey123?

Can anyone recommend a FREE solution to deploy an android smartphone that is ONLY a survey123 collection device? It must be a free app, as the phones are mostly offline and so these server-based management systems are not really useful in that regard.

many thanks!

aurélie

WWF Germany

[Anonymous User]

Hi Aurélie,

Whether you are using ArcGIS Online or Enterprise (Portal for ArcGIS), when submitting the completed surveys there are required urls that will need to be allowed on the device for Survey123 to be able to access the internet for the user login and to connect with the server. If you just want the users to collect data in field, and not submit surveys at that time, no internet access is required once the survey has been downloaded on device.

If you are using a mobile device management (MDM) solution to "lock down" the device you will need to ensure the required urls are still accessible by Survey123 to submit the survey. Normally a list of allowed urls can be configured in the MDM software and all other urls can be blocked.

As for a MDM solution that can provide device management and "lock down" the device as you are requesting, I am not aware of any that offer this functionality for free, although this is more of an Android OS question, then a Survey123 question. Providing this level of security and functionally generally comes at a cost and therefore is available in paid versions of MDM software as will involve the developer of the MDM requiring software licences, certificates and OS level administration.

Sorry I can't be of more help, hopefully someone else has had experience with free MDM solutions and can advise accordingly.

Regards,

Phil.

[AurelieShapiro]

Thank you Philip!

This is actually very helpful because I needed to find out how survey123 is communicating – via browser or something else.

Thanks again,

Aurélie

Von: Philip Wilson

Gesendet: Montag, 23. Oktober 2017 02:06

An: Shapiro, Aurelie

Betreff: Re: - Re: can someone help me deploy survey123 smartphones that are only for data collection (i.e. Android "kiosk" mode?)

GeoNet <https://community.esri.com/?et=watches.email.thread>

Re: can someone help me deploy survey123 smartphones that are only for data collection (i.e. Android "kiosk" mode?)

reply from Philip Wilson<https://community.esri.com/people/Philip.Wilson-esristaff?et=watches.email.thread> in Survey123 for ArcGIS - View the full discussion<https://community.esri.com/message/723735-re-can-someone-help-me-deploy-survey123-smartphones-that-are-only-for-data-collection-ie-android-kiosk-mode?commentID=723735&et=watches.email.thread#comment-723735>

[DeniseKing]

Esri has new whitepaper ArcGIS Secure Mobile Implementation Patterns, as announced this week on ArcGIS Blogs, https://blogs.esri.com/esri/arcgis/2017/10/24/new-whitepaper-arcgis-secure-mobile-implementation-pat...