Relution Signet Customer Hub

iBeacons

Besides geo zones →, policies in Relution can also be assigned based on iBeacons. An iBeacon is a Bluetooth transmitter whose signal is received by nearby devices. When a device is in range of a registered beacon, it can automatically receive a different policy through a dynamic device group.

In the portal, both approaches belong to the Settings → Dynamic policy assignment area: Zones work with the geographic location, iBeacons with radio signals in a room. iBeacons are therefore also suitable where GPS is not reliably available — inside buildings, for example.

Limitations and notes

iOS, Android and Android Enterprise devices are supported. Relution does not evaluate iBeacons on macOS and Windows, even if a Relution Agent is installed there.

If iBeacons or zones are configured in the organization, Relution creates a compliance notice (Location permission or Location services) for devices whose Relution Agent lacks the location permission or whose location services are turned off. The device remains compliant.

The beacons themselves are third-party hardware and not part of Relution. Relution only manages their identifiers and evaluates which of them a device receives.

Registering an iBeacon

Under Settings → Dynamic policy assignment → iBeacons, a new entry is created via Add. An iBeacon is identified by three values that are determined by the hardware in use:

  • Unique identifier (UUID) — a UUID specific to the app and deployment use case.
  • Major ID — further specifies a specific iBeacon and use case, for example a sub-region within the region defined by the UUID.
  • Minor ID — allows further subdivision of the region or use case.

In addition, a name serves as the human-readable label under which the beacon later appears in the filters.

Name and Unique identifier (UUID) are required. Major ID and Minor ID are optional and accept values from 1 to 65535.

A typical breakdown uses one shared UUID per site, the Major ID per building or floor and the Minor ID per room. Filters can then be built at whichever granularity is required.

Existing entries can be changed via Edit and removed via Delete in the list. Viewing, creating, editing and deleting requires the permissions for iBeacons in the Dynamic policy assignment area of the role: Permissions →

When an iBeacon is created, changed or deleted, Relution automatically sends the Reload iBeacons action to all iOS, Android and Android Enterprise devices so that the Relution Agent loads the current iBeacon definitions. The action appears in the device’s action history and cannot be triggered manually.

Tracking iBeacons on the device

Which beacons a device currently receives is visible in two places:

  • In the inventory overview via the iBeacons in range column. The filter of the same name narrows the list down to individual beacons, the filter value No iBeacons to devices without reception.
  • In the device details on the Device location card, likewise under iBeacons in range. It shows the beacons that are close enough for the device to be able to receive their signal. The card only appears if the device receives beacons, has entered a zone or reports the status of the location service.

What the Relution Agent shows the user about iBeacons and zones in range is controlled by the setting Display of information about iBeacons and zones within range under Settings → Device Management in the Relution Agent section: Hide (default), Full Information or Obscured representation.

Configuring the device group

For a beacon to trigger a policy, it is set as a filter in a dynamic device group.

Under Devices → Device groups, a new dynamic device group is created or an existing one is edited. iBeacons in range is selected as the Query category and is in as the Filter definition; the required beacons are chosen via Select iBeacons. Devices that receive at least one of these signals then automatically become members of the group and receive the policy assigned there.

Further filter definitions: with all of, all selected beacons must be in range at the same time, with not in, none of them; is not empty and is empty include devices with any beacon or no beacon in range and do not require a beacon selection.

Device groups →