Neat Devices and Microsoft Teams AOSP Migration

Last updated May 15th, 2024

1. Introduction

The content in this article applies to all Neat devices running Microsoft Teams software. These include the Neat Bar/Bar Gen 2/Bar Pro, Neat Board/Board 50, Neat Pad (as Room controller or Teams Panel), and Neat Frame (running Teams Displays).

1.1 What is nGMS/AOSP

Non-Google Management Services, nGMS, is Microsoft’s replacement for the Company Portal application currently used for authenticating Android devices in Microsoft Intune. The Company Portal app uses Android Device Administrator registrations, which Google is discontinuing, requiring a new method for device authentication.

nGMS, also known as Android Open-Source Project (AOSP), is what Neat uses to build the platform for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android. Neat is closely working with Microsoft on the nGMS development for our devices.

Your administrator can find a reference to this upcoming change in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center here (Message ID: MC665936).

For Microsoft Teams Android devices, your Intune administrator will need to make some adjustments before the software rolls out to Neat devices. There are two main processes involved in this initiative:

  1. New Device Setups or after a Factory Reset:
    • For new installations or post-FR, the latest firmware will run Microsoft Intune and Authenticator apps, requiring the registration of the device with the latest AOSP policies in Intune.
  2. Migrating Existing Devices:
    • For existing deployments, it will require transitioning the devices from using Company Portal ADA registration to AOSP registration and migrating all user credentials. This method eliminates the need for on-site visits, as the migration is handled remotely.

Important Note: If you need to manage devices remotely, Neat Pulse provides full remote control capabilities for your deployment. If you haven’t signed up for Neat Pulse yet, visit Neat Pulse to create a free account that includes the Remote Control feature. For more information or to demo this cloud service please have a look here.

2. Getting ready for AOSP

To prepare for AOSP registrations, Microsoft has provided documentation which can be viewed on their website: Migrating Teams Android Devices to AOSP Device Management from Device Administrator

2.1 Steps to Prepare:

  1. Create an Enrollment Policy:
    • Follow Microsoft’s guidelines to create the necessary enrollment profile.
  2. Create/Modify Compliance Policies:
    • Update existing policies configured with Android Device Administrator to new AOSP policies.
    • Note: If you have these already set up, they will be configured with Android Device Administrator already, hence the requirement to create a new AOSP policy.

Below is an example of the enrollment policy that will need to be created:

Figure 1: Example of Neat device Enrollment policy

When Microsoft and Neat are ready, we will enter the Microsoft TAP (Technology Adoption Program) process for testing. After successful testing, Neat will promote the builds to our Preview channel for further testing and policy verification before pushing this to Neat’s Stable channel.

3. General Availability timeline

We anticipate the software builds and migration will be available in the second half of 2024. This update will be part of the standard Neat software updates, so please ensure your devices are set to receive automatic updates, or alternatively you can push these updates from the Teams Admin Center or Pulse. This migration will be free of charge, like all other Neat software updates.

Currently, no changes or configurations are required on your Neat devices.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at support@neat.no.