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Key Concepts and Terminology

Understanding Senturo's Core Terms and Features

Introduction

This article explains the key concepts and terminology used throughout Senturo. Understanding these terms will help you navigate the platform effectively and make the most of its geo-location tracking and compliance features.

Core Concepts

Geofencing

What it is: A geofence is a virtual boundary around a real-world geographic area. In Senturo, geofences trigger automated actions or alerts when devices enter or exit these defined zones.

Types of geofences in Senturo:

  • Circular: Radius-based boundaries around a central point
  • Jurisdiction: Pre-defined boundaries based on states or countries

Common uses:

  • Defining school campuses or office perimeters
  • Creating restricted zones
  • Setting up safe zones for devices

Geo-Compliance

What it is: Geo-compliance refers to ensuring devices remain within authorized geographic boundaries as defined by your organization's policies or regulatory requirements.

How Senturo helps:

  • Monitors device locations against defined geofences
  • Alerts administrators to compliance violations
  • Generates compliance reports for audits
  • Tracks historical compliance status

Device Check-In

What it is: A check-in occurs when a device reports its current status and location to Senturo. This includes GPS coordinates, online/offline status, and timestamp.

Key information:

  • Last check-in time: When the device last reported to Senturo
  • Check-in frequency: How often devices report their status
  • Offline devices: Devices that haven't checked in recently

Platform Components

MDM Integration

What it means: Senturo connects with your existing Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms to import device information and add location tracking capabilities.

Supported MDMs:

  • Microsoft Intune
  • Jamf Pro
  • Google Admin Console
  • Cisco Meraki

Important note: Senturo enhances your MDM with location features when integrated, but can also function as a standalone tracking solution.

Device Groups

What they are: Logical collections of devices organized by criteria such as location, department, device type, or user role.

Benefits:

  • Apply geofences to multiple devices at once
  • Organize devices for easier management
  • Create targeted automation rules
  • Generate group-specific reports

Device Location

What it shows: The reported GPS position of a device on the map, displayed as a pin or marker at the device's last known coordinates.

Key points:

  • Location updates when device checks in
  • Shows last known position when offline
  • Displayed on real-time map view

Automation and Alerts

Automation Rules

What they are: Predefined actions that trigger automatically based on device events, particularly location-based events.

Common triggers:

  • Device enters geofence
  • Device exits geofence
  • Device goes offline
  • Check-in missed

Possible actions:

  • Send email notifications
  • Create alerts in dashboard
  • Lock device
  • Send message to device

Alert Types

Geofence Alerts: Notifications when devices cross geofence boundaries

Compliance Alerts: Warnings when devices violate geo-compliance policies

Device Status Alerts: Notifications about device online/offline status changes

Custom Alerts: User-defined notifications based on specific criteria

Dashboard Elements

Real-Time Map

What it shows:

  • Current device locations
  • Geofence boundaries
  • Device movement trails
  • Location clusters

Device Status Indicators

Online: Device is connected and reporting location Offline: Device hasn't checked in within expected timeframe In Compliance: Device is within authorized geofences Violation: Device is outside authorized boundaries

Location History

What it tracks:

  • Historical device positions
  • Movement patterns over time
  • Geofence entry/exit times
  • Compliance history

Integration Concepts

Device Sync

What it means: The process of importing and updating device information from your connected MDM platforms into Senturo.

Sync frequency: How often Senturo updates device data from integrated systems

API Access

What it enables: Programmatic access to Senturo's features for custom integrations and automated workflows

Common uses:

  • Custom reporting
  • Third-party integrations
  • Automated data export

Security Terms

Remote Lock

What it does: Prevents unauthorized access to a device by locking its screen, requiring authentication to unlock

When it's used:

  • Device enters restricted area
  • Device reported lost or stolen
  • Security policy violation

Data Protection

In Senturo:

  • Encrypted location data transmission
  • Secure storage of device information
  • Role-based access controls
  • Audit logs for all actions

Conclusion

Understanding these key concepts and terms will help you effectively use Senturo's geo-location tracking and compliance features. As you explore the platform, these definitions will provide the foundation for configuring geofences, setting up automation rules, and maintaining device compliance.

FAQs

Q: What's the difference between a geofence and geo-compliance? A: A geofence is the virtual boundary you create, while geo-compliance is the state of devices adhering to the rules associated with those boundaries.

Q: How often do devices check in with Senturo? A: By default, devices check in every 10 minutes. However, when a device is marked as missing in Senturo, real-time tracking is activated with check-ins every 60 seconds for precise location updates.

Q: Can I use Senturo without an MDM? A: Yes, Senturo can be used without an MDM. While it integrates seamlessly with MDM platforms for enhanced functionality, you can also use Senturo as a standalone location tracking and geo-compliance solution.