Gopher Buddy Setup: Configuration Settings

Caution: A domain super admin must perform the configuration outlined below.

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What You Will Learn in This Article

In this article, you’ll learn how to:

• Configure Admin console settings for Gopher for Chrome Premium - API access
• Configure the Gopher Buddy service
• Force install the Gopher Buddy extension
• Record session data
• Update URL blocklists

Admin Console Settings for Gopher Buddy

You need to add Gopher Buddy and Gopher for Chrome Premium to the trusted apps using the Manage App Access setting. This setting is in the Admin console App access control under Security > API controls.  

Session Data

Gopher for Chrome Premium utilizes the Admin console's data to report Chromebook metadata to the Administrator in a readable format. The Most Recent User metadata field updates in the Admin console for the Chromebook's Logout event.

The Logout event and the device setting tie together to erase local user data. As a result, with the setting configured to erase user data, the Most Recent user data is empty. The setting location, in the Admin console, is Devices > Chrome > Settings > Device Settings > Sign-in settings > User data. We recommend setting the User Data setting to Do not erase all local user data if administrators want a list of recently logged-in users.

Configure Gopher Buddy Admin User

Gopher App > Administration > Global Settings > Gopher Buddy Setup > Configuration Settings

1. Navigate to Configuration Settings.
2. Locate the following option: Select the admin user under whose authority you want the Gopher Buddy service to run. Select  Super admin or Delegated (role-based) administrator.
3. Select admin user's email from the available drop-down.
   
4. Click Save admin setting.

Gopher Buddy Notification Settings

Gopher App > Administration > Global Settings > Gopher Buddy Setup > Configuration Settings

Scroll down to the following section: Do you want to allow the Gopher Buddy Extension to notify users when Chrome OS updates are available section. Here, you indicate your preferences for the Gopher Buddy Chrome extension's behavior. 

• Do you want to allow the Gopher Buddy Extension to notify users when Chrome OS updates are available?

  • Defaults to Yes, allow. Leaving this feature enabled will produce the unhappy icon and Fix It button behavior described in this article, which is useful for nudging users to perform Chrome OS updates if their device hasn't auto-updated for any number of reasons. Toggling the setting to No, don't allow, will cause Gopher Buddy to stop displaying the Fix It button and the unhappy Gopher icon when Chrome devices fall behind the latest available Chrome OS version.
  • Display a Chrome notification when device is X or more major or minor versions behind.
  • This setting lets you control the threshold at which users receive a more urgent update message as a Chrome notification, which pops up temporarily in the lower right corner of the user's browser.
  • Check the checkbox, then use the up/down arrows to enter or select the number of major versions behind to notify.

• Restrict updates to one or more major Google Chrome versions of at most.

  • This setting lets you set reminders to manually match the limits enforced in the Chrome Device Settings admin panel. Reminders help ensure users are only notified of OS updates when their devices are behind the max defined major version for the domain.
    • Check the checkbox, then use the up/down arrows to enter or select the restriction updates to a major number of releases.

• And X number or more minor versions behind.

  • This setting lets you control the threshold at which users receive a more urgent update message as a Chrome notification, which pops up temporarily in the lower right corner of the user's browser.
  • Check the checkbox, then use the up/down arrows to enter or select the number of minor versions behind to notify.

• Restrict updates to one or more minor Google Chrome versions of at most.

  • This setting lets you set reminders to manually match the limits enforced in the Chrome Device Settings admin panel. Reminders help ensure users are only notified of OS updates when their devices are behind the max defined minor version for the domain.
  • Check the checkbox, then use the up/down arrows to enter or select the restriction updates to a minor number of releases.

• Send monthly reminders to check/update the max Gopher Buddy Chrome version to the following email addresses.

  • Click into the text field provided next to this setting.
  • Enter the full email address of the first administrator who should receive the reminder.
  • If you need to enter multiple email addresses, separate each address with a comma (,) and a single space (optional, but recommended for readability).

Configure Gopher Buddy Device Info Panel Access for Users, Basic or Full

Gopher App > Administration > Global Settings > Gopher Buddy Setup > Configuration Settings

Scroll down to the Do you want to allow users to access the device info panel from the Gopher Buddy extension section. If set to Yes, allow, this setting lets end-users in specific OUs access either BASIC or FULL device information.

1. When selecting orgs to allow basic and full access, click the expand arrows to reveal nested OUs.
2. Check the checkbox for an organization unit to add access.
3. Repeat for each organization unit necessary. The top box provides basic access, and the bottom box provides full access.
   
4. Click the Save configuration preferences box.

To achieve the maximum benefit of this feature, and depending on your school context, we usually recommend BASIC for students, with the possible exception of younger students, and FULL for staff.

See, Force Install the Gopher Buddy Extension to All Devices, for steps on rolling out the Gopher Buddy extension to your devices.