Stand-Alone Devices

To create stand-alone managed devices, you typically integrate an embedded web server and create an embedded device management application that resides on the device.

The EmbedThis Ioto Device Agent includes a first-class embedded web server. We also offer two legacy embedded web servers for historical reasons.

Our legacy Appweb and GoAhead web servers are provided for existing customers who have embedded these web servers in existing product designs. We recommend that all customers transition to Ioto for new designs and devices.

The Ioto Device Agent can be used as a stand-alone embedded web server without any cloud management features enabled.

Ioto includes our most advanced embedded web server and is a fraction the size of comparable embedded web servers (including our own). It boasts impressive throughput and efficiency scores.

We recommend choosing the Ioto device agent for all new devices, even if they are not connected to the cloud, as Ioto has the most efficient and secure embedded web server. Please read the Device Agent Comparison for details.

GoAhead is a simple, secure embedded web server that is perhaps the world's most popular embedded web server. Originally designed in 1998, GoAhead was present at the foundation of the Internet of Things. It is compact, secure and simple to use. GoAhead is deployed in hundreds of millions of devices.

Appweb is a high-end, secure embedded web server for hosting complex embedded web management applications. Appweb offers HTTP/2, HTTP proxy, extensive security controls, sandboxing and defensive counter-measures.

The work flow for creating stand-alone managed devices is outlined below. The entire process can take a significant amount of time due to the need to customize device-specific logic and adapt to the specific capabilities of each device.

Create a Product Definition

For each product or product family, you need to:

Create a product definition that describes your device. This definition should nominate the device agent you wish to utilize.
Select your subscription options. Depending on your licensed agent, you will have different subscription options.

Download the device agent

Next, download the device agent from the Builder product list.

If you have purchased a subscription, you can download the full software. Otherwise, you will be able to download an evaluation version.

Customize device specific logic

Once downloaded, you can begin the task of embedding the agent in your device hardware and adding your device-specific logic.

Create the Embedded Web App

Perhaps the largest task is creating the embedded web management application. Do not underestimate the size of this task as it is probably the largest single task and expense when creating managed device software.

For Ioto, Embedthis provides Kickstart which is a free, sample device management application that can dramatically shorten your development cycle. You can use Kickstart as your starting point for your device UI.

Kickstart employs best practices for dynamic, responsive device management applications.

Support

As you progress with your design and development, you will probably require support.

EmbedThis offers two types of support:

Basic Support
Developer Support

Basic support provides basic guidance covering installation and operational usage of the product.

Developer support provides in-depth developer help for design and implementation issues. This includes embedded development, cloud-based device management, developer coding, debugging issues, and support for legacy software versions.

You can purchase support via the Builder interface under the Support menu option. You can also raise and track support issues with the Embedthis support staff.

To Subscribe for additional devices, create device clouds, or purchase support, go to the Account/Subscription menu option. Review your subscription, then click Confirm to purchase. You can enter a billing card on the Account/Billing page.

You can read more about subscriptions at: Subscriptions.