8 Location-Based Services

This chapter describes how Oracle Enterprise Communications Platform uses location information to represent devices and edge nodes, and how you can view, update, and filter location data in the application.

About GPS Location Reporting

GPS location reporting lets Oracle Enterprise Communications Platform (Oracle ECP) collect and display the most recent GPS position for supported hardware. Use it to compare the reported position with deployment location and to view supported assets by their current reported position in inventory.

GPS location reporting has the following behavior:
  • Reporting is off by default and must be enabled for each asset.
  • You can view available GPS location information and use the Live Location inventory filter.
  • After reporting is enabled on an MDM-managed device, it may take more than 60 minutes for a new GPS location to appear. For Edge Nodes, a location may appear in less than 5 minutes.
  • For a compatible edge node, the Refresh frequency value on the Location tab shows the configured update frequency.
  • Disabling reporting stops new location collection. For an MDM-enabled device, deleting location data also disables reporting and permanently removes the stored GPS location data. For an edge node, deleting location data permanently removes the stored GPS location data but does not disable GPS location reporting.

Note:

The Live Location filter changes the inventory table and map to use GPS location. Without this filter, the map uses deployment location.

Enable GPS Location Reporting for MDM-Enabled Device

Enable reporting to let an MDM-enabled device send its GPS location to Oracle Enterprise Communications Platform (Oracle ECP). Disable reporting when you no longer want Oracle ECP to collect new GPS positions from the device. Oracle ECP records the outcome in the Activity Log.

Before You Begin
  • The device must be MDM-enabled.
  1. On the Inventory page, select Devices.
  2. Open the MDM-enabled device that you want to update.
  3. Click the Location tab.
  4. Click Actions.
  5. Click Enable Location Reporting or Disable Location Reporting.

Oracle ECP submits the request. While the request is in progress, Oracle ECP displays: Operation in progress. All actions are disabled until the operation is completed. Oracle ECP also makes the Actions menu unavailable.

The request response confirms that Oracle ECP submitted the change to the MDM service; it does not confirm that the device applied the change. Navigate back to the Device Inventory page and verify the applied status.

When the request completes, the selected option is checked in the Actions menu. If the request fails, Oracle ECP keeps the previous reporting state and makes the action available so that you can retry.

Note:

Oracle ECP retrieves GPS location from the MDM service every 60 minutes. Enabling reporting does not guarantee that a new position appears immediately.

Enable GPS Location Reporting for an Edge Node

Enable reporting to let a compatible edge node collect and send its GPS position to Oracle Enterprise Communications Platform (Oracle ECP). Disable reporting when you no longer want the edge node to collect or send GPS location data. Oracle ECP records the outcome in the Activity Log.

Before You Begin
  • The edge node must be active and run platform version 26.3 or later configuration schema. The Actions menu does not display the location actions for an inactive edge node or an edge node that uses an earlier schema.
  • Confirm that no other update is in progress for the edge node.
  1. On the Inventory page, select Edge Nodes.
  2. Open the edge node that you want to update.
  3. Click the Location tab.
  4. Click Actions.
  5. Click Enable Location Reporting or Disable Location Reporting.

Oracle ECP applies the change. While the operation is in progress, Oracle ECP displays the in-progress message and makes the Actions menu unavailable.

When the request completes, the selected option is checked in the Actions menu. If the request fails, Oracle ECP keeps the previous reporting state and makes the action available so that you can retry.

Note:

You cannot enable or disable GPS location reporting from the edge node local UI. A configuration template that is applied later can override the setting for an individual edge node.

Delete GPS Location for a Device

Delete stored GPS location data from an MDM-enabled device when you no longer want Oracle Enterprise Communications Platform (Oracle ECP) to retain it. Oracle ECP records the outcome in the Activity Log.

Caution:

Deletion is permanent and does not delete the deployment location. If location reporting is enabled, Oracle ECP disables it before deleting the stored GPS location data.
Before You Begin
  • The device must be MDM-enabled. Non-MDM devices do not provide the location actions.
  • No other GPS location operation can be in progress.
  1. On the Inventory page, select Devices.
  2. Open the device.
  3. Click the Location tab.
  4. Click Actions, and then click Delete Location Data.
  5. Review the warning and then click Delete Location Data.

Oracle ECP submits the request and displays an in-progress message. While the deletion is in progress, all GPS location actions are unavailable.

When deletion completes, Oracle ECP removes the blue location marker and selects Disable Location Reporting.

If deletion fails after Oracle ECP disables reporting, reporting remains disabled. Oracle ECP does not restore the previous state automatically. Review the Activity Log, and retry Delete Location Data when the action becomes available.

View GPS Location in Inventory

Use the GPS Location filter to view supported devices or edge nodes by their latest reported GPS position. The filter applies to both the inventory table and the inventory map.

  1. On the Inventory page, select Devices or Edge Nodes.
  2. Add the GPS Location filter.
  3. Click Map to view the filtered assets by GPS location.
The table and map show only the following assets:
  • For devices, MDM-enabled devices that have location reporting enabled and have reported coordinates.
  • For edge nodes, compatible edge nodes that have location reporting enabled. An edge node without a reported position cannot be plotted on the map.
The map displays Viewing Live Location and uses GPS location instead of deployment location. Nearby assets appear in clusters. Click a marker or cluster to open the details drawer. When you remove the filter, the map displays Viewing Deployment Location and returns to deployment positions.

A geofilter applies to the location mode that is currently displayed. If GPS Location is applied, the geofilter uses GPS location. If GPS Location is not applied, the geofilter uses deployment location.

The inventory export respects the active filters. A filtered device export includes only MDM-enabled devices with reporting enabled and available coordinates. A filtered edge-node export includes the edge nodes that match the GPS Location filter.