To serve the needs of system integrators and engineers developing applications for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Moxa has launched the IIoT Gateway Starter Kit, which includes built-in support for Amazon Web Services (AWS). This data-acquisition-ready kit provides a reliable ready-to-use platform that simplifies development of IIoT solutions by providing all the essentials needed to get data from edge devices to cloud services, and with little to no programming required. This results in faster development, integration, and time to market, giving system integrators the boost they need.
The Software: ThingsPro Gateway
The first main component of the starter kit is ThingsPro Gateway, a ready-to-run data-acquisition software platform that simplifies the complex task of transferring edge data to the cloud.
To simplify getting your data, ThingsPro Gateway provides a Modbus framework to easily connect with Modbus RTU/TCP devices and SCADA systems. It also includes extensive network support for 4G connectivity, wireless failover, firewalls, and VPN to ensure that your data can be securely retrieved from remote field sites.
To get your data into the cloud, it has built-in client support for services such as AWS IoT and Cirrus Link Sparkplug. By integrating the AWS IoT Device SDK, ThingsPro Gateway lets you set up tags and devices on AWS IoT. You can then transfer field data to various AWS cloud services—such as Amazon Kinesis, AWS Lambda, and Amazon S3—to collect, process, and store data. The starter kit also supports running AWS Greengrass to perform computing, messaging, data caching, and sync functions locally.
Furthermore, with the built-in Cirrus Link Sparkplug SDK, you can easily connect your IIoT Gateway to the Inductive Automation Ignition Platform or another MQTT server.
“The value of IIoT gateways is in connecting edge devices and taking the necessary data to the cloud,” stated Johnny Fang, a product manager in Moxa’s Embedded Computing Division. “To enable faster integration between things in the field and services on the cloud and to help users to get their solutions to market sooner, we’re actively working to add support for more and more cloud services such as Microsoft Azure, Google IoT Core, and Schneider Wonderware in the coming releases.”
Finally, for those who need more customized solutions, ThingsPro Gateway includes C and Python APIs to accelerate your application development and create a tailored solution that meets your specific needs.
The Hardware: The UC-8112 Edge Computer
The other main component is the UC-8112 Edge Computer – an industrial-grade ready-to-deploy communication-centric computing platform that packs a 1 GHz ARM processor, 512 MB RAM, two LAN ports, and two serial ports, all in a compact, palm-sized rugged box. It provides a flexible platform suitable for a wide variety of applications, and is available in a wide temperature model that can operate in harsh environments from to -40 to 75°C. It also has a wide range of wireless accessories available to add LTE or Wi-Fi connectivity if needed. For those who are already developing a proof of concept with a Raspberry Pi, they can easily migrate their applications to the UC-8112 to transform their IIoT ideas from being prototypes to becoming rugged solutions suitable for industrial application and mass production.
Bringing It All Together: The IIoT Gateway Starter Kit
By putting together the UC-8112 Edge Computer hardware and ThingsPro Gateway software, the IIoT Gateway Starter Kit presents a flexible, rugged, and powerful platform. It is ideal for remote monitoring, data acquisition, and data processing applications for a variety of IIoT applications, including solar energy, wind power, electric vehicle charging stations, water and wastewater monitoring, and smart manufacturing.
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