☢ thinx-device-api

IoT Device Management Server running on node.js.

The Purpose

Update IoT device by pushing to a Git repository. Swap operating system for another over-the-air. Migrate multiple devices at once between WiFi networks.

As a user I have already many IoT new and/or legacy devices at home and new platforms are coming every day.

Sometimes we need to change WiFi credentials on a wireless switch mounted on a ceiling. The other day I we want to swap whole firmware for new one, but not always to rewrite working legacy Lua or Micropython code to PlatformIO.

It also covers other use-cases like remotely managing devices for customers with automatic updates for headless devices, or semi-automatic (with user consent after build and tests succed).

That's why we have decided to create the über-platform: THiNX.

Currently we're capable of building firmwares for PlatformIO, NodeMCU and Micropython (and simple Arduino firmware is also coming soon)

• Remote Things Management console for monitoring devices, attaching source code and managing updates.

• Implements Continuous Integration practices to update device apps/configurations from a GitHub repository using commit hooks.

• Helps building secure MQTT infrastructure as an optional side-chain transport layer.

• Serves as an IoT device registration endpoint while storing device data using CouchDB server and Redis session-store.

• API is a back-end data provider (security agent) for RTM Admin Console Application.

• Provides control to a dockerized build servers and pushes new firmware versions to client applications (FCM push) and devices (MQTT).

• Provides HTTP-to-HTTPS proxy to secure legacy IoT devices that are not capable of TLS and/or AES-level encryption.

• Allows transfer of device ownership (e.g. for pre-configured devices).

• Custom firmware builder for MongooseOS, NodeMCU and Micropython (allow module selection, add THiNX as an OS-level library)

• Transfer device to another owner along with sources/firmware.

Supported IoT Platforms

• ESP8266 (thinx-firmware-esp8266)

• Tested on Wemos D1 Mini, Wemos D1 Mini Pro, RobotDyn D1, RobotDyn D1 Mini, RobotDyn MEGA WiFi and various NodeMCU (Lolin, AI-THINKER) boards with Arduino, Lua and Micropython-based core firmwares

• Expected: Arduino with networking support, MongooseOS-based devices...

THiNX Platform Library repositories:

Platform.io

Arduino

NodeMCU/Lua

Micropython

MongooseOS

Custom Firmwares

With built-in THiNX Client Library:

NodeMCU/Lua

Micropython

Arduino, Plaform.io and MongooseOS are firmwares by nature.

Dockerized Firmware Builders

PlatformIO

Arduino

MongooseOS

NodeMCU/Lua

Micropython

Prerequisites

• Linux Server (min. 2 GB RAM, 32GB SSD)
• Docker

Port mapping

• API runs on HTTP port 7442 (possibly HTTPS 7443) and 7447 (websocket)
• MQTT runs on HTTP port 1883 (possibly HTTPS 8883)
• Admin runs on HTTP/HTTPS port (80/443)
• GitHub commit hooks are listened to on port 9000, 9001
• Optional monitoring services (Keymetrics, TrueSight) may run on other ports as well...

Installation

Using Docker

Experimental Docker installation can be found at Docker Hub.

First of all, set a valid FQDN for your new THiNX instance on your DNS server. Use this FQDN to parametrize the Docker image:

docker pull suculent/thinx-docker

docker build --build-arg THINX_HOSTNAME=staging.thinx.cloud -t suculent/thinx-docker .

docker run -ti -e THINX_HOSTNAME='staging.thinx.cloud' -e THINX_OWNER='[email protected]' suculent/thinx-docker

Installing Platform Builders

Attach to the running container with bash:

docker run -ti -e THINX_HOSTNAME='staging.thinx.cloud' -e THINX_OWNER='[email protected]' suculent/thinx-docker /bin/bash

Fetch required builder images from Docker Hub:

bash ./install-builders.sh

GitHub Webhook support

You can direct your GitHub webhooks to https://thinx.cloud:9001/ after adding a valid deploy key from GitHub to THiNX RTM.

Endpoints

See 03-test.sh. There is no point of maintaining documentation for this at current stage of development and user base zero.

Platforms State of Union

Overall

• We need to take care of correct spelling for PlatformIO (and Git as well).
• ACL implementation for MQTT is next in the queue.

PlatformIO

• Docker builder works.
• Deployment update can be tested now.
• Firmware can be tested/tuned now.

Arduino

• Docker builder works in specified workdir.
• Deployment update can be tested now.

NodeMCU

• File-based update has been pre-tested. Docker builder works fine but needs tighter integration with sources (workdir).
• Deployment is not verified, therefore update cannot be tested.

Micropython

• Docker builder works fine but needs tighter integration with sources.
• Deployment is not verified, therefore update cannot be tested now.

Roadmap

• PlatformIO: end-to-end update
• Arduino: end-to-end update
• Arduino/PlatformIO: end-to-end MQTT
• Lua: build, file update
• UPY: build, file update
• MOS: build, file update; firmware update; library