Use Appdome to Integrate a Mobile App with the Mobilelron AppConnect SDK

Last updated May 25, 2023 by Appdome

Introduction

Appdome is a no-code mobile integration platform as a service (IPaaS), supporting a wide variety of implementations for Android and iOS apps.

This Knowledge Base article summarizes the steps needed to integrate MobileIron’s EMM service to any iOS or Android app instantly, with no code or coding – by simply Fusing MobileIron’s mobile SDK to an app binary.

We hope you find it useful and enjoy using Appdome!

Using Appdome, you can integrate MobileIron’s full EMM SDKs into any mobile app – in minutes with no-code or coding.   Simply upload your iOS (.ipa) or Android (.apk or .aab) app and select options to add the MobileIron AppConnect SDK to that app in a few minutes on Appdome. This can be done without having to write a single line of code, prep the app or change any settings. 

Once the app Build is complete, you can deploy the Fused app via MobileIron and install the Built app on mobile devices. All data created within the app will be encrypted and protected inside a container, preventing other applications from accessing the app’s encrypted data. The app you are Building on Appdome can be built with any tool such as xCode for iOS and Android Studio using any mobile development frameworks such as Maui, Xamarin, Cordova, and React Native.  This allows you to enjoy all the features the MobileIron AppConnect SDK offers as well as the additional features and capabilities provided by Appdome including Appdome Mobility Suite

MobileIron SAM Connector Android app

While Appdome’s patented Fusion technology enables mobile services to be added to mobile apps at the binary level, MobileIron provides a non-generic wrapper SDK to Android apps. To overcome this challenge, Appdome developed a unique connector between the fused apps and the native mobile iron apps.
The SAM connector app is an appdome built app that connects between the Appdome’s fused apps and the MobileIron native apps. It is a unique component and mandatory for each MobileIron android distribution.

Building With MobileIron SDK

To Build your iOS or Android app with the MobileIron SDK, follow these simple steps.

Note: You may need to Request access to the MobileIron AppConnect SDK for your Appdome account. You can use the chat icon to contact Appdome for this request. 

Upload a Mobile App to Your Account

Please follow these steps to add a mobile App to your Appdome account.
Once you find the .ipa or .apk or .aab file you intend to use, simply select it. The file will be automatically added to the Appdome platform.  When the App upload is completed, you’ll see a success message and automatically moved to the next step in the workflow.

From the Build tab, select the Management tab

  1. Enable the EMM services 
  2. Select MobileIron AppConnect SDK
    Enterprise Mobility Management
  3. Dynamic Container Management– This will allow you to adjust, detect, and enable container settings for your app, its file structure, and specify its data at rest usage.
  4. Route All Traffic – You can route all application traffic over a tunnel. (optional)
  5. Inclusive Routing – This routes specific domains over the tunnel. (optional)
  6. Host to Sentry Mapping – This maps hostnames to Sentry services. (optional)
  7. Disable Split Tunneling – You can automatically block non-tunneled traffic. (optional)
  8. Sentry Certificate Pinning – With this you will be using a private client certificate for all client to Sentry pinning. (optional)
  9. WebView Consolodiation (iOS only) – Seamlessly apply EMM tunneling and policies to off-process WebView components. (optional)
  10. Copy/Paste Prevention by Appdome – This prevents data that is copied in the app from being pasted outside of the app. (Automatic)
  11. Jailbreak Prevention by Appdome – This blocks app users from running the Built application on a jailbroken device. (optional)
  12. BoostEMM™ by Appdome with MobileIron
    • Download MobileIron SAM Connector (Android Only)
    • Ensure additional features are added to your app such as secured email, secured browser, and secured document sharing.

Dynamic Container Management

In addition to the MobileIron AppConnect SDK, you can also enable Mobile Permission ControlTM features that enhance, or extend the capabilities of the MobileIron AppConnect SDK.
You can improve MobileIron mobility experiences across any Android and iOS mobile app with Appdome’s BoostEMM™. It offers a way to connect additional services from the EMM vendor to apps, using Appdome’s standard Mobile Integration Workflow.

When you are done, click Build My App.

Success Message for the addition of requested services to SugarCRM

The technology behind Build My App has two major elements – (1) A microservice architecture filled with 1000s of code sets needed for mobile integration, and (2) an adaptive code generation engine that can recognize the development environment, frameworks and methods in each app and match the app to the relevant code-sets needed to add an MobileIron SDK to the mobile app in seconds. For example, the technology of Dynamic Filesystem Encryption, work that ordinarily, a developer would need to do.

Congratulations! You now have a mobile app fully integrated with MobileIron SDK.

After Adding MobileIron SDK to a Mobile App on Appdome

After you have added MobileIron SDK to any Mobile App on Appdome, there are a few additional steps needed to complete your mobile integration project.

Add Context™ to the Appdome-Built App

Appdome is a full featured mobile integration platform. Within Context™, Appdome users can brand the app, including adding a favicon to denote the new service added to the app.
For more information on the range of options available in Context™, please read this knowledge base article.

Sign the MobileIron SDK enabled Appdome-Built App (Required)

In order to deploy an Appdome-Built app, it must be signed. Signing iOS apps andSigning Android apps are easy using Appdome. Alternatively, you can use Private Signing, download your unsigned app and sign locally using your own signing methods.

Deploy the Appdome-Built App to a Mobile Device

Once you have signed your Appdome-Built app, you can download to deploy it using your distribution method of choice. For more information on deploying your Appdome-Built apps, please read this knowledge base.

Customize the App and change App Name

  1. After Building your App you will be taken to the Customize for your app
  2. Optionally you can edit the App Display Name, App Icon, App Favicon, Favicon File, and Favicon Position and Custom App Configuration Files

Uploading to MobileIron For Application Deployment Steps:

  1. Login to your MobileIron environment.
  2. Click AppsAdd+

Add apps to MobileIron environment

3. Select In-House then Browse for the fused app file you previously downloaded.  Click Next.

Browse for the previously downloaded fused app file

4. Fill in the same value for Application Name that you have entered in Appdome under App Display Name in Context.  Also fill in the same value under App Version in Appdome under Display Version in MobileIron.  Click Next after entering these values.Display Version in MobileIron

5. Enter your desired MobileIron Apps@Work Catalog and Icons information for this Fused app.  Click Next.  

6. Enter MobileIron Per App VPN Settings and Managed App Settings then click Finish.

7. Select the app you just added to MobileIron > click Actions > Apply To Labels

Apply To Labels in MobileIron

 8. Select all the Labels/ Groups that you would like this fused app to made available to in MobileIron for installation > click ApplySelect all labels to which the fused app should apply

Installing on iOS and/ or Android mobile devices Steps:

  1. Enroll the device you would like to install this app on with MobileIron.
  2. With a MobileIron enrolled device open Apps@Work.

Apps@Work in MobileIron

3. Next, open Featured Apps or whichever category you have placed this Fused app into > click the app > Install.

Featured appsInstalling a fused app

4. After the app installation completes open the app

Opening a fused app after the installation

Second Option: If you want to add a fused app that has AppConfig enabled to MobileIron please view this page.

Here is a link to another resource we wrote on Appdome for MobileIron that has more information.

To zoom out on this topic, visit  Appdome for Enterprise Mobility on our website.

Thanks for visiting Appdome! Our mission is to make mobile integration easy. We hope we’re living up to the mission with your project. If you don’t already have an account, you can sign up for free.  

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