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Metro Trains Sydney Case Study | MobileCorp

Written by Michelle Lewis | Oct 12, 2022 11:26:03 AM

Challenge

Metro Trains required a rugged mobile phone for 150 field force staff. The device had to meet industry standards being heavy duty, waterproof, dustproof, shock resistant and temperature-proof, with a long-lasting battery life.

 

Metro Trains required the ability to remote manage the devices in the field, and to lock down each device to corporate-approved apps to ensure it was only used for work purposes.

 

Solution

The strict criteria for procurement of a rugged device was unable to be met by the carrier. MobileCorp secured an Android device outside normal supplier channels from CAT, who also manufactured a customised protective cover and belt clip.

MobileCorp MDM engineers built a custom VMWare Workspace ONE profile which locked the Metro Trains' devices down to ten approved Applications. Other built-in software and bloatware was removed and access to social media and non-work-related websites was blocked. These measures were taken to prevent employee distraction and assist work safety, as well as to control data use and prolong battery life. 

A test profile was built on Telstra’s VMWare Workspace ONE platform (T-MDM) as a proof of concept, and tested by several staff in the field. MobileCorp engineers then developed a cloud-based algorithm to deliver the profile to multiple devices simultaneously.

The MobileCorp project team were stationed on-site for the duration of the rollout to rapidly fix any unexpected issues and ensure a seamless implementation.

MobileCorp provides ongoing management of the Metro Trains VMware instance to ensure devices remain compliant, secure and optimised.

Outcomes

  • Custom device sourcing for prolonged lifecycle: Sourcing the CAT device from outside Australian telco supplier channels delivered a device that could withstand the rigours of field use and protect Metro Trains’ hardware investment.
  • Custom VMware Workspace ONE profile to protect field workers: Building a custom VMWare  profile to protect field workers from distractions which could be life-threatening.
  • Smart cloud-based algorithm to speed profile push: Developing a script to push the MDM profile to 20 devices in 12 minutes allowed the project to be delivered weeks earlier than anticipated.
  • Secure and optimised fleet: Ongoing management of the Metro Trains VMware instance ensures devices remain compliant, secure and optimised.