SOVA System Requirements

SOVA System Requirements

System Requirements

LAST UPDATED: May 7, 2026

This page describes the minimum hardware, software, and network requirements for using the SOVA platform. Meeting these requirements ensures the best experience for administrators, security officers, and other Authorized Users. SOVA cannot guarantee full functionality or provide support for environments that do not meet these requirements.

Contents

Web Portal (Administrators and Desk Users)

The SOVA web portal is accessed at https://sovasystems.com/users/login. The following requirements apply to desktop and laptop computers used to access the portal.

Component Requirement
Supported browsers Current and immediately prior major release of: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge. All browsers must support TLS 1.2 or higher.
Cookies Cookies must be enabled. The portal uses session cookies, authentication convenience cookies, and workflow cookies to function properly (see the Services Privacy Policy for details).
JavaScript JavaScript must be enabled. The portal will not function with JavaScript disabled.
Screen resolution Minimum: 1280 × 720. Recommended: 1366 × 768 or higher. The portal is functional at lower resolutions but some layouts (dispatch maps, dashboards, multi-column reports) will require horizontal scrolling.
Operating system Any desktop or laptop operating system that runs a supported browser: Windows 10 or later, macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, ChromeOS (current channel), or a current Linux distribution with a supported browser.
Webcam Optional. Required only for features that capture photographs through the web portal (e.g., visitor badge photos at check-in). Not required for general portal use.

Internet Explorer is not supported. Microsoft retired Internet Explorer in June 2022. If you are using Internet Explorer, please switch to Microsoft Edge or another supported browser.

Mobile Application (Field Officers)

The SOVA mobile application is available for Android devices from the Google Play Store.

Component Requirement
Operating system Android 10 (API level 29) or later. Devices running older Android versions cannot install or run the SOVA mobile application.
Google Play Services Required. The application depends on Google Play Services for location, push notifications, and other platform features. Devices without Google Play Services (e.g., certain Huawei devices) are not supported.
GPS / Location services Required. The application uses real-time location for patrol verification, officer dispatch, and incident response. Location permissions must be set to “Allow all the time” (or “Always”) for the SOVA app. Location collection is active only while the user is logged in.
Camera Required. Used for incident photos, lost-and-found item photos, checkpoint barcode scanning, driver license barcode scanning (where enabled), and optional video capture.
Microphone Optional. Required only for voice note recording and speech-to-text transcription features. The app functions without microphone permission if these features are not used.
NFC Optional. NFC is one of three supported checkpoint detection methods. The app also supports barcode scanning (using the camera) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon scanning. NFC is not required for the app to function.
Bluetooth Optional. Required only for BLE beacon-based checkpoint scanning. Not required if your property uses NFC or barcode checkpoints.
Storage The SOVA app requires approximately 100 MB for installation. Additional storage is used for cached data, photos, and offline content. Recommend at least 1 GB of free storage on the device.
Screen size Minimum 5-inch display recommended. The app is functional on smaller screens but some workflows (incident reports, dispatch maps) are easier to use on larger displays.

iOS is not currently supported. The SOVA mobile application is available for Android only. Users with iOS devices can access the SOVA web portal through Safari on their device, subject to the web portal requirements above.

Guest-Facing Pages

Guests interact with the SOVA platform through public-facing web pages for lost-item inquiries and shipping payment. These pages are designed to work on a broad range of devices and browsers.

Component Requirement
Supported browsers Any modern browser supporting TLS 1.2 or higher, including mobile browsers (Chrome for Android, Safari for iOS, Samsung Internet). The shipping payment form uses Stripe’s hosted payment fields, which require JavaScript and cookies to be enabled.
Devices Desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The guest pages are responsive and designed for mobile-first use, since most guests will access them from a link received via email or SMS on their phone.

Network Requirements

Component Requirement
Internet connection Minimum 2 Mbps download / 1 Mbps upload for general use. Higher bandwidth is recommended if multiple users share the same connection or if the property uses features that transmit images, video, or live dispatch streams.
Mobile data The SOVA mobile app requires a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection for real-time features (location tracking, dispatch, notifications). Cellular coverage (4G LTE or better) is recommended for field officers. The app may have limited functionality in areas with poor or no connectivity.
TLS All connections to SOVA servers require TLS 1.2 or higher. Devices or network configurations that do not support TLS 1.2 cannot connect to the SOVA platform.
Firewall and proxy If your property’s network uses a firewall, web proxy, or content filter, ensure that traffic to *.sovasystems.com and *.sova.cc is permitted on ports 443 (HTTPS). The mobile app also requires access to Google Play Services endpoints for push notifications and location.

Permissions and Device Settings

The SOVA mobile app requires certain device permissions to function. The table below summarizes which permissions are required, which are optional, and what each permission is used for.

Permission Required? Used for
Location (Always) Required Patrol verification, officer dispatch, incident location tagging. Must be set to “Allow all the time” for continuous tracking during a logged-in shift.
Camera Required Incident photos, L&F item photos, barcode checkpoint scanning, driver license scanning, video capture.
Notifications Required Dispatch alerts, emergency notifications, shift reminders, system alerts. Disabling notifications may cause officers to miss critical alerts.
Microphone Optional Voice note recording, speech-to-text transcription for incident reports.
Bluetooth Optional BLE beacon-based checkpoint detection. Not needed if your property uses NFC or barcode checkpoints.
NFC Optional NFC-based checkpoint detection. Not needed if your property uses barcode or BLE checkpoints.
Storage Required Caching data, storing captured photos and video before upload.
Phone / Contacts Not used The SOVA app does not access your contacts or call history.

The following are not strict requirements but will improve your experience and security posture:

  • Device encryption. Protects data on the device if it is lost or stolen. Most modern Android devices have encryption enabled by default. See the Security Best Practices guide for details.
  • Mobile Device Management (MDM). Allows your organization to remotely manage, lock, and wipe SOVA devices. Especially recommended for properties with multiple field devices.
  • Two-factor authentication (2FA). Software-based 2FA via authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy) is supported and strongly recommended for all accounts, particularly administrator accounts.
  • Automatic updates. Enable automatic updates for the SOVA mobile app, your device’s operating system, and your web browser to ensure you receive security patches promptly.
  • Screen lock. Set a PIN, password, pattern, or biometric lock on every device that accesses the SOVA platform. An unlocked device left unattended is a security risk.

Unsupported Environments

The following environments are not supported and SOVA cannot provide technical support or guarantee functionality for them:

  • Internet Explorer (any version)
  • Android versions below Android 10 (API level 29)
  • Devices without Google Play Services (including most Huawei devices manufactured after May 2019 and custom ROMs without GMS)
  • Jailbroken or rooted devices
  • Browsers with TLS 1.2 disabled or unavailable
  • Network configurations that block HTTPS traffic to *.sovasystems.com or *.sova.cc
  • Virtual machines or emulators (for the mobile app; the web portal may work in emulated environments but is not tested or supported)

How to Contact Us

If you have questions about system requirements or need help determining whether your devices and network meet these requirements, please contact:

SOVA Systems LLC
Email: support@sovasystems.com
Support portal: support.sovasystems.com
Phone: +1 844-961-3690

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