Devices

Devices are the physical IoT hardware that connects to the ControlCom Connect platform, sending data and receiving commands. They form the foundation of your IoT ecosystem by providing real-time data from your physical environment.

What are Devices

In ControlCom Connect, a device represents any physical hardware that can connect to the platform, including:

Sensors: Equipment that measures environmental conditions, electrical parameters, or other physical properties
Controllers: Hardware that can control physical systems through actuators or relays
Gateways: Devices that aggregate data from multiple sensors and forward it to the platform
Edge Devices: Intelligent devices that perform local processing before sending data to the platform
Industrial Equipment: Machinery with built-in IoT capabilities or retrofitted with IoT sensors

Each device in ControlCom Connect has:

A unique identifier
A human-readable name
A set of variables that represent its data points
Optional location information
Health monitoring status

Device Management

ControlCom Connect provides comprehensive tools for managing your devices:

Adding Devices

To add a new device to your organization:

Navigate to the Devices section in the platform
Click "Add Device"
Enter a name and optional description for the device
Configure device-specific settings
Save the device to generate its unique identifier and credentials

Device Organization

Devices can be organized in several ways:

Location Assignment: Associate devices with physical locations
Asset Association: Link devices to the assets they monitor or control
Tagging: Apply custom tags for flexible grouping and filtering
Hierarchical Grouping: Create logical groups of devices for easier management

Device Lifecycle

ControlCom Connect supports the complete device lifecycle:

Provisioning: Initial setup and configuration
Operation: Normal functioning and data collection
Maintenance: Troubleshooting and updates
Decommissioning: Secure removal from the platform

Device Connectivity

Devices connect to ControlCom Connect using secure, reliable protocols:

Connection Methods

ControlCom Connect supports multiple connectivity options:

MQTT: Lightweight publish/subscribe protocol ideal for IoT
HTTPS: Standard web protocol for secure data transmission
WebSockets: Protocol for real-time, bidirectional communication
Node-RED: Visual programming tool for connecting devices (see our Node-RED Integration Guide)

Security

All device connections are secured using:

TLS/SSL Encryption: Ensures data privacy during transmission
Device Authentication: Verifies the identity of connecting devices
Access Control: Limits what operations devices can perform
Certificate Management: Handles device certificates for secure authentication

Connection Status

The platform monitors device connectivity in real-time:

Online/Offline Status: Current connection state of each device
Last Connected Time: When the device last communicated with the platform
Connection Quality: Metrics on connection reliability and latency
Data Transmission Rate: Volume of data being sent by the device

Device Variables

Devices communicate with the platform through variables:

Variable Types

ControlCom Connect supports several types of device variables:

Number: Numerical values like temperature, voltage, or pressure
String: Text values for status messages, serial numbers, etc.
Boolean: True/false values for states like on/off or open/closed

Variable Configuration

Each variable can be configured with:

Name: Human-readable identifier
Topic Path: MQTT topic or API path where the data is published
Data Type: The expected format of the data
Unit: Optional unit of measurement
Description: Human-readable explanation of the variable
Logging Settings: Configuration for historical data storage

Historical Data

ControlCom Connect can store historical data for device variables:

Time-Series Storage: Efficient storage of timestamped values
Data Retention: Configurable retention periods based on your needs
Data Resolution: Original resolution or aggregated data for longer periods
Data Export: Tools for exporting historical data for analysis

Device Commands

ControlCom Connect allows you to send commands to your devices:

Command Types

The platform supports different types of commands:

Number Commands: Send numerical values to devices
String Commands: Send text instructions to devices
Boolean Commands: Send true/false values to devices

Command Configuration

Each command can be configured with:

Name: Human-readable identifier
Topic Suffix: MQTT topic or API path where the command is published
Data Type: The format of the command data
Description: Human-readable explanation of the command

Command History

The platform maintains a history of commands sent to devices:

Command Log: Record of all commands sent
Timestamp: When the command was sent
User: Who initiated the command
Result: Success or failure of the command execution

Device Health Monitoring

ControlCom Connect includes robust health monitoring for devices:

Health Checks

The platform performs various health checks:

Connectivity Monitoring: Tracks if devices are online and communicating
Data Freshness: Ensures data is being received at expected intervals
Error Rate: Monitors for unusual error patterns
Resource Usage: Tracks device resource consumption when available

Alerting

When health issues are detected, the platform can:

Generate Alarms: Create alarm events for health issues
Send Notifications: Alert users via email, SMS, or other channels
Trigger Actions: Automatically execute predefined actions
Log Events: Record health events for later analysis

Diagnostics

For troubleshooting device issues, ControlCom Connect provides:

Diagnostic Logs: Detailed logs of device activity
Connection History: Record of connection and disconnection events
Data Validation: Verification of data format and quality
Remote Diagnostics: Tools for remotely diagnosing device problems