Understanding IoT edge gateways and their benefits

IoT gateways are essential in the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, acting as the link between IoT devices and the cloud. Placing the right gateways strategically ensures both flawless communication and high security. These gateways are often located in challenging environments right at the edge of the network. In this article, we will review some of the challenges the industry faces when deploying IoT gateways and how Compulabs IoT products solve these problems.

What is an IoT edge gateway?

An IoT Edge Gateway is a physical device that conveys data between industrial IoT devices such as sensors and actuators, and the cloud or central data servers. Imagine an IoT gateway as a bridge that ensures data flows safely and efficiently between these two points. The gateway collects data from different IoT devices, each of which may use different communication protocols. It translates these protocols into a common language that is understood by the cloud and other connected systems. An IoT gateway also has the ability to filter and sort data, reducing noise and unnecessary information. This initial data processing reduces the amount of data that needs to be sent to the cloud, saving both bandwidth and storage space. Finally, the gateway encrypts and securely transfers the processed data to the cloud or other specified destinations.

The challenge of IoT gateways in industrial settings

So far so good, and it does sound similar to the job of a network gateway in general. However, there are a couple of unique requirements for an IoT gateway, and much of it has to do with the unique environments of IoT devices.

As we’re seeing IoT being integrated into many industries and applications, this variety of settings presents different requirements that demand significant flexibility from the IoT gateways:

• Device Interfaces – support a variety of interfaces ranging from RS485 and RS232 to digital I/O, Bluetooth and CAN bus.
• Network Infrastructure – compatibility with existing network setups, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi and LTE.
• Environmental Conditions – operating reliably in harsh conditions with wide temperature ranges and resistance to shock, vibration, dust, and humidity.
• Application Software – support diverse software environments and providing robust software development tools.

It means that industrial users that depend on IoT should be mindful when choosing an IoT gateway, ensuring it has the right feature set to meet the unique requirements of the IoT environment at the edge.

How Compulab IoT edge gateways meet these requirements

In industrial IoT, characteristics such as reliability, flexibility and longevity are often critical requirements. At Compulab, we understand these unique challenges and have designed our range of IoT gateways to survive even the toughest IoT deployments. Here’s how Compulab gateways stand out:

Rich Set of Interfaces

Compulab gateways, such as IOT-GATE-iMX8 and IOT-GATE-iMX8PLUS, offer extensive connectivity options including dual Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, LTE/4G, and a range of interfaces – RS485, RS232, CAN bus, DIO and Bluetooth. This ensures compatibility with a wide range of industrial devices and systems.

This ability to connect to a wide mix of devices all using different protocols is particularly important when an IoT project is integrated into a legacy system – and when new IoT devices are added into a unified network.

Modularity and Configurability

Our gateways are highly modular, allowing users to customize the hardware configuration to specific project needs. For example, the IOT-DIN-IMX8PLUS can be expanded with stacked I/O modules supporting up to 12 RS485/RS232 ports or 64 digital I/O channels.

This flexibility makes it easy to adapt the gateway to different applications and installations. Modularity is essential for scalability and future-proofing, enabling businesses to expand their IoT infrastructure as needed without having to undergo major changes before expansion.

Industrial Grade Quality

Compulab edge gateways are designed for reliable operation around the clock, all year round. They feature fanless designs and robust enclosures, making them ideal for operating in extreme conditions with operating temperatures from -40°C to 80°C. This high robustness is further ensured by a 5-year warranty.

Our gateways are engineered to withstand harsh industrial environments, ensuring long-term durability and performance. Industrial grade quality is essential to maintain continuous operation in environments where equipment failure can lead to significant downtime and financial loss.

Advanced Security

The security of our gateways is top-notch thanks to features like secure boot, TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and hardware watchdogs. These security features protect against cyber threats and ensure that the system continues to run even if hardware or software failures occur. The high reliability is vital in industrial environments where both data integrity and system uptime are essential for both operational efficiency and security.

Long Term Availability

Compulab ensures long-term availability of our devices, with a guarantee of continuity for up to 15 years from the time of launch. This ensures a reliable supply for both project expansion and maintenance.

This long-term availability is crucial for industrial applications that require stable and reliable hardware support over many years, reducing the risk of obsolescence and ensuring continuity.

Open Software Architecture

Our gateways support various software platforms such as Debian Linux and Yocto BSP. We also offer support for popular IoT frameworks such as Docker, Microsoft Azure IoT and Node-RED, making it easy to integrate and develop custom applications. The open software architecture of our IoT edge gateways promotes flexibility in software development and makes it easy to implement and update IoT solutions.

Conclusion

IoT environments are often at the edge, where they are exposed to unique environmental and communication challenges that exceed what standard networking equipment can handle. The ability to work with different protocols, perform edge computing and provide robust security are key elements to ensure successful IoT deployments. Compulab’s IoT gateways are tailored to these requirements, making them an ideal choice for industrial IoT solutions.

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