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Any Help/Advice on an Easy IoT Cloud to Connect to?

Mike McKean
I was wondering if anyone knows an easy way of building an access method to an IoT Cloud. I am looking at Google Core and Microsoft Azure.  I also looked at some much smaller Clouds. Maybe if I outline the end to end structure that may help;

Sensors; They could communicate by Bluetooth, Wifi, or Mobile network via a SIM card. I know there are lots of other options, but I want to restrict my connectivity options to these three.  I will design/build these. Happy with this part.

Gateway/Bridge. If possible, I want a software install, that can be installed on a Windows laptop. The gateway/bridge will manage a number of Sensors, on one side, and an WAN connection on the other. I may have an option here, but the firm which was offering me a trial has gone quiet. I think I need to keep their details confidential, as they do not seem to have gone public about what they are talking to me about. But does anyone have such a solution they can tell me about?

Cloud. This is where I find I am trying to eat an Elephant, all in one bite. All I want is to connect the Gateway/Bridge to a hosted environment.


I think one of my issues is that I am very rusty at much of this. For instance I am having to re-learn C++, then install/learn Eclipse, then I.C. manufacturers IDE’s, e.g. MBED and CCS, then Visual Studio for Azure …… and so it goes on. I don’t mind the learning, it’s just there is only one of me, and I need sleep in between work … 
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    Hi Alex,

    Thanks for the reply. I am going to raise a couple issues, and I’d love your feedback, or indeed anyone’s thoughts;

    1. I keep being driven by the edict; don’t re-invent the wheel. i.e. why go to all the effort of trying to build something, i.e. a Cloud for IoT, when we can just use someone’s code, or package. Ok, happy to pay them. Not asking for a freebie.  (indeed my new solution - at the end of this message is costing me money).

    2. I have invested a bit of time with the Azure and Google IoT solutions. I was allocated “credits”, so my free trial did not cost anything. I don’t think I did it right. Azure was costing me about £25/day, and Google about £1/day  (One Pound/day). I think that shows I was not doing things right? … i.e. I am not blaming Google or Azure for my failure. I am clearly acknowledging that I did it wrong.

    3. So, as of yesterday, I have given up, with pre-packaged IoT solutions.

    4. Here’s my new plan;

    (a) As of this morning, I am renting a Windows server from my ISP. Going to set it up as a web server, and then connect using RESTful webservices between the Windows server and my IoT Sensors.  (I am not familiar with Linux).

    (b)     I am also going to build the Gateways. I am probably going to stick with Bluetooth for local Sensor to Gateway connectivity. Mainly because I want to limit what technology I invest in, and learn. I have read up on several others, and they all have some really good qualities. I am just sticking with Bluetooth, to minimise my learning.  

    (c) I have already ordered some T.I. technology, which should help on the Sensor side. I ordered it a week ago. I am hoping by the time it arrives, I'll have the web server and Gateway set up.  (and piggies might fly).


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  • 0
    Hi Alex,

    Thanks for the reply. I am going to raise a couple issues, and I’d love your feedback, or indeed anyone’s thoughts;

    1. I keep being driven by the edict; don’t re-invent the wheel. i.e. why go to all the effort of trying to build something, i.e. a Cloud for IoT, when we can just use someone’s code, or package. Ok, happy to pay them. Not asking for a freebie.  (indeed my new solution - at the end of this message is costing me money).

    2. I have invested a bit of time with the Azure and Google IoT solutions. I was allocated “credits”, so my free trial did not cost anything. I don’t think I did it right. Azure was costing me about £25/day, and Google about £1/day  (One Pound/day). I think that shows I was not doing things right? … i.e. I am not blaming Google or Azure for my failure. I am clearly acknowledging that I did it wrong.

    3. So, as of yesterday, I have given up, with pre-packaged IoT solutions.

    4. Here’s my new plan;

    (a) As of this morning, I am renting a Windows server from my ISP. Going to set it up as a web server, and then connect using RESTful webservices between the Windows server and my IoT Sensors.  (I am not familiar with Linux).

    (b)     I am also going to build the Gateways. I am probably going to stick with Bluetooth for local Sensor to Gateway connectivity. Mainly because I want to limit what technology I invest in, and learn. I have read up on several others, and they all have some really good qualities. I am just sticking with Bluetooth, to minimise my learning.  

    (c) I have already ordered some T.I. technology, which should help on the Sensor side. I ordered it a week ago. I am hoping by the time it arrives, I'll have the web server and Gateway set up.  (and piggies might fly).


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