MaaS360® Cloud Extender™ is a lightweight agent that enhances device management capabilities by integrating with on-premises systems within your environment, such as email, corporate directories, certificate authorities, and application and content servers.

MaaS360 Cloud Extender core and modules:

MaaS360 Cloud Extender is made up of:

• Core Agent: The main installer of the Cloud Extender. 
• Modules: Package of scripts and actions that integrate with one component of your on-premises infrastructure and provides full integration service with that component. Cloud Extender can contain one or more of the following modules:
  • Base: Is the core module that is responsible for basic functioning of the Cloud Extender and communication with the MaaS360 portal
  • Basic Device View: Is the module responsible for updating data that builds the Cloud Extender screen on the MaaS360 portal
  • Cloud Extender Configuration Utility: User interface for Cloud Extender configuration
  • Exchange: Integrates with Exchange 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and Office 365.
  • Traveler: Integrates with Traveler and IBM SmartCloud email infrastructure
  • Email Notifications: Integrates with Exchange infrastructure and facilitates real-time notification on the device on new emails for Secure Mail on iOS
  • User Authentication: Integrates with Corporate directories for authenticating users during device enrollment, End-User portal login, and MaaS360 portal login
  • User Visibility: integrates with Corporate directories for syncing users and groups to MaaS360 portal
  • Certificate Integration: Integrates with certificate authority (CA) to issue Identity certificates to enrolled devices
  • Mobile Enterprise Gateway: A gateway for mobile devices to access corporate intranet resources on MaaS360 Secure Browser, Secure Docs, and wrapped apps
  • VPN: A VPN server to enable full VPN or per-app VPN on devices

More details on Cloud Extender requirements and implementation are captured here: Cloud Extender Admin Guide

MaaS360 Cloud Extender releases:

As a part of the MaaS360 cloud releases, new versions of the MaaS360 core and modules get released. Some of the core and module releases might happen outside of the MaaS360 cloud releases. During each release, MaaS360 publishes details on the new features released that require the latest core and modules. Refer to the MaaS360 release announcement page and click each version to learn about new features that requires updating your Cloud Extender. 

Upgrading your Cloud Extender:

Depending on the features you want to implement on your Cloud Extenders, you might have to upgrade your core or modules (one or more) or both. This section explains on the upgrade process.

Upgrading your core:

It is always recommended to upgrade the core version of your Cloud Extender. Upgrading the Cloud Extender core version is a few steps. Steps to upgrade the core:

• Log in to the MaaS360 portal by using your administrator credentials
• Navigate to Setup >> Services and expand on Enterprise Integration.
• Click the Download link to download the latest version of the Cloud Extender
• Place the latest installer of the Cloud Extender on your servers where the old main installer is installed and double-click the installer
• Follow the prompts and the Cloud Extender automatically upgrade to the latest main installer.

Note: Module configurations are preserved on upgrade and no configuration changes are required.

Note: Upgrading the main installer requires the Cloud Extender windows service to restart which causes a short outage the Cloud Extender service.  Follow your company's outage procedure policies. 

Upgrading the CE modules:

As mentioned in the previous section, MaaS360 releases new modules to the Cloud platform as a part of the releases, the modules are considered Release Candidates and are production code. However, not all modules are released on each release, only those modules that are modified for that elevation. 

There are 3 ways of upgrading Cloud Extender modules:

• Subscribing to Release Candidate:
  • It is important to note that when new modules are made available on MaaS360 as Release Candidate, they are NOT automatically pushed to active Cloud Extender immediately after release.
  • If you want to implement any new feature that is made available as a Release Candidate module update, you can request your account representative to push the modules to your Cloud Extenders. 
• Distributing Release Candidate Dates:
  • The MaaS360 team determines when Release Candidate module versions is distributed to all active customer Cloud Extender installs. 
  • On the last screen of the Cloud Extender Configuration Tool, there is an option for Automatic Updates. When enabled (which is by default),
    • Cloud Extender automatically downloads the new modules and then is parked it in a staging area.
    • Cloud Extender picks up the modules from the staging area and silently apply the upgrades to the modules.
  • The only exceptions are Mobile Enterprise Gateway module and VPN module, see the section 'Upgrading MaaS360 Mobile Enterprise Gateway (MEG) and VPN Modules' for details.  
• Manual update process:
  • Once the Release Candidate modules are distributed to all Active CE installs, they are available for downloads either automatically or manually.
  • If Automatic Updates is disabled on your Cloud Extender, then modules are not automatically downloaded and applied
  • As an administrator, open the Cloud Extender configuration tool, navigate to the last screen, and enable automatic upgrades
  • Triggers an auto download and application of the latest modules. Use the Cloud Extender screen on the MaaS360 portal to confirm that the updates are applied (based on module versions.
  • The process typically takes anywhere 15 - 30 minutes
  • Once the updates are applied, turn OFF the Automatic Updates option on your Cloud Extender

Upgrading MaaS360 Mobile Enterprise Gateway (MEG) and VPN modules:

Unlike other Cloud Extender modules; the MEG and VPN modules are not automatically applied to the Cloud Extender even if Automatic Updates are enabled. 

This value is set by default because, there could be active browser sessions active against MEG and VPN and can cause a service interruption. Hence the module are not automatically applied. Note that the modules ARE automatically downloaded and staged but not applied

To upgrade the MEG/VPN module on your Cloud Extender, when you open the Cloud Extender Configuration Tool, click on the Enterprise Gateway tile and there will be an Upgrade flag icon. Clicking on the Enterprise Gateway tile will prompt to continue with upgrading the staged modules to your Cloud Extender.