How to synchronize business contact data from Nextcloud with DAVx⁵ on Android devices

Are you looking for an alternative to Exchange for providing and synchronizing business contact data on Android devices? One option is the Managed DAVx⁵ app, which synchronizes contact data via the CardDAV protocol. With this app, contact data stored in a Nextcloud instance, for example, can be transferred to the native Contacts app on Android devices and continuously synchronized. This works for all management types (BYOD, COPE, COBO).

Aim

Implementation

Note! In our article How to make business contact data available on Android, we show you how to provide your users with contact data easily and in a privacy-compliant manner, without the need for additional software solutions.

Registering accounts with Nextcloud

• You need appropriate software to store and maintain your contact data. For our scenario, we use the Nextcloud solution as an example. However, you can also use comparable tools.
• Either register for a Nextcloud cloud solution or set up a Nextcloud server. The latter gives you better control over data and data protection. Detailed information on installation and configuration can be found on the Nextcloud help pages.
• You also need the Nextcloud contacts app for the server version. This is not activated by default. Install it as well. You can find the app in the Nextcloud App Store.

You need two Nextcloud accounts to provide your users with read-only contact data.

• Log in to account 1 Import your contact lists, e.g. via a .vcf file. To do this, click on Contacts settings→ Import contacts.
• All contacts are stored in account 1 and will be maintained in the future.
• Now share the contacts from account 1 with account 2, but only grant account 2 read permission!
• Account 2 will be shared with the users in a later step.

Note! If only one account is used, changes made to the contacts by one user are automatically synchronized for all other users. 

Copy base URL at Nextcloud

To configure the Managed DAVx⁵ app, you need your Nextcloud base URL. Next, you need to copy this to the clipboard as follows:

• Log in with account 2.
• Open the contacts settings (left arrow in illus.).
• Then click on the three-dot icon behind the address book to be shared (lower right arrow in illus.).
• Then click on Copy link (upper right arrow in illus.).

Deploy and configure App Managed DAVx⁵

• Now open the Cortado MDM administration portal and select Administration→ Apps.
• Add the Managed DAVx⁵ for Enterprise app in the administration portal, as described in our help article Add Android apps from the Google Play Store beschrieben.

• Then select the app in the left-hand column and create a managed configuration (arrow in illus.).

• Proceed as described in our help article Creating Managed Configurations for Android apps.
• Assign a configuration name and enter your license data (arrow in illus.). Use of the app is subject to a charge and only possible with a license.

• Under Base URL for CalDAV/CardDAV, enter the URL of your Nextcloud instance (example in the image). You copied this to the clipboard in the last step.

• Also enter the user name and password of account 2 (example in the illus.).

• Save the managed configuration and then assign it to the desired users/groups/devices.

• Then also assign the Managed DAVx⁵ app to the desired users/groups/devices, as described in our help article Assign Android apps to the users/groups.

Contacts on the Android device

You can now find the Managed DAVx⁵ app on your Android devices (left image). The contacts that are synchronized via Managed DAVx⁵ are now in the native Contacts app on the Android device and not just in the Managed DAVx⁵ app. Managed DAVx⁵ acts as an interface that synchronizes the contacts from the Nextcloud instance via CardDAV protocol and then integrates them into the Android system.