Apply a firmware update to devices

To apply a firmware update to devices, you must create a campaign and specify which firmware version will be pushed. You then assign devices to that campaign. When you activate the campaign, the firmware update is pushed to the assigned devices. Every 24 hours from the time the campaign is activated, the Knox E-FOTA client app on the assigned devices automatically polls the Knox E-FOTA server to check for any policy changes made to the campaign.

Knox E-FOTA One allows you to create two types of campaigns:

• Normal campaign—Allows you to assign production firmware to devices
• Test campaign—Allows you to assign dummy firmware to devices

This section describes how to create a test campaign and a real campaign.

NOTE—You must enroll devices first before you can assign them to a campaign.

Create a test campaign

A test campaign allows you to test the campaign policies using a dummy firmware version.

NOTE—When you're done with your test campaign, revert your devices back to your regular firmware by unassigning them from the test campaign. You cannot apply a real campaign on a device that has dummy firmware.

1. Log in to the Knox E-FOTA One portal.
2. In the Campaigns tab, click Actions > Create Test Campaign.

   

3. Fill in the campaign details.

   Basic Info

   Set a unique name for the campaign and a description of what's new in it.

   

   Schedule

   • Campaign period—Set the timeframe when devices in the campaign can start to download and install the update. If you want the campaign period to run indefinitely, select Set a start date only.

     

   • Firmware installation period—Set the timeframe within the campaign period when the devices in the campaign can start installing the update. This timeframe is based on the device's timezone.

     If you want to test a campaign immediately, set the firmware installation period to the following values:

     • From: 00:00
     • To: 24:00

     NOTE—Devices will start installation during this period, but there is not guarantee that installation will end within this period.

     

   • Firmware download period—Set the timeframe within the campaign period when the devices in the campaign can start downloading the update. You can set devices to download anytime or you can use the same timeframe as the firmware installation period.

     

   • Postpone installation—Select this option if you want to allow the end user to postpone the installation. Then, set the maximum number of times they're allowed to postpone it and the duration between reminders. You can also set a timer; if the user fails to act on an update reminder before the timer times out, the update is automatically installed.

     

   Network and Speed

   Download network—Select the network(s) in which devices in the campaign can download the update. If you choose to allow downloads in any network (Wi-Fi or mobile), you can additionally do the following:

   • Allow firmware download while roaming.
   • Set the campaign to switch to Wi-Fi when the firmware exceeds a certain size.
   • Control the download speed.

   

   Device Condition

   Specify how much battery life a device must have to start installing the update. You can also prevent an installation from starting on devices that are not connected a charging dock.

   

   Factory Reset

   Specify whether you want to block end users from performing a factory reset on the device.

   

   Support Contact Details

   Enter a phone number and email address end users can contact for support. You can also set these values as the default contact information for future campaigns.

4. Click Assign Devices.

5. From the device list, select one or more devices to assign to the test campaign.

   NOTE—When creating a test campaign, you can’t select a firmware version to apply. Instead, a dummy firmware will be applied by default.

6. Click Assign.

7. Click Create and Activate.

   

   The campaign is added to the Campaigns list.

8. Check the device for the dummy firmware update. If the campaign is applied successfully, the device status changes to Campaign Active.

   In the following example, the dummy firmware to be applied has the file extension .DM.

   

9. When you're done with your test campaign, revert the dummy firmware to regular firmware.
   1. Go to Devices > All Devices.
   2. Click Action > Unassign campaign.

   The device status changes to Enrolled and the dummy firmware is reverted to regular firmware.

Create a campaign

1. Log in to the Knox E-FOTA One portal.
2. Go to Campaigns and then click Create Campaign.

   

3. Fill in the campaign details.

   Basic Info

   Set a unique name for the campaign and a description of what's new in it.

   

   Schedule

   • Campaign period—Set the timeframe when devices in the campaign can start to download and install the update. If you want the campaign period to run indefinitely, select Set a start date only.

     

   • Firmware installation period—Set the timeframe within the campaign period when the devices in the campaign can start installing the update. This timeframe is based on the device's timezone.

     If you want to test a campaign immediately, set the firmware installation period to the following values:

     • From: 00:00
     • To: 24:00

     NOTE—Devices will start installation during this period, but there is not guarantee that installation will end within this period.

     

   • Firmware download period—Set the timeframe within the campaign period when the devices in the campaign can start downloading the update. You can set devices to download anytime or you can use the same timeframe as the firmware installation period.

     

   • Postpone installation—Select this option if you want to allow the end user to postpone the installation. Then, set the maximum number of times they're allowed to postpone it and the duration between reminders. You can also set a timer; if the user fails to act on an update reminder before the timer times out, the update is automatically installed.

     

   Network and Speed

   Download network—Select the network(s) in which devices in the campaign can download the update. If you choose to allow downloads in any network (Wi-Fi or mobile), you can additionally do the following:

   • Allow firmware download while roaming.
   • Set the campaign to switch to Wi-Fi when the firmware exceeds a certain size.
   • Control the download speed.

   

   Device Condition

   Specify how much battery life a device must have to start installing the update. You can also prevent an installation from starting on devices that are not connected a charging dock.

   

   Factory Reset

   Specify whether you want to block end users from performing a factory reset on the device.

   

   Support Contact Details

   Enter a phone number and email address end users can contact for support. You can also set these values as the default contact information for future campaigns.

4. Assign devices to the campaign:
   1. Click Assign Devices.

   2. In the Assign devices screen, select one or more devices to assign to the campaign.

      NOTE—By default, the device list is pre-filtered to show only the following:

      • Devices that aren't assigned to any campaign.
      • Devices assigned to expired or canceled campaigns.

      If you want to select a device currently assigned to an active campaign, click Clear Filters.

      Device that are not enrolled are excluded from the device list. Only enrolled devices can be assigned to a campaign.

   3. Click Assign.

      The table at the bottom of the form is populated based on the devices you selected.

5. For each row in the table, do one of the following:

   • Click Latest firmware if you want the campaign to automatically push the latest firmware version to the assigned devices. Additionally, select one of the following:

     • Any—The latest firmware, regardless of its OS version, will be pushed to devices.

     • Up to—The latest firmware, within a particular OS version, will be pushed to devices.

       IMPORTANT—If you select this, you may not receive security patches included in the latest firmware of the latest OS version.

       If no firmware that meets your criteria is available for devices of a particular model-carrier pair, an error is displayed.

   • Click Lock current firmware if you want to prevent any firmware from being installed on the corresponding devices.

   • Click Select from firmware list if you want to select a firmware version to push to the corresponding devices.

   

   NOTE—For device models that are newly added to the Knox E-FOTA service, it may take a few hours to for the list of applicable firmware versions to become available. If you do not see the firmware list for a device model you've just added, try again in a few hours.

   NOTE—If Knox E-FOTA is in the process of syncing the firmware list for your assigned devices, you'll have to wait until the firmware sync is complete.

6. Click Create and Activate.

   A notification is displayed confirming that the campaign was created. The campaign is added to the Campaigns list.

What happens to a device during a campaign?

On the device, the following activities occur when it's assigned to an activated campaign.

Starting point: A campaign is assigned to a device.

1. The Knox E-FOTA One client shows that there is an upcoming firmware update.

   

2. The device begins to download the update.

   

3. The end user is notified of an upcoming installation. Depending on the settings of the campaign, the user may be allowed to postpone the installation.

   Notification with no postpone option

   

   Notification with a postpone option

   

4. The device begins to install the update.

   

5. The device restarts.

   

6. The end user is notified that the software on the device was updated.

   

7. The Knox E-FOTA One client shows when the last firmware update occurred along with details of the update.