Mason X-Ray Enables Script Automation and Customization as well as Simple Integration Into Existing Workflows Via Restful APIs to Easily Control Hardware Device Fleets and Support Large-scale Workflows.
Mason, innovator of the only fully managed infrastructure for developing and delivering dedicated smart devices, today announced the general availability of Mason X-Ray, the first fully integrated device management and observability platform for remote debugging and resolution of issues on IoT smart devices deployed in the field.
Unlike other solutions that require devices to be shipped to a central location for troubleshooting, Mason X-Ray empowers organizations to move quickly to resolve technical issues, with capabilities for advanced logging and remote screen control to diagnose and debug issues in real time. Included in Mason’s managed solution without the need to purchase add-ons or third-party plugins, Mason X-Ray delivers the speed and flexibility organizations require to scale their hardware device solutions quickly and globally without requiring a global support team.
“With a large fleet of connected devices, it can be extremely difficult to maintain visibility into each device. Companies who don’t have an observability solution, like X-Ray, built into their device management infrastructure often cannot quickly or efficiently resolve technical issues live in the field,” said Stefanie Kondik, director of software engineering, Mason.
“When an issue arises that cannot be addressed remotely due to lack of insight and control over the device, the hardware must be physically shipped back for diagnosis and resolution. This is a notoriously time-consuming and costly exercise given shipping and the need to stand up and pay for a local support team. It also prevents quick triage of critical issues, which can be hugely impactful if devices are being used for life saving use cases, such as monitoring epilepsy patients.”
Prior to the release of Mason X-Ray, organizations who needed screen sharing or advanced logging capabilities were required to use third-party tools in addition to their mobile device management (MDM) platforms. Mason X-Ray is designed to be integrated directly into a company’s existing workflows and applications via RESTful APIs, without requiring an extra desktop application. It can be used programmatically, enabling companies to automate and customize scripts to fit their unique service needs, easily control large numbers of devices and support large-scale workflows that were not previously feasible.
Mason X-Ray provides developers with full Android Debug Bridge (ADB)-like access via APIs, without requiring the use of an ADB client, custom ADB protocols, a physical USB touchpoint or the need to enable “developer options” on the device. Additionally, developers can script against these APIs without limits on the number of simultaneous commands—meaning teams can take screen captures and run logcat in concert. With Mason X-Ray, hardware device connections can be treated like all other elements or objects in a codebase.
Mason X-Ray Simplifies and Streamlines Remote Device Management
Designed to be user-friendly and flexible, Mason X-Ray empowers teams to quickly and remotely resolve technical issues with full insight, management and observability through the following features and benefits:
- Easily manage devices. X-Ray’s user-friendly interface is available directly in the Mason Platform, replacing the ADB command-line interface, enabling non-technical users to quickly and easily manage devices.
- Stream interactions via a stable infrastructure. X-Ray uses a single webRTC connection for streaming interactions, which results in fewer network infrastructure pieces that can potentially fail, making X-Ray connections significantly more reliable and stable than traditional connections.
- Debug and fix issues live in the field. With X-Ray’s extensive remote desktop functionality— including commands for logging, pushing and pulling files, installing apps, shell access and more—support teams can remotely view and control device screens to quickly debug and fix issues live in the field.
- Integrate custom protocols directly into existing workflows. With RESTful APIs, developers can easily script custom protocols, allowing customers to integrate X-Ray features into their own applications and providing development teams with flexibility to automate the feature in-line with their own workflows.