Chromebook Sync Delay

[SomeITBloke]

One for the Chromebook experts (@CHR1S) I have been rolling out class sets of Chromebooks and everything is going well apart from one issue. The issue is that once the user has logged onto the Chromebook it takes approximately 2 minutes for App icons, pinned icons etc. to appear.

 

As the devices are shared I have User Caching turned off within the admin panel. If I turn this on, the first time a user logs on it takes 2 minutes for everything to sync and then on subsequent logins icons appear in an instant. If this user then logs onto another device, they again have to wait 2 minutes etc.

 

I have tried a device on an unfiltered connection, same issue so I know the filter isn't the cause.

 

Does anyone else experience these delays?

 

Thanks in advance.

[FN-GM]

It will be just one of the apps causing this delay. We noticed a delay when we fore installed a particular app. When we stopped pushing it out the delay stopped.

 

Do you have any custom apps?

[SomeITBloke]

Most are just google ones, will take a look at the others.

[FN-GM]

Might be a bit of trial an error. I was lucky I spotted it right away and knew what I had done.

[SomeITBloke]

Going to create a new OU with no forced installs and see what happens for a test user.

[FN-GM]

I don't think it is that problem actually. Its happening on a school I deal with and they use the same apps as another that doesn't have the problem.

[SomeITBloke]

Glad it's not just me then. Have a case open with Google support, but after sending them logs from a Chromebook they can't see any issues. At a bit of a loss at the moment.

[FN-GM]

Do you have a case reference number please? I could open a case myself and maybe they can see its not just you and not just me?

[SomeITBloke]

Well have tried to carry out some more testing this morning. I have unpacked 3 brand new units and all are fully up to date.

 

Unit 1 is a managed device with a GAFE user logging on. Time to apps & extensions being available +3 minutes

Unit 2 is a non-managed device with a GAFE user logging on. Time to apps & extensions being available +3 minutes

Unit 3 is a non-managed device with a standard @google.com user logging on. Time to apps & extensions being available 30 seconds!

 

So it seems that the issue is at the user level rather than the device level. Somehow need to log what's going on in those 1st 3 minutes!

[SomeITBloke]

Just an update. Google support are continuing to look into this. They have requested a number of Chromebook logs so waiting to see what they come up with.

 

In the meantime it crossed my mind today that our internet provider requires us to have a SSL cert installed on devices for filtering google searches etc. I disabled this cert on a test OU and then when i logged onto a Chromebook as a user in this OU everything synced as expected. Re-enable the cert, back to the delay. You get the idea.

[SomeITBloke]

Well it does look like the BB filter is the culprit. MITM SSL is breaking things. The solution, disable MITM SSL for the Chromebooks and rely on enforced Google Safe Search and block HTTPS for non trusted sites.