Hello there! Here at Prey we believe an easy experience for our users is key, especially for enterprises looking for solid device management and security. And now, we’re making it even easier.
If you’re looking to try Prey for your organization, you can activate a 14-day trial automatically right now, just by going here. From the moment you activate your trial, you will have access to the complete Enterprise experience available.
We’re excited to see how our platform can solve critical needs of your fleet, and protect valuable assets of your organization. So let’s dig in on what are the first steps you should take on your Prey trial.
Adding devices to your account
Devices come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and quantities. From a couple of office laptops for remote work, to hundreds of tablets loaned by schools to alumni, the first issue is always management.
To keep all these devices in order without losing track of them, you need to unify them on a single platform quickly. The easiest way to do this is an unattended install that will add every device to your trial account. An alternative solution is distributing Prey using any previously installed MDM solution, such as Jamf.
Prey provides unattended installers for all supported operating systems and devices. These how-to guides can orient you on the process of installation:
Organizing and managing your devices
Devices are key to your Prey account: they get loaned and assigned to people in your organization. To manage your inventory efficiently, we have several tools that may help you.
The device view
The device view has a powerful kit designed for deep organization and management. In here you may manage every device running the Prey client and linked to your account. The top three buttons under the search bar allow you to switch between views: a detailed grid, a slim list, and the map view.
The device list can be arranged as you see fit using the various labels attached by default, such as online/offline status, the OS they’re using, the Prey’s client version, last seen date, and number of reports.
Personalized labels and filters
You can also create personalized labels to categorize your devices even better. For example, a group of laptops loaned to remote employees can be assigned to the “Remote Workers” label for easy access. That label can be filtered even more on the device view using the aforementioned labels to deepen the complexity of your inventory.
Assigning equipment and managing loans
There is a special label on the device view, called “contact”. Using the Device Loan Manager, you can assign a device to a certain employee and institution to keep a record of what goes where.
Also if you’re trying to implement a “device checkout” program of some sort, or limit the ability to use these devices past a certain date, the Device Loan Manager feature can be used to loan them temporarily. And if you need them secured when the day is overdue, you can lock them to ensure their timely return.
Learn more about the Device Loan Manager here.
Getting the most out of your trial
Using Prey isn’t just labels and arranging devices. A fully organized inventory is very helpful, but you may not unlock the full potential of your trial from day one just by adding devices to your account.
Control Zones for Reactive Security
Keeping a watchful eye over every single device isn’t very efficient. Not every IT Manager is an octopus or a fly –and if you are, lucky you– to manage every situation on the spot. The key is to be reactive, and Prey has a tool that can work reactively for you, and be your hands and eyes: Control Zones.
Control Zones are radar-like geofencing areas that can be defined on a map to delimit an area where one or more devices belong. If a co-worker’s laptop or a student’s tablet exits or enters that area, you can assign a trigger such as a message alert to warn the user, or an email to notify the admin. Other actions such as locking that device or marking it as missing can also be triggered.
Learn more about Control Zones here.
Automations for repeated actions
The Automations tab is the robot you didn’t know you needed –and you will end up loving it. Here you can set up triggers for Prey’s actions, such as a device lock or an alarm, in reaction to specific events.
Also, you may schedule automations to streamline tasks you do on a daily basis and trigger recurrent actions. A good example is a curfew lock: devices from students that get locked at the end of the day and unlock the next morning.
There are several events that can trigger automations: a specific date and time, a hardware modification, a lower battery level, and when a device starts/stops charging.
You can access a full list of automations, actions, and triggers here.
If a trial is not for you
Not every manager has time for a two-week trial. We know. If trying our product isn’t your cup of tea –or you need time for an actual cup of tea– we offer several alternatives for you to know if Prey is right for you.
For example, you may request a quote to adapt Prey’s offers to any special needs in your organization. You may also evaluate our features in device management or security, besides talking to our sales representatives to make an informed decision.
We hope you enjoy Prey and its features as much as we love developing them. If you do sign up for a trial period, enjoy it! And if you still haven’t, what are you waiting for?
Norman Gutiérrez is our Security Researcher at Prey, one of the leading companies in the security and mobility industry, with more than 8 million users worldwide. In addition to this, Norm is Prey's Content and Communication Specialist, and our Infosec ambassador. Norm has worked for several tech media outlets such as FayerWayer and Publimetro, among others. In his free time, Norman enjoys videogames, cool gadgets, music, and fun board games.