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Understanding Policy Resolution and Enforcement in Hexnode UEM

In Hexnode UEM, a device can be associated with multiple policies at the same time. These policies may be assigned through users,user groups, device groups, domains, organisation units or direct device assignment. When more than one policy configures the same setting, only one final configuration is actually enforced on the device. This final enforced configuration is referred to as the effective policy.

Understanding effective policy behaviour helps administrators:

verify that devices comply with organizational standards
troubleshoot configuration conflicts
analyze rollout impact
ensure consistent enforcement across the device fleet

This guide explains how Hexnode determines the effective policy, where administrators can view enforced settings, and how to analyze policy behaviour at scale.

1. How Hexnode Resolves Conflicting Policy Settings

When multiple policies define the same configuration for a single device, Hexnode applies the Principle of Maximum Restriction. This means that the most restrictive or secure configuration becomes effective — especially for security and compliance-related settings.

Examples

Device Restrictions
If one policy allows the camera and another disables it, the camera is disabled.
Password Requirements
If one policy requires a 4-digit PIN and another requires a complex 8-character password, the complex password requirement becomes effective.
Wi-Fi / VPN and other payloads
Multiple configurations may be delivered to the same device. In such cases, the device OS determines which profile is active based on available connections and which is authorized to connect to.

Important

The “most restrictive wins” rule applies at the Hexnode UEM level for overlapping policy settings. Actual device-side enforcement always depends on whether the policy successfully installs and whether the OS supports and honors that configuration.

Key factors influencing the final outcome include:

the policy settings configured
whether the profile installs successfully
OS support and enforcement behaviour
device ownership and platform policies

2. Viewing the Effective Policy on a Device

The Device Details page in Hexnode provides the clearest view of what is currently enforced on an endpoint.

Steps to check enforcement

Go to Manage → Devices.
Select the required device
Then review the following sections.

Policies sub-tab

This tab lists all policies associated with the device along with their status:
- Applied — successfully installed on the device
- Pending — queued or awaiting completion
- Failed — the policy did not install successfully
Only Applied policies contribute to the enforced outcome.

This view helps confirm:
- whether a policy actually reached the device
- whether any conflicts prevented installation
- whether the policy needs to be re-pushed or reviewed
Actions History

This section displays a chronological list of commands executed on the device such as:
- policy deployment
- profile installation
- sync actions
- retry attempts
It is particularly useful when troubleshooting why a policy has not taken effect, because it shows delivery and execution results reported back from the device or OS.

Device Summary / Security tab

These sections show real-time device-reported state, which includes data such as:
- encryption status
- passcode compliance
- OS version
- jailbreak / root detection
- policy compliance indicators
This represents the true effective configuration, because it reflects what the device is actually enforcing — not just what was pushed from the console.

3. Analyzing Effective Policy Behavior Across Multiple Devices

For larger deployments, checking one device at a time is not practical. Hexnode provides reporting tools to evaluate policy assignment, enforcement, and compliance across your fleet.

Key reporting options include:

Go to More > Reports > Built-in Reports > Policies.
This report lists every device associated with a selected policy.

It is useful for:

confirming rollout coverage
identifying devices included or excluded from policy scope
validating targeting logic

Compliance Reports

Go to More > Reports > Built-in Reports > Compliance.
This report highlights devices that do not currently meet required security or compliance standards.

Common causes include:

users not completing required actions
unsupported OS versions
restrictions blocked at OS level
failed profile installation

This report helps detect where the effective policy outcome does not match the intended configuration.

Policy Summary Views

From the Policies tab, administrators can review what a policy enforces—before or after deployment—simply by clicking on the intended policy. This helps identify overlapping or conflicting settings early, especially when multiple policies cover similar controls.

4. Testing and Validating Policy Impact (Pilot Deployment Approach)

Hexnode does not provide a built-in Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP) simulator. Therefore, the safest way to introduce new or modified policies is through pilot deployment.

Recommended approach

Create a static pilot device group (for example, IT-Pilot).

Assign new or modified policies to this group only.

Monitor:

Policies tab for enforcement status
Actions History for delivery feedback
Security & Compliance views for device-reported state
Confirm expected behavior.
Gradually expand deployment.

This method reduces unexpected disruptions and allows admins to validate effective outcomes before broad rollout.

5. Best Practices for Managing Policies in Hexnode

To maintain predictable and stable policy enforcement:

Keep policies modular and purpose-driven
Avoid assigning the same payload through multiple policies unnecessarily
Use consistent naming conventions
Maintain a structured pilot workflow
Periodically review assigned policy mappings

This reduces troubleshooting overhead and helps ensure consistent outcomes.

Conclusion

Effective policy analysis in Hexnode UEM is the process of determining the real configuration enforced on a device when multiple policies apply. Administrators should rely on: