dell iot gateway 5500 edge microserver setup guide · the edge microserver provides an...

Dell IoT Gateway 5500 Edge MicroServer Setup Guide Version [1.0]

Dell IoT Gateway 5500 Edge MicroServer Setup Guide

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Software Change Log ............................................................................................................................ 2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2

About the Dell IoT Gateway 5500....................................................................................................... 2

Installation .............................................................................................................................................. 3

Initial Setup ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Download Prerequisite Software ........................................................................................................ 4

Configuration and Setup ........................................................................................................................ 4

Installing Libraries and EMS ............................................................................................................... 4 Configuring and Running the EMS ..................................................................................................... 5 Verifying Websocket Connection ....................................................................................................... 7

Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Compatibility........................................................................................................................................... 9 Document Revision History .................................................................................................................... 9


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Software Change Log

Version Release Date Changes 1.0 April 4, 2016 Initial Release

Introduction

The Edge MicroServer is a powerful component of the ThingWorx architecture. The Edge MicroServer allows for the rapid deployment of connections between the ThingWorx platform and an associated data reporting device, with minimal design requirements on the part of the user.

The Edge MicroServer provides an “always-on” connection to the ThingWorx Platform, and it opens a local web server that interacts with the REST API available on the ThingWorx Platform. This document provides installation and usage instructions for setting up the Edge MicroServer with the Dell IoT Gateway 5500 (5000 Series).

About the Dell IoT Gateway 5500

The IoT Gateway 5500 is a multi-port IoT-optimized Gateway Device manufactured by Dell Corporation. It provides a solution for industrial-use IoT users looking for a spec-customizable gateway with class- leading support. The 5000 series Gateways from Dell run on Snappy Ubuntu Core 15.04, and feature an Intel CPU E3825 (1.33 Ghz), 2 GB DDR3L-1067 Mhz Memory, and a 32 GB Solid State hard drive as well as wireless connectivity, serial ports, USB, SIM, CANbus, Ethernet, and more.

The Edge MicroServer Linux (x86, 32-bit) distribution may be installed and run on the device, and this guide will follow the procedure for setting up a connection to a remote ThingWorx platform with the Dell IoT Gateway 5500.


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Installation

Initial Setup

1. To set up the Dell IoT Gateway 5500, you’ll need at minimum an HDMI-capable monitor and HDMI cable, a USB keyboard, an Ethernet cable with local network access, and the power supply for the device (19.5V, 3.34A, 65W).

For more information on setting up a Dell 5000 series Gateway, visit http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/dell- edge-gateway-5000/pd?oc=xctoi5000us.

2. Set up the device and connect it to a monitor via HDMI. Ensure power, Ethernet, and a keyboard are connected, and then power the device on.

3. When the device boots up into Snappy Ubuntu, login using the default password (if one has not been set), which is typically ubuntu/ubuntu.

4. Ensure that an Ethernet cable is connected to a local area network (preferably with internet access), and type “ifconfig”. You should see a display similar to the image at right:


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5. Note the network card’s IP address, which is typically obtained through eth0. (10.64.75.136 in the example at right).

Download Prerequisite Software

1. On a computer which is on the same local network as the Dell Gateway device, locate and download the following required C++ Libraries from http://packages.ubuntu.com/:

libstdc++6_4.9.2-10ubuntu13_i386.deb gcc-4.9-base_4.9.2-10ubuntu13_i386.deb libcloog-isl4_0.18.2-3_i386.deb zlib1g_1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb libmpfr4_3.1.2-3_i386.deb libmpc3_1.0.3-1_i386.deb libgmp10_6.0.0+dfsg-6ubuntu1_i386.deb libisl13_0.14-2_i386.deb

2. Download the ThingWorx EMS build from support.ptc.com. The correct build is Linux x86 32-bit.

MicroServer-5-3-1-1113-Linux-x86-32

Configuration and Setup

Installing Libraries and EMS

1. On a computer which is on the same local network as the Dell Gateway device, open up an SSH

connection to the gateway using a program such as PuTTY or WinSCP (recommended – Windows). Use the IP address noted earlier, and connect on port 22 for SSH.

2. Using mkdir, create a microserver directory under /home on the device as shown, and copy the unzipped EMS files to this folder using WinSCP, PuTTY, or similar. Also, create /opt/thingworx.

/home/microserver mkdir /opt/thingworx


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3. Copy the library files downloaded earlier to the device in the /home/microserver folder.

This folder’s contents should now look like the screenshot at right:

4. Mount the drive for R/W by issuing the following command. Enter a password [ubuntu] if prompted.

5. In this folder containing the copied libraries, run the following command to install them. Note that this device does not permit adp-get commands, which is standard as part of Snappy Ubuntu core.

6. Verify that the libraries have installed correctly (no errors). If necessary, install them individually instead of using a wildcard (*.deb) in order to isolate and identify problems.

Configuring and Running the EMS

1. Locate the config.json file inside

the /home/microserver/etc directory on the device.

Open it for editing using vi editor.

sudo mount -o remount,rw /

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

vi config.json


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2. Configure the EMS to connect to a remote ThingWorx server of your choosing.

For additional guidance and examples on setting a configuration file, please refer to http://support.ptc.com/cs/help/th ingworx_hc/thingworx_6.0_hc/ and follow the guide section entitled “ThingWorx WebSocket- based Edge MicroServer (WSEMS)”

See the image at right for a configuration example. It is recommended to use a server with SSL configuration for security reasons.

3. Save the file and exit the editor. Note: You may also edit this file on the connected computer and then copy it over in place of the config.json file on the device.

4. Navigate back to the home EMS directory.

5. Add privileges as necessary to run the executable, “wsems”.

6. Run the websocket EMS by issuing the following command. You may need to run using “sudo”.

cd /home/microserver

chmod 777 wsems

sudo ./wsems

7. Take note of the console output and look for the message “Websocket Connected!” to confirm that the EMS has connected successfully.

8.


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Verifying Websocket Connection

1. From a web browser with access to the remote ThingWorx

platform server, navigate to ThingWorx Composer. 2. In the top-right corner, click Monitoring > Remote Things.

On the following page, click on the “Unbound” tab, and note the presence of an entity with a name identical to the one specified in the “config.json” file on the device.

3. At this point, the device is connected to the ThingWorx Platform

and properties may be configured. For more information on using the EMS, visit http://support.ptc.com/cs/help/thingworx_hc/thingworx_6.0_hc/.


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Troubleshooting

Problem

Solution(s)

1.

No display from the device

1. Verify that all cables are connected and that the monitor is set to the

correct input. Use an HDMI to HDMI cable and eliminate the use of any adapters, such as an HDMI -> DisplayPort adapter.

2. Contact Dell for further technical support assistance.

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Difficulty connecting to the device.

1. Ensure that the device and the computer are on the same local area

network.

2. Use a wired connection for the connected computer. Verify that the device can be contacted via “ping” (type “ping IPADDRESS”). Verify this from both the device and the computer (Two-way).

3. Check for and disable any and all network or computer firewalls that are present between the computer and the device.

3.

Cannot copy files to the device or install libraries.

1. Type “sudo” before a command if permissions are denied. Ensure that

you have root access on the account you are logged into on the device.

2. Try using a different program to transfer files to the device. You may also try to copy files via USB mass storage or another means.

3. The device must be mounted R/W before you will be able to install libraries. Use the following command on a root-access account: sudo mount -o remount,rw /

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“Websocket Connected!” Messages does not appear, or device is not visible from ThingWorx

1. Verify that all libraries and the EMS are installed in the correct location

as indicated in this guide. See the Configuration and Setup section.

2. Check the “config.json” file carefully. Most issues can be traced to a syntax error in this file, such as a missing comma or quotation mark. Verify that the config.json file contains “auto_bind” information and verify that the AppKey and connection parameters are exactly correct.

3. Verify that no firewalls or port-blocking efforts are preventing a connection to a remote Thingworx server. Attempt to connect to a platform hosted locally to rule out other issues before connecting to a remote server.


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Compatibility This guide has been tested for compatibility with the DEVICE and the following ThingWorx platform and operating system:

ThingWorx Platform Version ThingWorx 7.0.2

OS (connected computer) Windows 7, Service Pack 1

OS (device) Snappy Ubuntu Core 15.04

Document Revision History

Revision Date Version Description of Change April 4, 2016 1.0 Initial Release

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