Linux devices are heavily embraced across industries. This is due to their unparalleled flexibility, stability, and cost-effectiveness. Being an open-source system, Linux can be customized to fit any use case, from kiosk devices to dedicated operation machines.
This adaptability meets scalability through Linux MDM enrollment, enabling organizations to deploy hundreds or thousands of devices. Each device is managed and shares consistency across the entire fleet to meet the organization’s needs.
Let’s dive into why Linux devices need an MDM solution and how you can enroll them with ease through Scalefusion.
The need for managing Linux devices
Without a way to manage Linux devices at scale, enterprises face several challenges, such as limited remote capabilities, complicated troubleshooting, fragmented ecosystems, and inconsistent software updates.
With an advanced MDM solution, organizations can simplify Linux device management and make use of features such as:
- Unified management: Manage Linux devices alongside other OS, from a single pane of glass.
- Streamlined device deployment: Enroll devices at scale, access them remotely, and deploy patch updates across them all with ease.
- Enhanced security and visibility: Apply consistent policies and configurations, with self-remediation capabilities.
- Robust app management: Easily manage, monitor, and control apps across all Linux devices from a centralized console.
- Customized device profiles: Apply consistent settings across the board and create device groups based on job roles, organization units, or as per functionality.
Linux MDM enrollment introduces enterprise-grade management and security to Linux devices, making their management as easy as devices running on any other platform.
How to enroll Linux devices using Scalefusion
There are three steps to enrolling your Linux device into Scalefusion and making it floor-ready. Let’s get into it.
Creating and configuring a Linux Profile
Device Profiles help IT admins group various policies in one place. Once a profile is created, you can use it to create enrollment configurations that help you enroll Linux devices. Additionally, any changes to the profile are automatically applied to all the devices currently associated with the profile.
Step 1: From your Scalefusion dashboard, navigate to Device Profiles & Policies, head to Device Profiles, and click Create Device Profile.
Step 2: Select Linux in the profile creation wizard, enter a name for your profile, and click Submit.
Step 3: Configure the policies using the profile configuration wizard. Configure the settings in each of the following sections:
- Network Settings, such as Wi-Fi Configurations
- Restrictions that include Block USB Devices and Enable Inactivity Timeout
- OS & App Updates Settings
- Location Settings
Once you are done, click Save on the top right corner to save the profile.
Step 4: Once the profile is saved properly, it will be shown in the list of profiles. The action panel displayed on the right side of the selected profile allows you to perform certain actions, such as Apply, Edit, Copy, and Delete Profile, Download Policy PDF, and Remove Devices.
Step 5: You can also create a password policy and apply it to the created profile. This will ensure that all enrolled devices are forced to set a secure password as per the policies.
Creating Enrollment Configurations for Linux devices
Enrollment Configurations help you generate enrollment URLs that can be used to enroll your Linux devices. This is an easy way to automatically assign a profile or a group to the enrolled devices, so that the policies are applied right after enrollment.
Step 1: From the dashboard, navigate to Enrollment Configurations > QR Code Configurations > Create Config.
Step 2: In the configuration wizard, configure the following sections:
- Basic: Fill out the details such as Configuration Name, Enrollment Type and Method, and Device Naming.
- Group/Profile: Select the Device Group that has a Linux profile, or a Linux Device Profile.
The Device Configuration and Optional Settings tabs do not apply to Linux device management. Save the configuration.
Step 3: Once a configuration is saved, it appears in the list of configurations.
Enrolling Linux devices
Once you have created an enrollment configuration, copy/email the enrollment URL and proceed to enroll your Linux devices.
Before you begin:
- Have the Enrollment URL handy.
- Have sudo/root access on the machine that needs to be enrolled.
- If you have installed a custom version of Linux/Debian, make sure the curl and lsb-release packages are installed.
Step 1: Open a terminal window on the device that you want to manage.
Step 2: Since we would be using the curl command, the first step is to make sure that curl is installed. At the terminal window, type the command below and hit enter. When prompted, enter your sudo/root password, and to confirm the installation, type Y.
Step 3: Now paste the Enrollment URL, which you copied from the enrollment configuration created as a prerequisite, into the terminal and hit the Enter key. When prompted, enter the sudo/root password.
This will start downloading the Scalefusion agent, and then install and complete the enrollment.
Step 4: Once the enrollment is complete, you will see the message ‘Enrollment succeeded.’
On the Scalefusion dashboard, navigate to the Devices section. The newly enrolled device will be listed along with the columns that you have configured for the device view.
Streamline Linux device management with Scalefusion
Linux devices are seeing mass adoption rates with no signs of slowing down. This mass adoption needs a capable Linux MDM solution to match the scale and provide comprehensive management and security to all the Linux devices.
Scalefusion offers a robust suite of tools that help organizations seamlessly and effortlessly enroll their Linux devices and start managing them at scale without causing IT overhead. Apply advanced features such as patch management, remote access live terminal, password rules, custom policies and scripts, and kiosk mode from a centralized dashboard.
Experience powerful Linux device management, driven by simplicity, with Scalefusion.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial now.
