Splunk Edge Hub device is a multi-component solution that includes a hardware device coupled with the Splunk platform and solutions that our partners build on top of both. It is a powerful tool that can help collect, distribute and act on data from edge devices and sensors, making it easier to capture and act on data that can be difficult to access physically or digitally. In this article I will discuss a few use-cases with external sensors as well as the out of the box sensors shipped with the Edge Hub device. The Splunk Edge Hub device’s screen lets you observe sensor data in-person, in the Splunk Mobile and AR apps, as well as on the Splunk platform.
Splunk Edge Hub is able to gather data from a variety of sources including:
I was able to bring an Edge Hub device to the Black Rock Desert to monitor critical systems of support infrastructure of an art installation. I believe it was a great opportunity to see how the Edge Hub device’s environmentally resistant enclosure would hold up. The environmental conditions are generally hot and dusty. The normal environmental conditions can stress even the most robust equipment and infrastructure. I was not expecting to test how well the device’s shelter held up in a rainstorm. In hindsight a water leak detection sensor could have been useful too! The Edge Hub device was valuable in monitoring and observing support infrastructure and providing data to derive insights in the future using Splunk platform or processed for additional analysis.
My goals in the use of the Edge Hub and Splunk Enterprise server installation were to integrate with an energy meter which emits MQTT messages, and to gather data from the out of the box sensors. I was able to get all of the monitoring equipment and sensors set up as expected in the lab but did run into a few unexpected issues in the field, due to networking equipment. This didn't stop me from gathering a lot of other interesting data from the Edge Hub device.
Figure 1-1. This displays the Splunk Edge Hub device installed to monitor infrastructure, a dashboard and the edge hub product and its box placed outside of the installation.
The Splunk Edge Hub device monitored critical infrastructure equipment for an off-grid art museum building which illuminated its galleries from sunset to sunrise. This was important for both the usability of the galleries at night, as well as to ensure no passing vehicles accidentally bump into it during a time of low visibility. It was great to have confidence that there would be enough power reserves in the battery banks to power lights all night. If there was a cloudy or dusty day and production was low we could plan to use additional fuel for back-up generators if utilized.
The project was able to run on solar power successfully with a bit of maintenance to keep things clean. Edge Hub kept on going throughout the week even with dust, heat and moisture in the air.
The device collected data through the heat of the day, dust storms and rain storms. When there was no Splunk Enterprise server to connect to the Edge Hub device, it was able to successfully backfill data when the Splunk Enterprise server was online again. The device survived the burning hot sun, dust everywhere and rain showering down all around. I was interested in making sure that sensitive equipment stayed dust free, dry and functional. The infrastructure building was successful in keeping the temperature low enough for our batteries to charge. High temperatures can cause the solar generators batteries to stop charging efficiently, so keeping an eye on it was important. The Edge Hub device’s sensor data was easily available to view on the screen so we could validate the temperature, humidity and pressure and external sensors. As the weather changed from hot and dusty to rain with the Edge Hub device recorded sensor data and events for us. This data will help in forecasting future energy needs for similarly sized projects.
Monitoring energy generation of critical support infrastructure was important for a number of reasons, including it being off-grid as well as:
Figure 1-2. This displays the Splunk Edge Hub device metrics displayed in the Splunk Platform. The graphs note sensor data for Temperature, Humidity, Sound, Acceleration and other sensors.
Having more data can help you derive insights; using the Splunk platform makes it easily attainable to utilize more of your data. These insights can help you in getting the most out of your infrastructure, processes, or services. In turn it also can lead to increased visibility and observability of systems and processes. The Splunk platform helps in establishing a historical record, and Splunk Edge Hub solution provides a repeatable methodology for capturing data from sensors.
Sensor data can help one’s organization take action on insights, the Splunk Edge Hub and Splunk platform can help you:
Splunk Edge Hub is sold exclusively through Edge Hub Central; to learn more about this and to explore solutions that partners can create using Splunk Edge Hub, visit edgehubcentral.com today. Splunk Edge Hub is currently offered on a Limited Availability Release in the United States, with plans to expand to other regions in the future.
This blog post was authored by Adam Schalock, Observability Solutions Innovation Engineer at Splunk.
The Splunk platform removes the barriers between data and action, empowering observability, IT and security teams to ensure their organizations are secure, resilient and innovative.
Founded in 2003, Splunk is a global company — with over 7,500 employees, Splunkers have received over 1,020 patents to date and availability in 21 regions around the world — and offers an open, extensible data platform that supports shared data across any environment so that all teams in an organization can get end-to-end visibility, with context, for every interaction and business process. Build a strong data foundation with Splunk.