Dashboard Downtime: Why Digital Signage Companies Must Adapt to Survive

Digital signage solutions must evolve with dashboard tool updates or face failure. Skykit’s device + firmware management adapts for these changing needs.
The Impact of Browser Updates on Digital Signage Dashboards

Recent news highlighted an issue where Microsoft Power BI pushed out an update that broke support for older browser versions – causing the digital signage dashboards driven by Power BI to stop working on networked screens. This incident underscores a significant challenge faced by digital signage solutions that rely on consumer-grade hardware or devices with firmware controlled by the manufacturer.

Many digital signage players and infrastructure components are based on devices like Google Chromeboxes, Amazon Fire Sticks, or other standard factory firmware. While some can be cost-effective, these devices have firmware and software controlled by the manufacturer.

When dashboard providers like Power BI, Tableau, Salesforce, or SharePoint release updates that require newer browser versions, the digital signage solutions running on these types of devices can suddenly stop working. The root issue is the inability to update the browser version on these devices when needed.

Suppose the device is running an older browser version that is no longer supported by the dashboard provider’s update. In that case, the dashboards will break – and become unrenderable until the manufacturer releases a firmware update with a newer browser version. This lack of control over the firmware environment leaves some digital signage solutions at the mercy of the hardware manufacturers, potentially causing prolonged downtime for business-critical dashboards.

Digital Signage Dashboards: Adapting for Survival in the Era of Real-Time Analytics

Off-The-Shelf Hardware and Digital Signage Challenges

A significant challenge in the digital signage industry arises from the widespread use of off-the-shelf devices for rendering dashboards and other digital content. Lack of control is a critical issue, but another challenge is the presence of unnecessary applications and software components pre-installed by manufacturers. 

While perhaps useful for consumer purposes, these additional applications can introduce security risks and performance issues in a digital signage environment. Some of these applications may communicate with external servers, or include third-party libraries with unknown or potentially malicious code – posing a threat to the security and integrity of the digital signage network.

Skykit’s Approach: Controlled Environment and Custom Firmware

At Skykit, we address the challenges posed by browser updates and off-the-shelf hardware by taking control of the entire environment – including the firmware and hardware. This approach allows us to update browser versions whenever necessary, ensuring that our customers’ data dashboards remain operational and unaffected by compatibility issues.

Furthermore, we strip out unnecessary applications that could pose security risks or introduce unwanted functionality. By building our own custom firmware, we can create a purpose-built system tailored to our needs, eliminating any non-essential applications that could potentially communicate with unknown servers or introduce vulnerabilities.

Skykit’s firmware also enables us to lock devices into a system-level kiosk mode, preventing users from installing any unauthorized applications. Kiosk mode ensures that the device runs only the specific application designed to render your content – whether it’s images, videos, or dashboards. Users cannot inadvertently or intentionally exit this application, providing a secure and controlled environment for displaying your data.

Dashboard Downtime: Why Digital Signage Companies Must Adapt to Survive: Control Managed Apps 1 1

With Skykit’s Device Management capabilities, you can control which application runs at any given time, while still maintaining the media player’s advanced permissions and security.

By default, only Skykit’s main player app is allowed to run in system-level kiosk mode, ensuring that your content is rendered correctly without any interference from unauthorized applications. That also means access to system settings like volume control, or enabling peripherals by default is not allowed. Granular configuration for these type of settings, however, can be easily managed (by authorized individuals) across an entire network of displays.

Security Risks of Uncontrolled Firmware and Applications

One of the significant risks associated with devices where the firmware and applications are not controlled is the potential for malicious code or unauthorized communication. When devices come pre-installed with various applications from the manufacturer, there is no way to know what those applications are doing or where they are communicating.

For example, Skykit encountered a situation working with a partner where a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) device was reaching out to a server in China for time updates. This raised serious security concerns, as the traffic was unexplained and potentially malicious. It goes back to having the ability to control the environment and the firmware on the device. In this case, the SoC device manufacturer had control – so the customer had no way to shield themselves.

Similarly, if employees have the ability to install any application on a device, there is a risk of introducing malware or other malicious code. These applications could potentially communicate with untrusted servers, exposing sensitive data or compromising the device’s security.

By stripping out unnecessary applications and locking devices into system-level kiosk mode, Skykit eliminates these potential security risks. Only essential applications required for rendering content and operating the system are included, minimizing the attack surface and ensuring a secure environment for displaying business-critical information.

Real-Time Dashboard Rendering: Skykit’s Approach

Now let’s get back to Power BI, and other popular data dashboards. Many digital signage solutions rely on rendering dashboards in the cloud. This approach involves authenticating with the dashboard provider in the cloud, rendering the dashboard virtually, and capturing a screenshot. The screenshot is then sent to the media player for display.

At Skykit, we take a different approach to rendering dashboards. We render them in real-time, directly on the device itself, on the customer’s network – usually behind a firewall. This approach is driven by our customers’ requirements, who need real-time updates and feedback from their dashboards.

Dashboard Downtime: Why Digital Signage Companies Must Adapt to Survive: Corporate Scene 40

Consider a Skykit customer using Genesys call center software to display the status of their call queue. In this scenario, real-time updates are crucial. If the dashboard only displayed static screenshots, it would fail to reflect the dynamic nature of the call queue, where calls can be dropped or hung up at any moment.

By rendering the dashboard in real-time on the device, we ensure that the information displayed is always up-to-date, providing the customer with the accurate, real-time feedback they need.

Moreover, some dashboards incorporate movement or real-time events that cannot be effectively depicted through static screenshots. Real-time rendering on the device captures these dynamic elements, ensuring that the dashboard accurately represents the data.

Beyond the functional benefits, our approach also addresses security and data privacy concerns. By rendering the dashboard on the device, usually behind the customer’s firewall, we eliminate the potential risks associated with rendering in the cloud or storing dashboard screenshots. With cloud-based rendering, there are uncertainties around the authentication process, data storage, and the potential for data leaks or interception. By keeping the rendering process within the customer’s network, we provide a secure environment where the customer maintains control over their sensitive business data.

Furthermore, our real-time rendering approach eliminates the need to create and store dashboard artifacts, such as screenshots, which could fall into the wrong hands and compromise sensitive information. With Skykit’s solution, the dashboard is rendered in real-time, directly on the device, minimizing the risk of data exposure.

Dashboard Downtime: Why Digital Signage Companies Must Adapt to Survive: Control Device Lockmode 1 2

And as stated before, Skykit’s devices are designed to operate in a locked-down, system-level kiosk mode, preventing the installation of unauthorized applications and limiting access to essential functions only.

This hardened environment, combined with encryption and authentication measures, creates a secure enclave for rendering sensitive dashboard data without the risk of credential theft or data exfiltration.

By prioritizing real-time rendering and on-device authentication, Skykit’s approach addresses security and data privacy concerns head-on, providing customers with a higher level of confidence in the integrity and confidentiality of their business-critical dashboard data.

Adapting to Evolving Dashboard Providers and Technologies

The landscape of dashboard providers and data visualization tools is continuously evolving. Digital signage companies’ ability to adapt and respond to these changes sets them apart in their dashboard solutions. Those who can respond swiftly and provide high uptime for business-critical dashboards and data will be successful in this space.

The need for adaptability is exemplified by the browser version issue, where a dashboard provider like Power BI can change their support for specific browser versions, rendering dashboards unusable on certain devices. However, this is just one example. Tomorrow, Power BI or another provider could change their login flow – or introduce other updates that require adaptation.

At Skykit, we recognize the importance of being flexible and adaptive to such situations. We are focused on continuously monitoring the evolving landscape of dashboard providers and data visualization tools. Our infrastructure and tooling are designed to ensure that our customers’ dashboards are always up and running as close to real-time as possible.

We are adamant about maintaining high uptime for our customers’ business-critical data and are committed to continuously evolving our dashboard solution to meet their needs. As dashboard providers and technologies evolve, Skykit will adapt and respond with forward-thinking strategies, ensuring our customers can rely on a seamless and uninterrupted experience.

In Summary: The Future of Dashboard Solutions in Digital Signage

The demand for real-time data visualization and dashboard solutions is on the rise. As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven insights to make informed decisions, the ability to display and interact with critical information in real time becomes paramount.

The future of dashboard solutions in digital signage will be shaped by three key factors: 

  1. Adaptability
  2. Security
  3. Real-time data presentation

Adaptability

Will be crucial as dashboard providers and data visualization tools continue to evolve. Digital signage solutions that can seamlessly adapt to changes in dashboard platforms, authentication flows, and data formats will have a significant advantage.

Companies that invest in flexible infrastructure and tooling to continuously monitor and respond to these changes will be better positioned to provide uninterrupted access to business-critical dashboards.

Security

Will remain a top priority as businesses grapple with the risks associated with data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Digital signage solutions that prioritize secure authentication, data encryption, and controlled environments will gain the trust of security-conscious organizations.

By rendering dashboards in real-time on secure devices within the customer’s network, companies can mitigate the risks associated with cloud-based solutions and ensure data remains within the organization’s control.

Real-Time Data Presentation

Will become increasingly important as businesses demand up-to-the-minute insights and dynamic visualizations. Digital signage solutions that can render dashboards in real-time, enabling live updates and interactive experiences, will be better equipped to meet the evolving needs of modern organizations.

This approach not only provides a more engaging and informative experience but also eliminates the limitations and potential security risks associated with static screenshots or cloud-based rendering. As the digital signage industry continues to evolve, companies that prioritize adaptability, security, and real-time data presentation will be well-positioned to deliver cutting-edge dashboard solutions that meet the demands of data-driven businesses and empower organizations with the insights they need to succeed.

Contact our team today to learn more about implementing secure, real-time dashboard displays in your organization.

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