Tag Archives: Admin Console

More insights to help admins troubleshoot Google Meet hardware issues

What’s changing 

In 2022, we introduced several improvements for managing Google Meet hardware devices. These improvements included surfacing additional information about device issues, such as a description of the issue, when the issue was detected, and more. Today, we’re taking these improvements one step further by providing admins with even more data points. Specifically, admins will now be able to see the following types of usage data:


Issues: device health problems that are detected and persist over time. This is existing functionality and will continue to include the following issue types:
  • Device offline
  • Missing microphone
  • Missing speaker
  • Missing camera
  • Missing controller
  • Missing display
  • Missing default microphone
  • Missing default speaker
  • Missing default camera
  • Missing default whiteboard camera

Activities: records of how a hardware device is being used at any given time, including:
  • Meet call 
  • Zoom call 
  • Webex call
  • Bring-your-own-device mode [or computer connected]
  • Local present
  • Whiteboard camera present 
  • Peripheral firmware update 


Events: any notable point-in-time occurrence that can be useful for admins looking to troubleshoot issues, including:
  • Operating system update 
  • Feedback filed
  • Restart

Who’s impacted

Admins


Why it matters

The health and functionality of your Meet hardware fleet is critical for connection and collaboration. As such, it’s important that admins have the information and context they need to troubleshoot issues across their fleet. With these additional data points, admins will have even greater insight and context into issues, allowing them to troubleshoot and resolve them faster.


Additional details

Google Meet Hardware devices that do not run ChromeOS (such as Poly X30, X50, X70) will only support activity data for Meet calls at this time.


Getting started



Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware devices

Resources

Updates for managing iOS devices: user enrollment is now supported; purchase and distribute apps using the Apple Volume Purchase program

What’s changing 

We’re expanding mobile device enrollment options for iOS devices to include user enrollment. User enrollment separates work and personal data on iOS devices, giving admins control over Workspace data on the device while users retain privacy over their personal data. 


Additionally, admins can use the Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP) to purchase and disturbed apps in bulk to user-enrolled iOS devices in their organization. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Managing how Workspace data is accessed is a cornerstone of security. The new user enrollment option ensures end users can keep their personal data separate from their work data, while admins can ensure their users are using and accessing apps appropriately. 


Using the VPP, admins can efficiently curate a suite of work-related apps—both free and paid—for their team. This streamlined process not only simplifies the deployment of essential business apps but also ensures that employees have access to the right apps they need to be productive and efficient, all within the secure perimeter of our MDM platform.


Getting started

Admins: 
  • Volume Purchasing Program:
    • To begin, admins need to access Apple’s volume purchasing program with their Business Manager credentials. Through the VPP, admins can purchase app licenses that can be distributed to their employee’s devices in bulk. 

From the Apple Business Manager, you can purchase app licenses in bulk.


Once purchased, admins will need to download the content token, which needs to be uploaded into the Admin console.


VPP tokens can be uploaded in the Admin console at Devices > Mobile and endpoints > iOS settings > Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP).


For complete instructions, use this Help Center about distributing iOS apps with Apple VPP and applying settings for iOS devices.

  • End users:

The user enrollment process starts when a user signs-in to an app for the first time or re-signs into an app. They’ll be prompted to begin downloading the configuration profile, which will open in an internet browser with more instructions and information. Once the profile has been downloaded, the user will be directed to their devices settings to complete user enrollment.




Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Frontline Standard, Frontline Starter, Business Plus, Cloud Identity Premium, Education Standard, Education Plus and Nonprofits customers

Resources




Map and sync system attributes of users from External Directory into Google Workspace

What’s changing 

Using Directory Sync, admins can map all the system or default user attributes, including custom attributes, from Microsoft Active Directory or Microsoft Azure Active Directory to Google Directory user attributes and synchronize them. These attributes include first and last names, job title, company, and department. The detailed list of attributes supported can be found in the Help Center. Based on these attribute values, Directory Sync will automatically map the users with the attributes provided from the Active Directory or Azure Active Directory on the Google Workspace side.




Directory Sync is available as an open beta, meaning no sign-up is required. Use our Help Center to learn more about using Directory Sync and FAQs. 

Getting started

  • Admins: To use the Directory Sync, go to Admin console > Home > Directory > Directory Sync. Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting up a user sync.

Rollout pace

  • This feature is available now for all users.

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources


Use the space management tool to bulk delete Google Chat spaces

What’s changing 

Using the space management tool, admins can now delete multiple spaces within their organization at once. Over time, as more spaces are created, the list of spaces for an organization can become cluttered with abandoned and inactive spaces. Having the ability to delete multiple spaces at once can simplify the effort required by admins to manage spaces for an organization. . For example, admins can sort spaces based on their member count in descending order or based on the last activity in the space. From there, admins can select multiple spaces and delete them with one click.

Selecting multiple spaces

Deleting multiple spaces




Additional details

When viewing spaces in your organization, you’ll notice a new column: Group counts. In this column, admins can see how many groups are members of a specific space.


Getting started


Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Frontline, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Teaching & Learning upgrade, Education Plus customers

Resources


Understand the impact of Context-Aware Access policies with Monitor Mode

What’s changing 

Admins can now use Monitor Mode to understand the implications of a Context-Aware Access (CAA) policy before deploying it to their end users. Monitor Mode will not block end users. Instead, it will show how the policy will block user access overtime, which admins can review in the CAA audit logs. Monitor Mode is available for Google Workspace, other Google Apps & third party SAML apps.

Applying Monitor Mode to context-aware access policies

Monitor Mode reports


Who’s impacted

Admins


Why you’d use it 

Before assigning Context-Aware Access levels, it’s critical for admins to understand the impact this will have on their end users. Using Monitor Mode helps admins fully understand the end user impact before deploying them in active mode, which can help avoid disruptions while helping admins make more informed decisions regarding their security strategies. 


Getting started


Presented content will be captured in higher definition in Google Meet recordings

What’s changing 

For recorded meetings in Google Meet, we’re increasing the maximum resolution for shared content from 720p to 1080p. This will help ensure crisper text and visuals for presented content, creating a better viewing experience. Note that the rest of the meeting capture will remain at a maximum of 720p. 


Getting started 


Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Business Plus, Business Standard, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Starter, and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade customers 

Resources 

Navigate to Chrome Browser management faster in the Admin console

What’s changing

In the Admin console, we’ve added a dedicated category for Chrome Browser admin capabilities in the left-hand navigation menu. Previously, you would have to go to Devices > Chrome > Managed browsers as a Chrome Browser admin — this makes navigating to these specific pages faster. From here, you’ll be able to take actions such as configuring and enforcing Chrome policies, view reports on Chrome browsers in your organization, and more. For even more convenient access, you can pin this link to the top of your navigation bar.




Getting started

Admins: 

  • This update will be automatically available. 
  • Customers can sign-up for ChromeOS and Chrome Browser Management and use Admin Console to manage their devices/browsers.


Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to all Chrome Browser Cloud Management and Google Workspace customers 


Resources


Configure Android zero-touch devices directly from the Admin console

What’s changing 

We’re integrating the Android Zero-Touch iFrame with the Admin console for a better, more seamless experience for admins. Zero-Touch devices are devices which have been purchased from Zero-Touch resellers and used in company owned mode. 

Directly from the admin console, admins will be able to: 
  • Set Google Workspace provided configurations for zero-touch devices. 
  • Link Workspace accounts with zero-touch accounts, ensuring devices will always enroll under Google endpoint management. They’ll also have the ability to unlink accounts if needed. Note that one Workspace account can be linked to multiple zero-touch accounts, but a zero-touch account can be linked to only one Workspace account.
In the Admin console, navigate to Devices > Mobile & endpoints > Settings > Enrollment > Android Zero touch 



Who’s impacted

Admins


Why you’d use it 

This update makes it easier for admins to specify a Zero touch configuration for their company owned devices directly from the Admin console. For enterprise mobility management partners (EMMs) this also minimizes the number of Google APIs and portals they need to interact with as well. Zero-touch devices will always enroll an account according to the GEM provided configuration — users cannot bypass this, even if they factory reset the device.

We strongly recommend that you continue to use the Zero-Touch customer portal if you need to:
  • View a list of your zero-touch company owned devices
  • Create more than one custom configuration
  • Set or remove configurations from a device

Getting started


Admins: 

Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Business Plus; Enterprise; Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Education Plus; Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus, Frontline Starter and Frontline Standard customers.
  • Available to Cloud Identity Premium customers.

Resources


Configure and bind multiple Android Enterprise Mobility Management providers

What’s changing 

You can now bind multiple Android enterprise mobility management providers (EMM) to your Google Workspace account. Previously, you could only bind a single EMM within your organization. This update gives you more control over how devices in your organization are managed. Specifically, it offers: 


More flexibility: You can choose the right EMM for each user group in your organization. For example, you can use one EMM for engineers and another for retail staff. 


Enhanced control: You can now have multiple instances of the same EMM provider, for example a cloud instance and an on-premise instance, to manage different sets of users. 


Easier migrations: You can now run multiple EMMs in parallel, allowing them to perform phased migrations from an old EMM to the new EMM over time.



Additional details


Private apps
We strongly recommend that admins familiarize themselves with how binding multiple EMMs will impact availability of private apps. You can find more information in our Help Center regarding creating web apps and distributing private apps.


Google Play store
If you’re binding multiple EMMs to a Google Workspace or Google Cloud identity account, you must use your EMM iframe and not play.google.com/work to access the managed Google Play store.

Getting started


Rollout pace

  • This feature is available now for all users.

Availability


  • Available to all Google Workspace customers.


Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – September 15, 2023

4 New updates 

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.


Insert links in the Google Sheets app on iOS devices 
We’re adding the ability to insert a hyperlink into a cell in the Google Sheets iOS app by selecting a cell > clicking “+” in the top left corner > Insert > Link. If a cell contains a link, you’ll see options to edit or remove the link. | Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about working with links & bookmarks. 
Insert links in the Google Sheets app on iOS devices


Enhanced spam protection through automatic labeling of suspected spam messages in Google Voice 
If you're using Google Voice, you're familiar with our suspected spam caller warnings. We're extending this feature to SMS messages on Android and iOS devices. You'll see these labels within the message, and you can either: 
  • Confirm a suspected spam message, which causes future messages from that number to go directly into the spam folder. 
  • Mark a labeled message as not spam, after which the suspected spam label is never displayed for that number again. 
Available to Voice Starter, Standard, and Premier customers, as well as users with personal accounts in the US. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains at an extended pace (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility). 
Enhanced spam protection through automatic labeling of suspected spam messages in Google Voice



Birthday decorations for people cards 
In Google Contacts and across various Google Workspace products, you’ll begin to notice birthday decorations when hovering over another user’s people card. This small change can have a big impact on building deeper connections with your colleagues and stakeholders. Birthday decorations will be displayed on your birthday if you’ve added your birthday to your Google Account profile and you’ve set the information to be visible to others. | Available now for all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about your Google Account profile and what information others can see.
Birthday decorations for people cards
Add an organizational unit as an attribute in your external directory 
When using Directory Sync, you can now place users from the Azure Active Directory or Active Directory to a specific organizational unit on the Google Workspace side. To do so, you’ll need to add an organizational unit as an attribute in your external directory. This makes it easier to sync users who will be mapped to different organizational units on the Google Workspace side. | Directory Sync is available as an open beta to all Google Workspace customers. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting up users to sync based on an organizational unit attribute.
Add an organizational unit as an attribute in your external directory


Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.


Dual Display on Poly Studio X Series Makes Video Meetings More Productive 
We are excited to announce dual display support for Google Meet on the Poly Studio X Series to help make video meetings more productive. With dual displays, you can see more meeting participants, presentations, and documents at once, which can help you stay focused and engaged in meetings. | Available to Google Workspace customers with Poly Studio X50, X52, and X70 devices only. | Learn more about Dual Display on Poly Studio X Series.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.


Rapid Release Domains: