Node Server Support

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Teken
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Node Server Support

Post by Teken » Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:09 am

I wanted to let the Brultech team know UDI the maker of the ISY Series Controller will be entering Beta trials for 5.XX firmware early in 2017. The 4.XX branch firmware will be halted at some point and the 5.XX firmware branch will be the official platform moving forward.

This means node server support and many more features will be present and thus hope very much the Brultech team can leverage this new integration with either the GEM or DB.

Having native support without the need for middleware like a RPi bridge would benefit many.

Lastly, I can not stress enough that all 32 channels, 8 temp, 4 pulse, voltage, and current (amps) for each channel be represented in the nodes. Doing so offers the most insight, data, and use case scenarios for those of us pushing the energy management envelope!

Thank You!


=========================

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Teken . . .

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bgrubb1
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by bgrubb1 » Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:29 am

I am currently running Nodelink on a RPi feeding data to the ISY on beta 5x software using format 14
I doubt the GEM has the horsepower to act as a node server natively, but I would think it would be relatively easy to host nodelink on a DB
Ben, if you are interested, I can give you credentials to remote in to my dev ISY box
...Barry
ben
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by ben » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:09 pm

I'm not sure if the GEM will be able send these packets off by itself.

Last time we looked, you needed to send a separate request for each node. Which would mean 44 HTTP requests for each packet.

We would need to be able to chain all channels into a single packet for this to be possible.
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
mwareman
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by mwareman » Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:31 am

ben wrote: Last time we looked, you needed to send a separate request for each node. Which would mean 44 HTTP requests for each packet.

We would need to be able to chain all channels into a single packet for this to be possible.
Surely only if all 44 channels changed...? I think the idea is to send only channels that change.

Dosn't Dashbox already send seperate requests to ISY when writing variables? How would this be any different..?

A Dashbox based ISY Nodeserver would be AWESOME!! *Please* make this happen!
Teken
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by Teken » Wed Dec 07, 2016 10:09 am

For me the overall intent of the node server was to be able to see, use, and track the missing elements in the ISY Series Controller. In the past there was discussion of including the missing packets which are current, temps, pulse.

The Dash Box is indeed a nice bridge to fill that gap via its State Variable Support.

This was the primary driver for me to help the Brultech team develop this area so it would offer more flexibility to the general public. Ideally what I am looking for is native data support that can mimic the ZigBee support I already have in place.

The last few iterations of the DB firmware has made the State Variables for the ISY Series Controller very robust but still falls short in some areas. There was discussion last year that the missing data packets of amps, temp, pulse, just needed more development time to include.

If that is the case I hope very much 2017 can set aside some development time to do so for the GEM. If its easier to include the amps via the DB through State Variables that is a OK compromise too.

My intent and goal has always been to make the two hardware devices as tight as possible. Its safe to say UDI has no intention in investing anymore development time for the GEM. As there has been zero updates to the core services for years with respect to the GEM to ISY integration.

The reality is none of the features so many people have come to love about the GEM / ISY Energy Management has come at the behest of me directly. If I had not pushed the company to develop the GEM to be fully integrated with the ISY Series Controller it would still be hobbled to only support the seven channels on the ECM-1240! :| :evil:

Its safe to say with out Ben & Paul's direct support over the many years. None of what I have been able to accomplish in the ISY Series Controller could have happen. :P

Ultimately I would like to see the last mile be completed in the GEM to support the missing data packets which are temp, pulse, and amps for all channels. The ask for node support was my way of perhaps cheating the system in hopes of getting that same missing data into the ISY Series Controller. :mrgreen:

As of this writing there is no hard ETA for Beta 5.XX firmware besides *Sometime in 2017*. :roll: :?

Given the Brultech team has been able to offer no less than 100 features and enhancements in the DB & GEM combinations over the last 24 months. My hopes are Team Brultech can do it again and save the day as they have proven so many times in the past.

I won't hold my breath to see the very same from UDI because five years have come and gone and nothing since I first initiated this process has changed. :shock:
Teken . . .

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ben
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by ben » Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:10 am

It's definitely possible with the DashBox. Amps and kWh actually look more suitable for nodes vs state variables looking at their development guide, something along of lines of:

/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/power/1000/w
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/amp/8.3/a
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/energy/1/kwh
...
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/power/120/w
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/amp/1/a
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/energy/0.12/kwh
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
Teken
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by Teken » Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:27 am

ben wrote:It's definitely possible with the DashBox. Amps and kWh actually look more suitable for nodes vs state variables looking at their development guide, something along of lines of:

/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/power/1000/w
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/amp/8.3/a
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/energy/1/kwh
...
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/power/120/w
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/amp/1/a
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/energy/0.12/kwh
That looks great but am unsure how your example would materialize in the ISY Series Controller. Specifically I will try to offer some insight for those who are trying to follow what is being asked for and for those potential buyers wishing to enter the energy monitoring / energy management game.

My reply is specific to the integration of the ISY Series Controller to the following Brultech hardware devices: Dash Box, Green Eye Monitor

1. Assuming a person had nothing and was starting from scratch the ideal method for real time energy data is via the GEM using ZigBee to connect to the ISY Series Controller. This method offers native nodes with in the ISY Series Controller and offers the tightest integration between the two hardware pieces.

The current limitation is that it doesn't offer native support to see and use: Temp, Pulse, Amps

2. Assuming the person had read all of the information on the Interwebs. They would have quickly found out if they purchased the DB with the GEM. They could use the DB to send *State Variables* to the ISY Series Controller.

This injects all 32 channels, temp, pulse, volts, and weather.

Going this route also frees up the ISY Series Controller for those wanting to use Z-Wave as a secondary HA hardware protocol to bolster Insteon. The only down side to using the DB via state variables is that its not native and real time and relies heavily on state change.

Using this method also depending upon the amount of network connected devices presents a large load on the ISY Series Controller and thus can impact its operations and performance.

3. Node Server: With 3rd party software and middle ware like a RPi a person can almost have both of best worlds. As the data is retrieved by the RPi from the GEM and relayed to the ISY Series Controller in kind.

Going this route avoids losing the ability to use Z-Wave, offers internal nodes represented in the device tree. But I am unsure how real time this information is and what channels this concept supports such as: temp, pulse, amps, voltage, etc?

Also, what type of integration it has with using these nodes in programs is unclear to me? Other considerations to consider is another point of failure in the system(s).

Barry?
Teken . . .

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mwareman
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by mwareman » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:49 pm

ben wrote:It's definitely possible with the DashBox. Amps and kWh actually look more suitable for nodes vs state variables looking at their development guide, something along of lines of:

/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/power/1000/w
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/amp/8.3/a
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM1/report/status/energy/1/kwh
...
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/power/120/w
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/amp/1/a
/rest/ns/#/nodes/GEM32/report/status/energy/0.12/kwh
Be aware that some may have more than one GEM hooked up to a Dashbox, or even more than one Dashbox. There should probably be some instance identifier.
Teken
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: Node Server Support

Post by Teken » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:55 pm

To further add *Ideally* there should be a method to select what channels, temp, pulse, current, is sent out to the end points.
Teken . . .

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ralbrightii
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Re: Node Server Support

Post by ralbrightii » Thu May 07, 2020 8:54 pm

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread... but has there been any movement on this. I would love to be able to implement a node server for my GEM without having to rely on a third party application (io_guy's NodeLink, nice software, but want to avoid the middleman)
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