Edge device makers need a solution that empowers their employees, partners, and customers to effectively and efficiently manage devices. Device management includes capabilities for device provisioning, remote access, configuration, administration, software management, device monitoring, and troubleshooting. This can be a costly and labor-intensive effort that invariably requires customer effort.
To streamline this process, device manufacturers are increasingly adopting device management platforms to configure firmware upon device provisioning — via firmware over the air (FOTA) or an Ethernet connection — and remotely monitor, manage configurations, control settings, and automate software deployments.
Without built-in device management capabilities, edge device and M2M module manufacturers not only risk losing market share to competition, but also dedicate an inordinate amount of time configuring firmware during the manufacturing or “kitting” process — still without any insight into the operation of the hardware once deployed at customer locations. In fact, it’s fairly common for these companies to post firmware updates to an FTP server for its customers to download and install whenever updates are required, a process that is manual, difficult to maintain, and error-prone.
Additionally, without remote access to devices, manufacturers incur service costs related to maintenance and software updates — since devices cannot be proactively monitored and must be updated and configured individually and manually as new updates become available.
With “Axeda Ready” edge devices, manufacturers, such as the Danlaw Data Logger in Walsh Vision’s FleetVantage Solution, can proactively and remotely monitor and configure their cellular modems and other hardware offerings as soon as their products are connected. In addition, Axeda M2M connectivity services and the Axeda data model afford manufacturers the flexibility and choice to connect and manage any programmable or non-programmable device.
Using Axeda connected product management applications, including Axeda Software Management, manufacturers can configure devices, monitor device traffic, track error rates, and more, while automating the delivery of firmware and configuration updates.
With Axeda, edge device and M2M module manufacturers can quickly offer device management capabilities as a more comprehensive solution that:
- Reduces labor-intensive manufacturing or "kitting" costs with over-the-air provisioning (OTA)
- Slashes service and support costs by proactively monitoring the health of devices for trending of KPIs
- Automates firmware over the air updates with over-the-air parameter administration (OTAPA)
- Frees your customers from the hassle of updating the firmware from their locations
- Keeps device software current and more reliable
- Addresses recall management issues in updating or decommissioning equipment remotely
- Enables you to deliver value-added services that customers pay for
- Increases your market share by differentiating from your competition with connected services
