Software and Firmware Updates to Installed IIOT devices Over the Air

In industrial IoT applications, many systems are safety-critical and require continuous updating to meet high technical requirements to quality, security, and efficiency for functional safety standards. Software update to such IoT (edge computing) devices is a core part of the device management system. That is where over-the-air (OTA) software update functionality comes in.

OTA (over-the-air) stands for a new technological way of delivering software and firmware updates to remotely connected hardware over the internet. Over-the-air technology eliminates the requirement of physical connection between edge devices to install updates. 

Need 

IoT is evolving day by day. Thus, a robust OTA update mechanism is very crucial for deploying a successful IoT system. 

• Traditional methods are time-consuming, tedious, and require manual interventions.
• The traditional methods do not scale beyond the development phase and fail to update the dispersed devices. It means missing everything from critical security patches and bug fixes to the latest product features.
• Having remote software update capabilities ensure a secure IoT as it gives IoT projects a fighting chance against Pandora’s box that they opened the moment their devices got connected. From that moment, these devices are at the forefront of IT security threats.
• OTA software update saves IT staff time and effort as they can push updates to a fleet of devices at once
  

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OTA technology for eLIXA

OTA software update for eLIXA devices provides a platform to update eLIXA devices with the latest soft-wares and configurations remotely. Thus, we can easily overcome the limitations and provide the following features: -

Architecture: - 

• OTA software update platform uses standalone IP-based infrastructure for managing edge devices. 

Device Maintenance: - 

• OTA software update platform increases the speed of deployment and can update a fleet of devices at once.
• It reduces security risk and maintains high performance for each device. 

Faster time-to-market: -

• OTA software update reduces the new software deployment time-span.
• Developers can test new features on selected devices and deploy very frequently, knowing that the products will remain stable. Firmware updates can be dispatched even when the device is still on the production line. 

Continuous improvements: -

• Bugs fixes, enhancing product behavior after the devices are with customers are easy to execute. It can potentially eliminate costly recalls and in-person maintenance.

Improved flexibility and scalability: - 

• OTA software update platform has the ability firmware version-control. 
• Integration of new features, change in functionality as per customer requirements becomes easy.
• Standalone device management with unique configurations per industry is possible.

Security: -

• Authentication: Every device has separate authentication.
• Secure communication channel:  All OTA updates are over encrypted communication channels.
• Update integrity check: device validates the software downloaded via OTA update before installation.
• A system that deploys gateways for an OTA update is reliable and secure.

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Benefits

• OTA updates act immediately to keep the implementation robust and ensure data protection.
• OTA updates also reduce maintenance costs as you manage the firmware updates from a remote platform.
• OTAs allow quickly correct security vulnerabilities.
• They Increase scalability by adding new features and infrastructure to the products after their launch.

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Conclusion

With OTA software update for the edge computing device, Haber has achieved faster implementation by standardizing the device management process, which resulted in gaining the high performance, efficiency, scalability, and flexibility of the eLIXA device.

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