11 minutes read
IoT Monitoring Dashboard
In the dynamic landscape of digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT), the importance of data management and monitoring is quite reasonable. In this regard, the IoT monitoring dashboard is a tool that not only simplifies the visualization of large amounts of data but also makes it more efficient and informative.
In the ThingsBoard platform the dashboards are an integral part of the user interface for IoT apps, offering solutions for the rapid development, management, and scaling of IoT projects.
How IoT monitoring system works?
First step is to select devices that can collect and report required measurements. They selected based on properties of the iot monitoring system or process that should be monitored.
Next step is to connect iot devices to the monitoring application using one of supported protocols - MQTT, HTTP, LoraWAN, OPC-UA, CoAP, LwM2M and others. Full list of supported protocols available in ThingsBoard API reference or on our connectivity guides.
Once device connected and reports data to the platform, incoming telemetry saved in the database, we can build real time and historical monitoring dashboards using IoT dashboard development guide.
Dashboard should have drill down navigation to start from the high-level system overview and go to lover levels to understand current system state and analyze historical data
What is End-to-End IoT Performance Visibility?
IoT monitoring solution gives end to end visibility of remote system. It means that all aspects of system behavior, including current, historical and future are available for operators in real time from remote locations. With this data operators can understand system better, optimize it, perform root cause analysis and prevent potential bottlenecks. Data from IoT sensors used to monitor system in realtime. Analysis of data trends using ML/AI models identifies and highlight components that might fail or require maintenance. For sites where safety and security compliance is critical, real time iot alerts and data logging ensure safety and regulation compliance.
IoT Monitoring Tools
What types of devices are used for data collection
We can split iot devices into few categories based on their characteristics:
- Power source: it can be devices with internal batteries and in this case we need to think about energy effectiveness to reduce battery replacement frequencies. We can do that by selecting energy efficient networking and communication protocols, data update frequency and payload size. Opposite to that there big device category that uses external power sources (grid, renewable energy, etc). Relatively new and small category - Passive IoT devices that do not require energy source to transfer data from sensor to iot system. Most common technologies in this domain are RFID tags and NFC.
- Connectivity type: long range low power devices can send data for long distances and consume really small amount of energy (LPWAN - LoraWAN, NB-IoT, etc). Wireless connectivity - it includes short range coverage network (BLE, Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee, etc) and country-wide coverage (4G/5G, satellite, etc). Wired connection - used when devices communicate with IoT system via wire (Ethernet, Modbus, OPC-UA and others)
There are other categorization options, for example by device functions - sensors, actuators, controllers or by industry - Industrial equipment, smart home, healthcare, automotive, energy management, logistic.
What type of data IoT devices usually collect?
In general, IoT device and sensors collect and measure physical characteristic of environment or objects they monitor. Also, IoT devices can report state of the system, process or hardware they control. Depends on business domain, Energy management/BEMS - energy consumption, voltage and other electric characteristic. In Industrial IoT monitoring it can be data from PLCs and sensors installed on equipment and factory floor - vibration, pressure, status code, errors, production pace, etc. It can also be temperature, humidity, occupancy, lighting, battery level, rssi and much more. If we are talking about gateways and edge services that are part of IoT system, we can monitor RAM, CPU and disk usage of those systems as well as network parameters.
3 ways of telemetry collection
- Option 1: IoT Devices has multiple built-in sensors and they report this telemetry with predefined frequency (temperature, humidity, pressure, etc).
- Option 2: Data loggers do not have built-in sensors but know where and how to take data that needs to be monitored. For example, they can collect data via modbus, analog ports, CAN, etc.
- Option 3: PLCs - controllers installed in various equipment to control and monitor it. They can collect and report required telemetry, status change or notify about events.
IoT data visualization and notification
Large IoT solutions, where thousands devices are connected it is not possible to monitor and tack each device individually. Business want to be notified when some devices required attention. For example user want to receive notification when battery level is critical and set a threshold equal to 3.1V. In this case IoT application would compare current battery level with threshold value and send an alert with configured notification channel to responsible user. Thingsboard supports such case with notification center and configurable alarm rules.
What is edge computing?
Edge computing used to speedup data processing by transferring processing logic from central cloud to the edge closer to the data collection devices. Also, less amount of data transferred from devices to the cloud decrease system costs and pressure on network. ThingsBoard has edge product (https://thingsboard.io/products/thingsboard-edge/) it allows to provision, configure and control multiple edge installations. ThingsBoard cloud act like a central configuration point, where user define processing logic, data retention policy, workflows, visualization dashboards and deploy it on edge systems. On the edge ThingsBoard communicate with local devices/sensors process their data and report required portion of it to the cloud.
IoT security monitoring detailed explanation
There are 3 vectors how to secure IoT applications:
- Physical security - prevent unauthorised users to get physical access to the IoT device and change its configuration or inject malfunctions inside it.
- Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks - to prevent external cyberattack on IoT infrastructure exploiting software vulnerabilities we need to secure communication channels with encryption and perform regular firmware and software updates to close security gaps that attackers might exploit.
- Configure user role based access control with clear defined permissions and secured authentication mechanism. It includes configurable data visibility and permissions for application users, audit logs, user session management, multifactor authorization and password protection.
Basics of an IoT Device Management Dashboard
An Internet of Things dashboard as the command center for your connected devices, providing a visual representation of data and facilitating seamless control. It is also known as an IoT control panel.
The key components of an IoT platform dashboard include:
- Widgets: These are the building blocks, representing individual pieces of information.
- Data sources: IoT sensor dashboard pull data from diverse sources such as gateways and cloud services. This data is then processed and visualized through widgets.
- User controls: These interactive elements allow users to interact with the dashboard, triggering actions like sending commands to devices or adjusting settings.
- Alerts: A good IoT dashboard platform provides users with alerts that help in identifying any anomalies or issues in real-time.
These components work together to ensure that the dashboard is providing valuable insights from the data. Based on the visualized data, enterprises can build their strategy and vision.
The Importance of IoT Monitoring Dashboards
IoT monitoring dashboards play a pivotal role in enhancing operational efficiency, optimizing resource utilization, and enabling data-driven decision-making. Here are five compelling reasons why integrating IoT dashboards is essential:
- Real-Time insights. IoT data dashboards provide online visibility into the performance of connected devices and processes, enabling timely responses to critical events and preventing potential failures.
- Data-driven decision-making. By aggregating and analyzing data from various sources, IoT data dashboards empower businesses to make data-driven decisions.
- Efficient resource management. Enhanced Productivity: The use of IoT dashboards leads to reduced downtime and improved operational efficiency.
- Unveiling of business opportunities. Enterprises can compare real-time data with historical data to identify new opportunities for growth and development.
- Cost savings. By monitoring energy usage and device performance, businesses can optimize their operations and reduce costs.
An Indispensable IoT Control Panel: Features You Will Approve
ThingsBoard solution templates are a powerful feature of the ThingsBoard IoT platform that can significantly reduce the time-to-market for your IoT products. Here, we delve into the key characteristics that make it a cornerstone for IoT deployments:
- ThingsBoard's IoT control panel boasts an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
- Our IoT sensor dashboard empowers users with robust iot device management functionalities.
- Tailoring the dashboard to your specific needs is a breeze with ThingsBoard.
- ThingsBoard's control panel incorporates a powerful rule engine that enables automated actions based on predefined conditions.
- Our IoT device dashboard provides comprehensive tools for data analysis and visualization.
- Security is paramount in IoT deployments, so we offer robust access control features, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information and critical functionalities.
For a detailed overview of ThingsBoard's Solution Templates, you can refer to the IoT Solution templates overview.
IoT Monitoring Dashboard Makes Your Business Goals Achievable
Achieving tangible business objectives requires a strategic approach. An IoT dashboard app serves as a linchpin in this endeavor, offering practical solutions to common challenges encountered during IoT implementation:
Proactive issue resolution enables proactive maintenance, allowing businesses to address issues before they impact operations.
Scalability and future-proofing ensures scalability, allowing businesses to seamlessly integrate new devices and technologies as they evolve.
Global market access break down geographical barriers, allowing businesses to offer their products and services globally.
By addressing these common business challenges, an IoT dashboard not only makes your business goals achievable but also gives you a competitive edge in the market.
IoT Dashboard Examples
IoT dashboards are versatile and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of various industries and applications. Here are some general IoT dashboard examples:
Equipment Monitoring Dashboard:
This type of dashboard visualizes sensor data, allowing the manufacturing and facility management department to grasp the operation status of the entire plant, the equipment of each production line, and faulty equipment in real-time.
Power Consumption Dashboard:
In buildings such as factories and warehouses, a power consumption dashboard can be used to monitor energy usage. It can issue a warning message when consumption is close to a preset value, enabling appropriate and effective power-saving measures.
Predictive Management Dashboard:
This dashboard monitors whether the actual production results of each production line align with the original plan. It thoroughly analyzes the reasons for any gaps and uses them for improvement in all aspects of the next production stage.
How to Use the ThingsBoard Dashboard
To use the ThingsBoard IoT dashboard open-source, you can follow these steps:
- Login to your ThingsBoard instance and navigate to the “Entities” section.
- Click on the “+” icon in the top right corner of the table and then select "Add new dashboard".
- Input a name for your IoT web dashboard. No other changes are required at this time.
- After creating the dashboard IoT for free, you can start adding widgets to it.
- Each widget can be configured to display data from one or more devices. You can choose the type of data to display, the format of the data, and other settings.
- Once you have added and configured all your widgets, don’t forget to save your dashboard.
For a more detailed guide on how to use the dashboard for IoT devices, you can refer to our Working with IoT dashboards guide.
ThingsBoard IoT Dashboard in Action (Case Studies)
Asset Management
By implementing ThingsBoard's IoT Dashboard, the facility gained real-time visibility into machine performance and production metrics. Predictive maintenance alerts ensured timely repairs, reducing downtime.
Enhancing Retail Customer Experience
ThingsBoard's IoT Dashboard tracked foot traffic, analyzed customer behavior, and monitored inventory levels. Insights gained led to strategic product placements and personalized marketing efforts.
Device Connectivity & Data Collection
With ThingsBoard's IoT Dashboard, the provider gained real-time monitoring of device performance and proactive alerts for potential issues.
Optimizing Agriculture Practices
Using ThingsBoard's IoT Dashboard, the farm monitored soil moisture, temperature, and crop health. Data-driven irrigation and fertilization strategies were implemented.
Mobile app for remote iot visualize data online
Mobile native app gives fast and intuitive access to the monitored system and allows to quickly find required info or react on potential issues. Mobile monitoring application gives more control by enabling input from mobile camera for scaning qr-codes/bar codes, for example for quick navigation to monitoring page of required device. Also, GPS info from mobile device improve experience for location tracking cases when user can see nearest devices/systems and their state. ThingsBoard has flutter mobile SDK for creating native applications fast. Dashboard layout can be configured differently for PC and mobile devices, ThingsBoard widgets and dashboard are mobile friendly and adaptive, so you can reuse same monitoring dashboard for web-based monitoring and from mobile application.
IoT Monitoring Software Integration with 3-rd party systems
Integration of IT and OT systems of the company is important aspect operational effectiveness. Metrics and signals collected form IoT sensors can be integrated with other customer systems to improve operational visibility and automated processes. For example monitoring application that collects data from IoT energy meters can be integrated with the company financial systems to automatically generate invoices or build cost reports. In industrial domain data from vibration and ultrasonic sensors used to generate alerts for maintenance team. In that case once alert generated, 3rd party system that is responsible for company incident management automatically notified about alert and maintenance tam can react accordingly. Our platform support bidirectional integration with external systems using different communication channels and API. Most common are Rest API, MQTT and via message broker.
Wrapping Up
When it comes to IoT management, ThingsBoard strives to be a leader among IoT solutions. With a seasoned team at the helm, we have crafted the best IoT dashboard that effortlessly transforms complex challenges into intuitive solutions.
Our user-friendly free IoT dashboard software makes it easy to navigate the intricacies of IoT. By offering a range of powerful tools, we help businesses unlock the full potential of their connected ecosystems.
We offer a refreshing approach that combines cutting-edge technology with user-friendly design. With ThingsBoard, you’re not just choosing an IoT platform; you’re choosing a partner dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals.
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