Apps for Android that every SRE should try

Hello there. I’m being having a rough week, I don’t want to convert this in a personal blog, but I just find a little time to make this post. So I think I could show you some of my apps there are on my phone.

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Samsung Features: Dex and Bixby Routines

I have a Samsung S20 FE, I choose it mainly because it comes with Samsung Dex. Samsung Dex is a feature included on some high-end Samsung handheld devices that enables users to extend their device into a desktop-like experience by connecting a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. The name “Dex” is a contraction of “Desktop eXperience”.

I use Dex for “programming online”, I mean I can access via VPN to a web browser that contains Visual Studio Code with some project. Deploying a VSC server with Docker it’s very easy, we just need to set up our docker compose and, if you don’t want it open to internet, a VPN (WireGuard tutorial). So copy the next to your compose:

version: '3.7'

services:

code-server:
    image: ghcr.io/linuxserver/code-server
    container_name: code-server
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/Argentina/Mendoza
      - PASSWORD=matiasmercado.ar
    ports:
      - 8443:8443
    volumes:
      - /path/to/config:/config
      - /path/to/volumen:/media:ro

Now you can open your browser on 8443 and should ask for the password, after that and after installing the classical plugins for your language, you can start coding:

Bixby Routines (from Samsung website) is a feature bolstered by machine learning to adapt to your life, suggesting ways to make your phone time more streamlined. The automated actions are triggered by context clues: location, time, or event. When your Galaxy connects to the Bluetooth in your car, Bixby Routines can do a variety of apps and settings—like pulling up the Maps app, opening your music app, and keeping your phone unlocked for easy access—to add convenience to your drive. Or if you fall asleep without putting your phone on the charger at night, it will shut down unnecessary functions to save on battery life. You also have the option to create a custom routine that meets your individual needs with My Routine.

This is how routines start. You make a simple conditional “if/else”:

I make a routine, when I turn off my WiFi I want to start using mobile data with my WireGuard VPN. In that way I can control my connection to be safe and ads-free.

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JuiceSSH + Performance Manager

JuiceSSH it’s a ssh client app to connect from Android. It’s realy easy to use and have a lot of plugins, one of them is Performance Manager.

We can create a new conection with details and save it on the app

The terminal looks greats and perform like a classic one

Performance Manager is a plugin that allow us to check a clear load balancer. We can check CPU usage, free RAM, load average, network consumption and disk usage.

[appbox googleplay com.sonelli.juicessh]

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Ning

Ning is an easy-to-use app to check the ARP directory on your phone. So It’s going to tell you the IP+MAC of the devices of your network:

[appbox googleplay com.zuccaro.ning]

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Wi-Fi Analyzer

Optimize your WiFi network using WiFi Analyzer by examining surrounding WiFi networks, measuring their signal strength as well as identifying crowded channels. Another useful tool if you are working with networks.

[appbox googleplay com.vrem.wifianalyzer]

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WireGuard

The popular VPN, on Android. I really like the feature of scanning the QR code that allow you to quickly add a new peer. To open the QR code you need to remember the post of WireGuard, we need to check WireGuard log.

[appbox googleplay com.wireguard.android]

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MySQL Manager

MySQL Manager is a simply but clear app to add your servers and manage db from the phone. Doesn’t have all the features of a complete PC version, but you can check, update and delete without any problem:

[appbox googleplay com.thepandaapps.mysqlmanager]

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RD Client

This is a Microsoft app that allow us to remote control a Windows PC. Runs very well and save me a few time when I was travel on the bus. Of course, we first need to allow remote connection from the Windows PC. After that, we only need to add the IP and user+pass.

[appbox googleplay com.microsoft.rdc.androidx]

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Termux

I have mixed feeling with this app. It’s a terminal emulator where you can make some crazy things. Like download a full Ubuntu and work inside them. It work fine without rooting your phone, but release it fully potential when you are rooted.

[appbox fdroid com.termux]

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There are some apps that make my work day easier, what apps do you use/recommend?