Tutorials

Vista IoT Tutorials

Step-by-step tutorials to help you build with Vista IoT Gateway Platform.

Tutorial 1: Building Your First IoT Dashboard

Learn how to create a real-time dashboard for your IoT devices.

What You’ll Build

• A web dashboard showing live sensor data
• Charts and graphs for data visualization
• Device status monitoring

Prerequisites

• Completed Getting Started guide
• Basic HTML/CSS/JavaScript knowledge

Steps

1. Set up the project structure

   mkdir iot-dashboard
   cd iot-dashboard
   npm init -y
   

2. Install dependencies

   npm install express socket.io chart.js
   

3. Create the server

   const express = require('express');
   const http = require('http');
   const socketIo = require('socket.io');
      
   const app = express();
   const server = http.createServer(app);
   const io = socketIo(server);
      
   // Your server code here
   

Tutorial 2: Protocol Setup Guide

Learn how to configure industrial protocols on your Vista IoT Gateway.

Protocol Setup Flow

flowchart TD
    A[Access Web Dashboard] --> B[Navigate to Protocols Tab]
    B --> C{Select Protocol}
    C -->|MQTT| D[Configure MQTT Broker]
    C -->|Modbus| E[Configure Modbus Devices]
    C -->|OPC-UA| F[Configure OPC-UA Servers]
    C -->|DNP3| G[Configure DNP3 Outstations]
    
    D --> H[Set Broker Settings]
    E --> I[Add Device Endpoints]
    F --> J[Configure Node Subscriptions]
    G --> K[Set Outstation Parameters]
    
    H --> L[Test Connection]
    I --> L
    J --> L
    K --> L
    
    L --> M{Connection OK?}
    M -->|Yes| N[Save Configuration]
    M -->|No| O[Check Settings]
    O --> C
    N --> P[Apply & Restart]

MQTT Configuration

1. Enable MQTT Broker

   protocols:
     mqtt:
       enabled: true
       broker:
         internal: true
         port: 1883
         ssl_enabled: false
   

2. Configure Topics

   topics:
     telemetry: "vista/{device_id}/telemetry"
     attributes: "vista/{device_id}/attributes"
     commands: "vista/{device_id}/commands"
   

3. Test MQTT Connection

   # Publish test message
   mosquitto_pub -h 192.168.1.100 -t "vista/test/telemetry" -m '{"temperature": 25.5}'
      
   # Subscribe to messages
   mosquitto_sub -h 192.168.1.100 -t "vista/+/telemetry"
   

Modbus Configuration

1. Add Modbus Device

   protocols:
     modbus:
       enabled: true
       servers:
         - name: "plc_line_1"
           host: "192.168.1.50"
           port: 502
           timeout: 5
           devices:
             - unit_id: 1
               name: "temperature_sensor"
               registers:
                 - address: 0
                   function_code: 4
                   data_type: "float32"
                   tag_name: "temperature"
   

2. Register Mapping | Address | Function Code | Data Type | Description | |———|—————|———–|————-| | 0-99 | 4 (Input Registers) | int16/float32 | Sensor readings | | 100-199 | 3 (Holding Registers) | int16 | Configuration | | 200-299 | 1 (Coils) | bool | Digital outputs |

OPC-UA Configuration

1. Add OPC-UA Server

   protocols:
     opcua:
       enabled: true
       servers:
         - name: "automation_server"
           endpoint: "opc.tcp://192.168.1.60:4840"
           security_mode: "None"
           subscriptions:
             - node_id: "ns=2;i=2"
               display_name: "Motor_Speed"
               sampling_interval: 1000
   

2. Node Browsing

   from opcua import Client
      
   client = Client("opc.tcp://192.168.1.60:4840")
   client.connect()
      
   # Browse available nodes
   root = client.get_root_node()
   objects = client.get_objects_node()
   print("Available objects:")
   for child in objects.get_children():
       print(f"  {child.get_display_name()}: {child.nodeid}")
   

Tutorial 3: Network Configuration

Configure network settings for industrial environments.

Network Topology Setup

graph TB
    subgraph "Enterprise Network"
        Internet[Internet]
        Router[Router]
        Switch1[Management Switch]
    end
    
    subgraph "Industrial Network"
        Switch2[Industrial Switch]
        Gateway[Vista IoT Gateway]
        PLC1[PLC 1]
        PLC2[PLC 2]
        HMI[HMI]
    end
    
    Internet --> Router
    Router --> Switch1
    Router --> Switch2
    Switch2 --> Gateway
    Switch2 --> PLC1
    Switch2 --> PLC2
    Switch2 --> HMI
    
    style Gateway fill:#f96,stroke:#333,stroke-width:3px

Static IP Configuration

1. Configure Ethernet

   networking:
     ethernet:
       enabled: true
       interface: "eth0"
       dhcp: false
       static_ip: "192.168.20.100"
       netmask: "255.255.255.0"
       gateway: "192.168.20.1"
       dns_servers:
         - "8.8.8.8"
         - "8.8.4.4"
   

2. Firewall Configuration

   firewall:
     enabled: true
     ssh_port: 22
     web_dashboard_port: 8080
     allowed_protocols:
       - "mqtt"    # Port 1883
       - "modbus"  # Port 502
       - "opcua"   # Port 4840
       - "dnp3"    # Port 20000
   

Tutorial 4: Data Flow Implementation

Implement end-to-end data flow from field devices to cloud.

Data Processing Pipeline

sequenceDiagram
    participant Device as Field Device
    participant Protocol as Protocol Handler
    participant Processor as Data Processor
    participant MQTT as MQTT Broker
    participant Cloud as Cloud Platform
    
    Device->>Protocol: Raw sensor data
    Protocol->>Processor: Parsed data
    Processor->>Processor: Validate & normalize
    Processor->>MQTT: JSON payload
    MQTT->>Cloud: Telemetry data
    
    Note over Device,Cloud: Real-time data flow

Data Transformation

1. Raw Data Input

   {
     "modbus_register_0": 235,
     "modbus_register_1": 602,
     "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
   }
   

2. Processed Output

   {
     "device_id": "plc_line_1",
     "temperature": 23.5,
     "humidity": 60.2,
     "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
     "location": "Factory Floor 1",
     "quality": "good"
   }
   

Tutorial 5: Security Implementation

Secure your Vista IoT Gateway for production deployment.

Security Checklist

• Enable UFW firewall
• Configure SSL/TLS certificates
• Set up VPN access
• Enable MQTT authentication
• Configure OPC-UA security
• Regular security updates
• Log monitoring
• Backup procedures

SSL/TLS Configuration

1. Generate SSL Certificate

   sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048 \
     -keyout /etc/ssl/private/vista-iot.key \
     -out /etc/ssl/certs/vista-iot.crt
   

2. Configure HTTPS

   web_dashboard:
     ssl_enabled: true
     ssl_cert: "/etc/ssl/certs/vista-iot.crt"
     ssl_key: "/etc/ssl/private/vista-iot.key"
     port: 8443
   

Tutorial 6: Troubleshooting Common Issues

Connection Issues

1. MQTT Connection Failed

   # Check MQTT broker status
   sudo systemctl status mosquitto
      
   # Test broker connectivity
   mosquitto_pub -h localhost -t test -m "hello"
      
   # Check firewall rules
   sudo ufw status
   

2. Modbus Connection Timeout

   # Test network connectivity
   ping 192.168.1.50
      
   # Check port accessibility
   nmap -p 502 192.168.1.50
      
   # Verify Modbus configuration
   modpoll -m tcp -a 1 -r 1 -c 10 192.168.1.50
   

3. OPC-UA Security Issues

   # Check OPC-UA server status
   netstat -tlnp | grep :4840
      
   # Test with OPC client
   opcua-client opc.tcp://192.168.1.60:4840
   

Performance Optimization

1. Monitor System Resources

   # Check CPU and memory usage
   htop
      
   # Monitor disk usage
   df -h
      
   # Check network throughput
   iftop
   

2. Optimize Protocol Settings
   • Adjust polling intervals
   • Optimize register mappings
   • Configure appropriate timeouts
   • Use efficient data types

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🔧 Need Help? Check our API Reference for detailed technical information or visit our Contributing Guide to connect with the development team.