Is the tunnel app required?

[syarbrou]

We have an in house app that we currently tunnel into the network with to access database resources.  In adding the SDK to try and use the proxy method has worked but has some additional levels of support required.  The reason we tried doing this was the Tunnel was a four step process:

1. Download the Tunnel App
2. Open the Tunnel app and accept the agreement
3. Install the Tunnel profile
4. Install the app that uses the tunnel

Someone told us we could do the above, but skip steps 1 and 2.  Being that the per app VPN fails to work if you don't launch the tunnel app and accept the agreements, hard finding this is the case, but has anyone deployed an in house app that uses per app VPN without using the Tunnel app?

Thanks.

Steve

[LukeDC]

Hi Steve, with the latest Hub and Tunnel apps there is no reason to open the app to agree to anything. As long as the profile is downloaded and the app is installed the connection will be made. I just verified on iOS 12.3.1 using the latest VMware Tunnel and Hub installed.

[syarbrou]

Thanks Luke, is that an indirect way of saying the Tunnel app is required?  🙂

Good to hear you don't need to accept things anymore.  Even getting the user to install the tunnel in tandem with an app that requires it will be challenging but if we can skip the acceptance stuff that's something.

Not to derail the topic, but I know with the Hub if you don't launch it and agree to the stuff the device remains out of compliance with it's check for being jailbroken and the SDK enablement or whatever happens to allow you to message phones shows no apps installed to support messaging without going thru those screens.

Thanks.

Steve

[LukeDC]

Yep, the hub that is still the case. It's only out of compliance if you have a policy that makes it that way. I bypass the issue with the tunnel app being there by auto installing it on enrollment.

[syarbrou]

Hey Luke.  When you tested this was it on iOS?  I just tried a fresh install of a device and forced the tunnel app to auto install.  When I launched my app that uses the tunnel it crapped out.  Went into the tunnel app, accepted a bunch of stuff, and then it worked.  Haven't tried on iOS.

Thanks.

Steve

[LukeDC]

Hey. Yeah I was on iOS. Android the hub should broker that connection during enrollment and get it running if the tunnel app is installed during enrollment. A screen should appear and make the connection etc.