VPP Auto-Updates

[DimitriAnesti]

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the new VPP application auto-updates.
We enabled a few applications to auto-update in an environment, but we aren't seeing much progress with the devices actually updating.
I just wanted to see what other people were experiencing so far before going to AirWatch Support with it.
Thanks in advance!

[DimitriAnesti]

Piotr,
Very interesting-
Thanks for the info.
I'll keep you guys updated on our ticket as it progresses.

[MichaelFatzi]

Hi Piotr, Dimitri
Thank you so much for your answers. I've also opened a support ticket.
In our case updating manually also doesn't work! Or at least not as I would expect. When we press  button ' update app'  nothings happens (besides that console is telling me that it is ' saved successfully' ) . All our purchased apps have the status ' pending check'  in the app list - although there are updates available (for more than three weeks)
We are not informed that there are new updates.  Does this feature work in your cases?
The only way to update our purchased apps is: Choose wanted app and press ' manage devices'  and than  reinstall the app.
I will inform you, if I get reasonable answers from the support or find some solution.

[RobertMcAndrew]

There is no Checkboxes in V9.0.3.9??????

Anyone??

[PiotrWisniewski]

Vpp auto update feature is available as of ver 9.1

[MichaelFatzi]

Hi Piotr, Dimitri
Finally - I've got some news.
After opening a support ticket (and some conversation) some services of our environment has been restarted by Airwatch and voila - auto update / update of vpp applications does finally work, but it is just working in a restricted way.
It is important to know the following restriction  (Here is  the information I've got from the support team:)
-------------------------------------------
Auto-Update requires a new update to become available in the App-Store after Auto-Update is enabled before any notification/update is triggered for devices.
It will not detect an update is available for devices that have older versions than the currently available version in the app-store when the setting is enabled.
So if your devices is running version 1 but the app store has version 2 available.
The database records the version 2 and stores this as the available version.
You need to update the version 1 on the device manually to version 2 by clicking the update on the app store on the device.
Then when version 3 becomes available on the app store it will auto update the app to version 3 and will work from then on automatically.
---------------------------------------------------------------
As far as I experienced: When auto update will not work, updating the app via the ' update app'  button doesn't work also. You have to manually update the app (could be done at the app list via ' manage devices' ) 

regards
Michael

[DimitriAnesti]

Michael,
Thanks for the update.
I actually forgot to provide an update as well.

I was told by AirWatch Support that the auto-update feature only works for device-based licenses, not user-based licenses.
For some reason we have a strange mixture and inconsistent number of user-based licenses across our applications (AirWatch Support is supposed to be looking into the cause of this).

Michael, you mentioned the manyal update process via the ' manage devices'  option, which I have done in the past.
However, do you find that using the ' install on filtered'  option works for you?
We used to be able to click ' Install on filtered'  and it would install on all devices associated with that application.
Now when trying, it says the application will install on zero devices.
It seems I have to select 100 devices at a time and ' install on selected' .
(We're running console v9.1.0.401)

Thanks
-Dimitri

[PiotrWisniewski]

We got same answer as anove for our case as well:

********
Auto-Update requires a new update to become available in the App-Store after Auto-Update is enabled before any notification/update is triggered for devices.
It will not detect an update is available for devices that have older versions than the currently available version in the app-store when the setting is enabled.
So if your devices is running version 1 but the app store has version 2 available.
The database records the version 2 and stores this as the available version.
You need to update the version 1 on the device manually to version 2 by clicking the update on the app store on the device.
Then when version 3 becomes available on the app store it will auto update the app to version 3 and will work from then on automatically.

[MichaelFatzi]

Dimitri,
we are using console 9.1.2.0 and I've tried the option ' install on filtered'  - with the same effect as you described. (0 devices)   We never used this before (always just install on selected) so I can't tell if this has worked before in our case.
regards
Michael

[DimitriAnesti]

Michael (And others)
I did a test with this-
As I mentioned, prior to v9.1, when hitting ' install on filtered' , the popup notification would state ' Application will install on (x) devices' , where x represented all devices associated with that application.
So, I tried manually updating a couple of our applications that way-
Despite the notification saying it would install on 0 devices, we saw a MAJOR increase in devices with the latest app version within 24 hours (an increase of several thousand).
It appears to still work fine, but the notification just seems to be bugged.
Hopefully this is helpful to others.
Thanks,
-Dimitri

[PatrickDawson]

We have three dedicated saas environments (DEV, QA, and PROD).  DEV and QA are running 9.2.3.3, whereas PROD is still running 9.0.3.42.

In the DEV and QA environments, we've been testing the auto update feature on device-assigned VPP apps with our primary focus being on provisioning the AirWatch Agent with auto updates enabled.  In our recent tests in which we have had test iOS devices using Agent 5.6, many were updated silently to Agent 5.7 within 24 hours of 5.7 being made publicly available.  However, we are seemingly seeing that even after several days have passed since 5.7's release and the two environments' indicating ' update pushed' , some test iPads (that receive the Agent through the same assignment groups as the other iPads) remain on Agent 5.6. 

At rest, we are leaving these iPads powered up with both cellular and WiFi connectivity.  Periodically we unlock them and confirm connectivity and check them in the console, but we still see no change in the Agent version on the iPads.  We've been reluctant so far to intrude too much on the test iPads or in the console (thereby risking that we invalidate the test), because our expectation for the auto update feature is that updates to apps will be silent and require no manual work for end users (just like updates for their personal public apps provisioned through the Apple App Store).

Have any of you observed circumstances in which Auto Updates work for some but not all assigned iOS devices? (Note:  our test devices are mostly running iOS 11.2.5 or 11.2.6).

[BRIANJENKINSBRI]

We too are on prem, v9.1.1, and are having issues with Auto Update. The console itself shows 'update pushed', and I do see a notification in the top right stating 'the AirWatch Agent app has been updated to the latest version', which is from 8/18/2018, right around the time of v.5.8. Unfortunately,  we have huge numbers of devices (all iOS) in our environment, that are connected to the Internet via LTE and do not have the updated app, in our case, the AirWatch Agent, v.5.8. Some are my test devices, and they are fully connected to the console, APNs working properly, etc. We've had VPP set up for a couple months, so our Auto-Update was there prior to 5.8 being released. I've spot checked many of the devices and can hover over the 'install' check mark for Agent and see that it is managed as well.
I did read a support article that states ' iOS devices cannot process an application install when it is locked.'  This shouldn't apply in my case as mine are on and open. I'm going to submit a ticket to AW Support and I'll keep you posted. We are also moving to the latest on-prem version in a few months, so maybe we'll have better luck then.

[PiotrWisniewski]

V9.4+ brings a lot of fixes for vpp autoupdate. V9.6 works like a charm with this process

[TedDowns]

Does anyone know if VPP apps either manually pushed or with Auto-Update enabled will update the app if it is open and running full screen?   The use case is retail POS where the app is open and in use for at least 12 hrs per day.  Concern is that an update could cause a force-close while in use.