Device identity

Starting with Impero Connect version 12.65, several improvements have been made to uniquely identify a device in the Impero Connect Portal, avoiding duplicate entries of the same device. As a result, if the same enrollment key is used when defining the Impero Portal profile, the device will have the same identity in the Portal even after it is reinstalled or updated.

However, there are some aspects to be considered when using the new method of enrolling devices in the Connect Portal based on enrollment key:

Enrolling the same device with multiple enrollment keys

A device (Host) is registered in the Portal based on its given enrollment key. You can enroll multiple devices using the same enrollment key, and each Host will have its own identity.

Use case: If you enroll a device using an enrollment key, and then change the enrollment key on the Impero Portal profile or add a new Impero Portal profile with a different enrollment key, the device will have two different entries in the Connect Portal (it will be registered as two separate devices, one for each enrollment key).

Recommended: Once you've enrolled a device in the Connect Portal using an enrollment key, do not change the enrollment key; otherwise, you will have duplicate entries for the same device in the Connect Portal.

Cloning a device installation

Use case: Cloning a device (Host) installation (by cloning a virtual machine, or by creating an installation image that also contains the installed Host) might generate some conflicts. The first device that is started after the cloning will use the initial device identity in the Connect Portal. Any subsequent clone that is started with the same enrollment key while the first one is running will cause an identity conflict in the Portal, and will be given a new identity. This means that a new device identity will be created in the Portal.

Recommended: Do not clone virtual machines, and if you are using an OS image for installing machines, to not include the Host in the image. You can install the device subsequently using an MSI and MST installation (e.g. via GPO), or using the deployment package (EXE) generated in the Connect Portal.

Device changing identity

Use case: When a device generates a conflict on a Netop Portal profile and changes its identity, this will impact all Impero  Portal profiles defined on that device – it will receive a new identity for every other Impero Portal profile (enrollment key).

Recommended: Use only one Impero Portal profile per device (one enrollment key). Normally there should be no need to enroll a Host with more than one enrollment key, since the enrollment key is only for registering a device in the Connect Portal. However, if you decide to revoke an enrollment key and use a different enrollment key to re-register the devices, they will appear as new devices in the Connect Portal.