Getting started with Geolocation Tracking policies

About Geolocation Technologies

Geolocation refers to the identification of the most recent geographic location of a device. The Absolute agent can collect the geolocation of a device and report that information in the Absolute console.

Types of location technologies

The agent can collect geolocation information using any of the following technologies, presented in priority order:

Location Technology	Supported platforms	Description
Wi-Fi Positioning	Windows Mac Android	Google Maps™ Wi-Fi Positioning determines a device's location by comparing Wi-Fi hotspots detected by the device with Google's extensive database of known hotspots and their locations. The device does not need to be connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot for the hotspot to be detected. This technology is most effective in urban areas where Wi-Fi hotspots are plentiful. Limitations Wi-Fi triangulation is a correlational tracking method based on the known GPS location of Wi-Fi networks detected near a device. Typically, Wi-Fi triangulation provides a location accurate to within a few city blocks. Note that if a device is in a country where Google Maps is prohibited, Google Maps Wi-Fi Positioning cannot be used to resolve the device’s location.
GPS	Android Windows	Global Positioning System (GPS) technology determines a device's location using a built-in GPS receiver to capture satellite signals. GPS is most effective when the device is outdoors. Limitations GPS receivers are designed to reliably receive a signal from satellites when you are outside with an unobstructed view of the sky. Therefore, GPS receivers are unlikely to work well when surrounded by high-rise buildings or inside metal-framed or concrete buildings. GPS receivers may work inside non-metal framed buildings or near a window. The accuracy of the location reported by a GPS depends on environmental issues such as how many satellites are in view, potential reflection of satellite signals from nearby objects, or atmospheric effects. In ideal conditions, the GPS available typically reports locations within 10 meters of the actual location. When conditions are less favorable, the margin of error may increase to 100 meters or more. GPS coordinates are unlikely to be exact.
OS Location API	Windows Chromebooks	For Windows devices, the Windows Location API uses the sensors enabled on a device to retrieve the device's current location. A sensor can provide location information based on the device's IP address, its position relative to nearby Wi-Fi access points or cell towers, or from other sources, such as a GPS receiver. However, when OS Location API is reported as the geolocation technology used to determine a device's location, it's likely that the device's IP address or default location (if set by the user in Windows Location Settings) was used. For Chromebooks, Google's Geolocation API uses the sensors enabled on a device to retrieve the device's current location. A sensor may provide location information based the device's IP address, or its position relative to nearby Wi-Fi access points or cell towers. The Geolocation API provides the most appropriate geolocation data from all available sources.

Location Technology

Supported platforms

Description

Wi-Fi Positioning

Windows
Mac
Android

Google Maps™ Wi-Fi Positioning determines a device's location by comparing Wi-Fi hotspots detected by the device with Google's extensive database of known hotspots and their locations. The device does not need to be connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot for the hotspot to be detected. This technology is most effective in urban areas where Wi-Fi hotspots are plentiful.

Limitations

Wi-Fi triangulation is a correlational tracking method based on the known GPS location of Wi-Fi networks detected near a device. Typically, Wi-Fi triangulation provides a location accurate to within a few city blocks.

Note that if a device is in a country where Google Maps is prohibited, Google Maps Wi-Fi Positioning cannot be used to resolve the device’s location.

GPS

Android
Windows

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology determines a device's location using a built-in GPS receiver to capture satellite signals. GPS is most effective when the device is outdoors.

Limitations

GPS receivers are designed to reliably receive a signal from satellites when you are outside with an unobstructed view of the sky. Therefore, GPS receivers are unlikely to work well when surrounded by high-rise buildings or inside metal-framed or concrete buildings. GPS receivers may work inside non-metal framed buildings or near a window.

The accuracy of the location reported by a GPS depends on environmental issues such as how many satellites are in view, potential reflection of satellite signals from nearby objects, or atmospheric effects. In ideal conditions, the GPS available typically reports locations within 10 meters of the actual location. When conditions are less favorable, the margin of error may increase to 100 meters or more. GPS coordinates are unlikely to be exact.

OS Location API

Windows

Chromebooks

For Windows devices, the Windows Location API uses the sensors enabled on a device to retrieve the device's current location. A sensor can provide location information based on the device's IP address, its position relative to nearby Wi-Fi access points or cell towers, or from other sources, such as a GPS receiver. However, when OS Location API is reported as the geolocation technology used to determine a device's location, it's likely that the device's IP address or default location (if set by the user in Windows Location Settings) was used.

For Chromebooks, Google's Geolocation API uses the sensors enabled on a device to retrieve the device's current location. A sensor may provide location information based the device's IP address, or its position relative to nearby Wi-Fi access points or cell towers. The Geolocation API provides the most appropriate geolocation data from all available sources.

NOTE The accuracy of a reported location depends on the sensor used. For example, while locations derived from GPS receivers are quite accurate (within 10 meters), Wi-Fi access points can be less so (between 30 meters and 500 meters), while locations based on nearby cell towers or the device's IP address are typically even less reliable (between 300 and 5000 meters).

System requirements

To collect geolocation information about your devices and make it available in the Absolute console the following requirements must be met:

Each device is running a supported version of the Windows, macOS, Android, or Chrome OS operating system.
Each device is running Absolute agent version 7.18 or higher.
The Absolute agent is regularly connecting to the Absolute Monitoring Center.

In addition, the following requirements must be met for each platform:

Platform	Requirements
Windows	For geolocations using GPS, a GPS receiver is required. Note that although the majority of Windows devices are not equipped with a built-in GPS receiver, the Absolute agent supports most GPS receivers that are available for Windows devices. Ensure that you install the driver for the GPS receiver and that the wireless switch is enabled. The agent does not collect location data if the GPS receiver is tethered to the device using a Bluetooth, USB, or serial connection. Windows Sensor API and Location API For geolocations using Wi-Fi, the device's Wi-Fi network adapter must be enabled
Mac	For geolocations using Wi-Fi, the device's Wi-Fi network adapter must be enabled NOTE Apple Core Location is not supported.
Android	For geolocations using GPS, the device must have a built-in and enabled GPS/A-GPS receiver For geolocations using Wi-Fi triangulation, the device must have a built-in and enabled Wi-Fi network adapter
Chromebook	The device must be equipped with sensors that are supported by Google's Geolocation API.

NOTE The end users of a device can disable the device's geolocation technology; for example, users can disable GPS or Wi-Fi for all applications. To collect location information, at least one of the supported location technologies needs to be enabled on the device.

Collecting geolocation information

The Geolocation (GEO) component of the Absolute agent is responsible for collecting geolocation information. When you activate a Geolocation Tracking policy, the GEO component is activated on each device after its next successful connection to the Absolute Monitoring Center.

How frequently is geolocation information collected?

Geolocation information is collected at different intervals depending on a device's platform type:

Platform	Details
Windows Mac	The Absolute agent performs a daily scan of a device's current location and uploads the results to the Absolute Monitoring Center. Every two hours, it also performs a scheduled scan, but those results are uploaded only if the device's location has changed. Triggered scans In addition to the daily and scheduled scans, a scan is also triggered when any of the following events occur: The device is restarted. The detected public IP address, BSSID, or SSID changes. A user logs in to the device. Note that a scan is not triggered when a device is unlocked, or when it wakes from sleep mode or hibernation. If one or more of these events occur within a 15 minute period, only one scan result is uploaded. The results of a triggered scan are typically uploaded within the next 15 minutes, assuming the device is online. NOTE Triggered scans impact a device's scan schedule. For example, if a triggered scan occurs 20 minutes prior to the next scheduled scan, the scheduled scan is reset to start two hours after the triggered scan.
Android	The Absolute agent performs a daily scan of the device's current location and uploads the results to the Absolute Monitoring Center.
Chromebook	The Absolute agent performs a daily scan of a device's current location and uploads the results to the Absolute Monitoring Center. It also performs an hourly scan, but those results are uploaded only if the device's public IP address or location has changed. Triggered scans In addition to the daily and hourly scheduled scans, a scan is also triggered when a user logs in to the device. However, if a user logs in more than once within a 15 minute period, only one scan result is uploaded. Note that a scan is not triggered when a device is unlocked, or when it wakes from sleep mode or hibernation. The results of a triggered scan are typically uploaded within the next 15 minutes, assuming the device is online. NOTE Triggered scans impact a device's hourly scan schedule. For example, if a triggered scan occurs 20 minutes prior to the next scheduled scan, the scheduled scan is reset to start 60 minutes after the triggered scan.

Platform

Details

Windows
Mac

The Absolute agent performs a daily scan of a device's current location and uploads the results to the Absolute Monitoring Center. Every two hours, it also performs a scheduled scan, but those results are uploaded only if the device's location has changed.

Triggered scans

In addition to the daily and scheduled scans, a scan is also triggered when any of the following events occur:

The device is restarted.
The detected public IP address, BSSID, or SSID changes.
A user logs in to the device. Note that a scan is not triggered when a device is unlocked, or when it wakes from sleep mode or hibernation.

If one or more of these events occur within a 15 minute period, only one scan result is uploaded. The results of a triggered scan are typically uploaded within the next 15 minutes, assuming the device is online.

NOTE Triggered scans impact a device's scan schedule. For example, if a triggered scan occurs 20 minutes prior to the next scheduled scan, the scheduled scan is reset to start two hours after the triggered scan.

Android

The Absolute agent performs a daily scan of the device's current location and uploads the results to the Absolute Monitoring Center.

Chromebook

The Absolute agent performs a daily scan of a device's current location and uploads the results to the Absolute Monitoring Center. It also performs an hourly scan, but those results are uploaded only if the device's public IP address or location has changed.

Triggered scans

In addition to the daily and hourly scheduled scans, a scan is also triggered when a user logs in to the device. However, if a user logs in more than once within a 15 minute period, only one scan result is uploaded. Note that a scan is not triggered when a device is unlocked, or when it wakes from sleep mode or hibernation.

The results of a triggered scan are typically uploaded within the next 15 minutes, assuming the device is online.

NOTE Triggered scans impact a device's hourly scan schedule. For example, if a triggered scan occurs 20 minutes prior to the next scheduled scan, the scheduled scan is reset to start 60 minutes after the triggered scan.

To see when a device's location was last scanned (and the results uploaded), add the Geolocation Tracking > Last data received column to the page or report.

NOTE If a device changes its location by less than 100 meters, the Last data received value is updated but no location change event is logged to the Events page.

Global Geolocation Tracking policy

By default, the Global Policy Group includes a Geolocation Tracking policy, which is set to Inactive. Although you can activate the policy in the Global Policy Group, best practice is to create custom policy groups and activate each policy group's Geolocation Tracking policy, as required.

Geolocation reporting

After you activate a Geolocation Tracking policy, the GEO component begins collecting location information for the devices associated with the applicable policy group. Within the next 24 hours, you can view the location of your active devices by doing the following:

Switch to map view in the Reports or Assets area
Add geolocation-related columns to reports or Asset pages
View the current location of a device in the summary area of its Device Details page
View recent movement of a device on its Location History page

Note that the location of offline devices won't be available until they come online and check in to the Absolute Monitoring Center.

Using rules to track the location of your devices

After you activate a Geolocation Tracking policy, use the Rules feature to help you monitor your devices' locations and keep the devices secure. Rules allow you to be notified if a device moves out of (or into) a geographical location, or an area defined by a geofence A boundary that defines the geographical area within which you allow (or disallow) your devices to reside..