Synchronization

Device Synchronization is a periodic process allowing Iotellect Server to create and maintain a server-side device snapshot by reading device metadata and reading/writing device settings.

Synchronization helps the following:

• Allow internal modules, operators, and third-party systems to browse available device settings, operations, and events;

• Enable quick access and manipulation of device settings values. All changes to the device configuration are stored in the server-side cache and written to the device on a "best effort" basis.

The actual algorithm of synchronization depends on the device driver type, but in most cases, it includes three primary steps:

• Establishing a connection between Iotellect Server and device;

• Reading device metadata, i.e. information about available settings, operations, and events and creating appropriate variables, functions, and events in Device Context to access them;

• Synchronizing setting values between the device and server cache.

Device synchronization status is reflected by the device icon:

• Newly added devices that didn't synchronize yet or are currently synchronizing have question mark icons:

       

• Fully synchronized devices that don't have any synchronization troubles have checkmark icons:

       

• Devices with server-side configuration changes that are pending to get written into hardware have clock icons:

       

• Devices with synchronization errors have exclamation mark icons:

       

If the Extended Device Status setting of the device account is enabled or current synchronization was explicitly requested by a system operator, the device status icon will show the progress of current synchronization:

• The connection stage is indicated by lightning icons:

       

• The metadata reading stage is indicated by looking glass icons:

       

• The setting values synchronization stage is indicated by arrow icons:

       

Enable Extended Device Status if you have trouble detecting current state of your device.

There are three types of synchronization:

This is the "standard" type of synchronization, and it includes all three steps:

• Connection (only if the connection isn't yet established)

• Device metadata acquisition

• Reading/writing device settings

Full synchronization is performed once per device Synchronization Period.

Partial synchronization is performed for reading/writing device settings that have Custom Synchronization Period. This type of synchronization is pretty fast since it doesn't include establishing a connection (if it's already established), metadata acquisition, and reading/writing values of all device settings. Just one setting is read from or written to the device.

Partial synchronization occurs every time the Custom Synchronization Period of a certain setting elapses.

Connect-only synchronization forces the server to establish a connection to the device and pass authentication/authorization. No data is usually read from or written to the device.

Such synchronization helps the server to detect device connection status.

This type of synchronization is performed only at server startup, and only if time passed since the previous full synchronization doesn't exceed the Synchronization Period.

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