EdgeLink
- Device model: DF-VP-1125
- Brand: Advantech
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What is EdgeLink?
In practical applications, a gateway links various smart devices through its southbound interface and connects with different platforms via its northbound interface. Within IoT-driven enterprises, a gateway functions as a central hub for IoT big data, overseeing tasks such as data collection, processing, and transmission. The gateway plays a crucial role as an intermediary layer between devices and platforms.
EdgeLink is a software system designed for Advantech gateways, comprising EdgeLink Studio and EdgeLink Runtime.
EdgeLink Studio acts as a configuration tool for gateways, enabling offline communication setup and network interface configuration. It supports streamlined gateway deployment via one-click downloads and facilitates online management and monitoring of device statuses.
EdgeLink Runtime encompasses the services that run on the gateway, implementing configurations defined within EdgeLink Studio.
Features
- Streamlined gateway software for transmitting edge data to the cloud
- Facilitates communication with 200+ PLCs and IO modules
- Integrates equipment data into middleware with secure data conversion
- Capable of publishing data via OPC-UA, Modbus, DNP3, IEC-104, BACnet, MQTT, and LwM2M protocols
- Offers data backup options to a database or FTP server
- Includes event management and simple logic programming tools for preprocessing collected data
- Provides DCtag SDK and Restful API for customizing applications
- Supports containerized deployment*
- *Devices must have Docker installed for containerized deployment.
Feature details
Connectivity: EdgeLink automates data transmission and enhances communication between devices.
Protocol Conversion: EdgeLink adapts protocols for seamless communication and compatibility.
Data Logging: EdgeLink directly imports tags and logs data with timestamps, eliminating the need for additional editing.
Alarms: EdgeLink acts as a central event hub, monitoring IoT system devices and alerting abnormalities via email or SMS.
Open Development Kit: EdgeLink supports an Open Development Kit, offering programmatic access to software applications.
Security: EdgeLink ensures secure data conversion through whitelisting, SSL encryption, data authority management, and open VPN.
Containerized Deployment: EdgeLink facilitates easy deployment of applications within containers across various operating systems and hardware platforms. (The container version may vary from hardware SKU configurations due to differences in hardware setup.)
System architecture
Specification
Download EdgeLink Datasheet in PDF [ENG]
Download EdgeLink User Manual in PDF [ENG]
Download EdgeLink Quick Start in PDF [ENG]
Download Utilities from Advantech
Download Software API from Advantech
Table 1 - Function List of Project Configuration
| Function List | Function Classification | Function Description | Supported by container or not |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Project Management |
Project Setup |
Set up a new project: Create a project file via EdgeLink Studio. |
Yes |
|
Upload current projects of the gateway by using online devices. |
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|
Implementation methods: Single gateway download Batch gateway download |
On-line implementation. There are 3 ways to recognize the node: 1. Node ID (Gateway hardware DIP switch for identifying the gateway) 2. IP/domain name (Gateway network information which can be obtained by searching) 3. Azure connection string (Connection string provided by Microsoft Azure) |
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|
Off-line implementation: Export the project to SD card, and manually import it to the device. |
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|
Gateway replication |
Make a copy of the gateway configuration in the project. |
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|
Show project tag count |
Show the total number of tags in the project.(System tags are not included.) |
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|
Add and delete device |
Devices connected to the gateway can be managed flexibly. |
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|
Excel import and export (all tags) |
Export tags to Excel for further editing and import tags into the project. |
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|
Export to WISE- Edge365 |
Upload the project file generated by Studio to WISE Edge365 for remote deployment of the gateway from WISE Edge365 |
Yes |
|
|
Data Collection |
Collect data from the southbound interface |
Ports: Ethernet Serial port CAN USB |
Yes |
|
Devices: Southbound protocol Parameter configuration Add tag Tag property Device template |
|||
|
System tag |
Basic information and hardware status of the gateway. |
Yes |
|
|
User tag |
Virtual IO tag which can be selected and configured by the user. |
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|
Calculated tag |
Calculated results of an expression. |
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|
Data Processing |
Data storage |
Store data on the expansion card. Store data of the Container to the /data path. |
Yes |
|
Resume broken transfer: When network interrupt/recovery occurs during data forwarding, the data generated during the interrupt can be retransferred.
|
Yes |
||
|
Logic operation |
Support complex logical operations. |
No |
|
|
Event trigger (alarm) |
Alarm modes: Sending SMS Sending e-mail Writing tag |
No |
|
|
Data transmission |
Different devices in the field can assign each other. |
Yes |
|
|
Data Forwarding |
Industry protocol |
Electric power: DNP3 |
No |
|
Electric power: IEC104 |
Yes |
||
|
BA: BACnet |
Yes |
||
|
Common industrial protocol: Modbus |
Yes |
||
|
Advantech Proprietary protocol: WASCADA |
Yes |
||
|
OPC-UA |
Yes |
||
|
Cloud connection |
MQTT： WISE-Edge365 AWS Azure CumulocityIot DeviceOn/BI Google Cloud IoT Core IotConnect iSysCore OS MindSphere SimpleMQTT Sparkplug(B) T-System WebAccess WISE-Paas/DataHub Ali Cloud Baidu Tiangong Lanzhuo supOS Proudsmart |
Yes |
|
|
Database transmitting |
SQL Server |
No |
|
|
MYSQL |
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|
ORACLE |
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|
FTP Server |
|||
|
Remote management |
VPN |
Open VPN |
No |
|
WebAccess/VPN |
|||
|
EdgeLink/VPN |
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|
On-line monitoring |
Tag read/write |
Yes |
|
|
I/O status: I/O status monitoring of the gateway |
Yes |
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|
System information: Cellular status |
No |
||
|
System log |
Yes |
||
|
Storage data query |
Yes |
||
|
System configuration: System upgrade Time setting |
No |
||
|
Connection mechanism |
System connection |
VPN: OpenVPN (user-built) Dandelion VPN (user-built) Advantech VPN WebAccess/VPN (user-built) EdgeLink/VPN (Provide free trial within 10 gateways for domestic users) |
No |
|
L2TP/IPsec |
No |
||
|
PPPOE |
No |
||
|
TCP connection |
Active connection: Connect WebAccess/SCADA Connect Four-Faith Other customized connections |
No |
|
|
Serial port bridging |
|
No |
|
|
System Configuration |
Network configuration |
Basic configuration: DHCP Fixed IP |
No |
|
WIFI/4G |
|||
|
Reconnect: Network status monitoring and real-time repair |
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|
Routing configuration |
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|
Priority configuration |
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|
Port forwarding |
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|
NAT |
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|
DHCP Server |
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|
LED configuration |
RUN |
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|
Program |
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|
Error |
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|
Time configuration |
Date |
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|
Time |
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|
Time zone |
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|
Service configuration |
SSH |
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HTTPS |
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|
Telnet |
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|
FTP Server |
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|
Firewall configuration |
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|
Security Mechanism |
Project download |
Set password |
Yes |
|
File transfer encryption TLS1.2 |
Yes |
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|
On-line monitoring |
Login with password |
Yes |
|
|
Security strategy |
Regular vulnerability scan |
Yes |
|
|
Vulnerability repair |
Yes |
Table 2 - Northbound Driver List
| Service Classification | Service List |
|---|---|
| Northbound protocol and platform |
ActiveConnection (WASCADA) MQTT Modbus RTU Modbus/TCP BACnet OPC UA IEC-104 DNP3 (Only for ADAM-3600 and ECU Series) |
| Northbound database |
SQL Server MySQL ORACLE FTP Server |
| Cloud Platform |
WISE-Edge365 Aliyun AWS Baidu Tiangong CumulocityIot CustomMQTT DeviceOn/BI Google Cloud IoT Core IoTConnect iSysCore OS MindSphere Lanzhuo supOS Proudsmart SimpleMQTT Sparkplug(B) T-System WebAccess WISE-PaaS/DataHub Azure LwM2M |
