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Step 1 — Download and install the agent app

Last updated July 26th, 2023

First, obtain access to Knox E-FOTA On-Premises from a Samsung reseller. Once your account is granted access, it’s time to install the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises agent app. Contact a Samsung technical support engineer to get new agent app versions.

There are three ways to install the agent on your devices:

Upload the package through the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises portal

If you want to automatically install the agent on your devices, do as follows:

  1. Sign in to the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises admin console. Ensure you’re in the correct workspace by verifying the workspace name in the upper-right corner of the console.

  2. Click your account icon.

  3. In the menu that’s shown, click Settings.

  4. The navigation sidebar pane refreshes with a new set of tabs. Click Agent.

  5. Click ACTIONS > Upload Agent.

    upload agent

  6. A popup is displayed prompting you to upload an agent file. Click BROWSE to launch your PC’s file explorer and select the file. Then, click UPLOAD.

    upload agent menu

The Agent screen is then refreshed with the new agent information. Click Actions > Start Deployment to allow the devices in your workspace to download and install the new Knox E-FOTA On-Premises agent app.

Manually install the package

Alternatively, you can manually install the package on a device. This method is recommended if you want to test the agent before deploying it to the full device fleet.

Before you begin, ensure you have the following prepared:

  • A PC running Windows 10
  • Your organization’s server, connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or a mobile network
  • A device secured by Samsung Knox, connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or a mobile network

Create a configuration file

On your PC, you first need to create a file called efota_config. In a text editor of your choice, enter the URL of your on-premises server.

The on-premises server URL is defined by your organization and is used to access the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises web console. If you’re not sure what this URL is, contact the Samsung installation engineer who configured your Knox E-FOTA On-Premises instance.

For example, the URL might be in one of the following formats:

Then, enter the server password on the line underneath and save the file. Ensure the file isn’t saved with a file extension. Your efota_config file should look like the following:

https://example.server.url.com/admin/
password_of_server

Alternatively, you can choose to set the server URL and password through an Android intent. To do so, refer to the following sample code:

// package name, action
final String PACKAGE_NAME   = "com.samsung.android.efotaagent";
final String ACTION_CONFIG_MODE = PACKAGE_NAME + ".CONFIG_MODE";
final String ACTION_SERVER_URL = PACKAGE_NAME + ".SERVER_URL";
final String ACTION_BKS_PASSWORD = PACKAGE_NAME+".BKS_INFO";

// set Config mode
final String CONFIG_MODE_EXTRA = "MODE";
final String CONFIG_MODE_FILE = "file";
final String CONFIG_MODE_INTENT = "intent";
// set server URL
final String SERVER_URL_EXTRA = "URL";
final String SERVER_URL = "https://example.server.url.com/admin/";
// set server password
final String BKS_INFO_EXTRA = "BKS";
final String BKS_PASSWORD = "password_of_server";...
// set config mode to intent
sendBroadcast(new Intent()
       .setAction(ACTION_CONFIG_MODE)
       .putExtra(CONFIG_MODE_EXTRA, CONFIG_MODE_INTENT)
       .setPackage(PACKAGE_NAME)
        );
// set URL by intent
sendBroadcast(new Intent()
       .setAction(ACTION_SERVER_URL)
       .putExtra(SERVER_URL_EXTRA, SERVER_URL)
       .setPackage(PACKAGE_NAME)
        );
// set password by intent
sendBroadcast(new Intent()
       .setAction(ACTION_BKS_PASSWORD)
       .putExtra(BKS_INFO_EXTRA, BKS_PASSWORD)
       .setPackage(PACKAGE_NAME)
        );...
// set config mode to file (efota_config)
sendBroadcast(new Intent()
       .setAction(ACTION_CONFIG_MODE)
       .putExtra(CONFIG_MODE_EXTRA, CONFIG_MODE_FILE)
       .setPackage(PACKAGE_NAME)
        );

Copy the configuration file to the device

There are two ways to get the configuration file on your device:

  • Use your EMM to push the file to your device’s Downloads folder, or
  • Use your PC’s file explorer to manually copy the file to your device’s Downloads

Then, connect your device to the PC through USB. In your PC’s file explorer, locate the efota_config file and copy it to your device’s Downloads folder. Ensure the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises APK you received from your local Samsung representative is also included in the Downloads folder.

Install the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises app

On the device, navigate to your Downloads folder and tap the Knox E-FOTA On-Premises APK to install it. After it’s installed, launch the app.

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