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Seamless Azure Cloud Integration at the Edge

Jos Zenner

Published on 22 Sep, 2020

Seamless Azure Cloud Integration at the Edge

Edge Computing has become a crucial technology for developing and deploying IoT solutions. It equips organizations with a fast data processing directly at the machine, reduces latencies and provides reliability when the internet connection is not guaranteed. Furthermore companies can integrate cloud-services into their IoT concepts and make use of decentral provided resources (e.g. data storage or Big Data analytics). This leads to benefits like more business agility, cost reductions or faster global deployments. A cloud-infrastructure also provides access to additional technologies and so drives innovation. But what’s the best way for a fast and trouble-free cloud integration? Choosing the right gateway for cloud integration is a crucial point to be considered early in the PoC phase.

Fully integrated with Azure IoT Hub

In modern IoT scenarios the right communication protocol is key. Users need reliability, low latency or some additional security features, depending on the specific application and use case. With Welotec Edge Gateway users have the flexibility to choose the right protocol based on their requirement and so realize a bi-directional data communication. The Azure cloud offers the possibility to work with Digital Twins. A service enabling organizations to create solutions based on digital models of environments (e. g. networks or factories). This includes e.g. a robust data processing, a live execution environment, Logic Apps or Synapse Analytics. Through a seamless cloud integration our customers can improve analytics, gather important insights and bring scalable digital twins to life and create busines value. If needed users can also invoke Azure direct methods directly on our Welotec Edge Gateway. For interactive scenarios when the device must act if and only if the device is online and receiving commands from the cloud.

Azure Device Provisioning Service (DPS) with TPM

The Device Provisioning Service enables a zero-touch and just-in-time provisioning to the right IoT environment without any need of human involvement. With Welotec Edge Gateway users benefit from a seamless integrated solution for secure and scalable provisioning of a high number of devices. The provisioning can be realized using certificates or via Trusted Platform Modul (TPM).

TPM is the most secure way for device enrolment but also the most demanding one. Our solution is equipped with this function and so allows users to pre-define Welotec Edge Gateways with specific settings, even before brought into the field. Find more information on this topic in our blog.

Azure IoT Edge Runtime Support

Welotec Edge Gateway provides a local container runtime support. At the same time it has a fully integrated Azure Edge Runtime. In this way users can run app deployments directly from the cloud and make use of a template based device rollout.

Local Container Runtime and support for Docker Compose file

With Welotec Edge Gateway users can do local container management using docker and docker-compose, with a fully integrated docker cli. This allows to add own docker repository for the deployment of applications. Furthermore complex container setups can be orchestrated by using docker-compose.

Secure VPN infrastructures at the Edge

The Welotec Edge Gateway also integrates with the Welotec Remote Access Portal. This allows you to extend your Edge computing application with traditionall remote maintanance at any time without installing new hardware. The fully automated VPN infrastructure can be also deployed as a Container-appliance.

Expert

Jos Zenner

Chief Technology Officer at Welotec GmbH

Jos Zenner is the Chief Technology Officer at Welotec GmbH and a member of the steering committee of the vPAC Alliance. He specializes in leading product management and R&D within the digitalization sector, with a particular focus on the electric grid and digital substations. His work leverages technology to accelerate the energy transition. As a thought leader with a profound understanding of the market, Jos Zenner is at the forefront of innovation in this field.

Jos Zenner, Chief Technology Officer at Welotec, expert in digitalization for the energy sector, specializing in smart grids and digital substations.

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