IoT in a Box using Azure LNS

Overview

Originally, our platform supported provisioning and second-tier Support of devices using The Things Network (TTN). We have added support for Azure and along with it, some new procedures and tools for managing devices that utilize it. The following document will help explain what’s changing, what’s not, and how to manage devices in the new setup.

What’s NOT changing

Existing devices (devices already handed out to customers) will continue to use TTN. We will not be moving devices automatically from TTN to Azure.

If we ship any new devices and specifically want them to be on TTN, the current process to do so remains the same - during hardware and provisioning, whoever adds the device will select and configure the device for the appropriate environment.

The IoT in a Box Console remains our primary way of managing the old devices for day to day Support tasks. TTN remains the “level 2” Support tool for advanced diagnostic/management of the old devices, but only for those old devices still using TTN specifically.

What’s changing / ChirpStack intro

As new devices get added into the system, they should be added to Azure. Ideally, all new devices will be added for Azure and thus we will slowly phase out TTN.

Whereas previously we were using the LoRa services tied specifically to TTN, we now are hosting our own ChirpStack server instance (LNS - http://lns.az.mydevices.com). This allows us various benefits and freedoms in supporting additional networks, devices and flexibility for managing everything.

The IoT in a Box Console remains our primary “level 1” Support tool but can now help provision devices into the LNS for Azure usage. For such devices that use Azure, the LNS will then be used for defining hardware profiles and for second level support/diagnostics.