iMX8 IoT gateway offers power and cyber-security
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Oct 25, 2021
Advanced computing performance, strengthened cyber security, and custom configurability are must-haves in an IoT gateway. The IOT-GATE-iMX8 combines these qualities with extra flexibility through custom add-on boards to meet the unique needs of your digital transformation project.
How Can I Choose a Flexible Yet Simple Gateway for my Enterprise-IoT Project?
Flexibility and simple convenience can be hard to find in the same package. More features and options often impose more complexity. When it comes to equipment like an IoT device, extra sophistication can also increase cost and power consumption. On the other hand, flexibility is essential in an infrastructure to support enterprise digital transformation. The overall project goals can be fluid, particularly at the beginning, and the supporting technology must allow you to adapt and scale as the objectives become better defined and more ambitious.
If you’re building out an IoT network and need a flexible gateway to connect with enterprise servers or the cloud, CompuLab’s IOT-GATE-iMX8 Industrial IoT Gateway combines the computing power and efficiency of NXP’s i.MX 8 application processor family with rich connectivity and flexible, optional features. We think this will be the gateway of choice for many enterprise IoT projects.
There is support for Bluetooth® 5.1 and Wi-Fi to connect endpoints wirelessly to the IOT-GATE-iMX8X, USB, mini PCIe, and LAN connections (of course) with optional Power over Ethernet (PoE) support. A cellular modem with micro SIM socket simplifies connecting to the Internet from any location with GSM coverage, while built-in GNSS helps you track portable and mobile applications.
What Gives the IOT-GATE-iMX8 Gateway its Flexibility?
The IOT-GATE-iMX8 offers various options and opportunities to expand the functionality. You can customise the connectivity at the time of ordering by selecting optional add-on cards that are factory-installed and ready to work out of the box. You can choose CAN-FD, extra RS-485/232 ports, two analog 4–20mA inputs, and extra digital I/O comprising up to four inputs and four outputs.
These standard add-on cards must be specified at the time of ordering, they cannot be ordered separately to retrofit.
However, the IOT-GATE-iMX8X expansion allows access to signals that let us create alternative custom add-on boards leveraging the competencies we have in-house at Anders. If you need to connect a display for interacting with the gateway, for example, that’s our speciality. Because the expansion connections provide access to the i.MX 8 processor’s multifunctional pins, we can create a variety of add-on boards with custom features such as extra GPIOs or UART, I2C, and USB 2.0 connections.
So, it offers a great combination of efficiency and straightforward ease of use, with opportunities to customise and scale the application.
What Security Features are Built into the IOT-GATE-iMX8?
Cyber security for IoT devices is becoming increasingly rigorously addressed by equipment manufacturers and solution developers. The IOT-GATE-iMX8 benefits from the i.MX 8M Mini’s High-Assurance Boot (HAB) that checks digital signatures to ensure only authentic code is allowed to run.
What’s more, the IOT-GATE-iMX8 comes with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) built-in, which represents a major step forward in ensuring the strongest possible cyber security for gateway devices.
What are Typical Applications of the IOT-GATE-iMX8?
The IOT-GATE-iMX8 is ready to use in a variety of industrial control and monitoring applications, throughout smart buildings, smart cities, smart infrastructure, and smart factories aka Industry 4.0.
The computing power of the i.MX 8M Mini applications processor provides a strong foundation for an intelligent edge device, and there is broad support for software geared towards handling Big Data, including Docker, Microsoft Azure IoT, and BalenaOS.
The rugged aluminium enclosure and wide operating-temperature range withstand harsh industrial environments. Its fanless design maximises reliability and eliminates ingress of substances such as moisture, corrosive chemicals, dust, or conductive debris. The DIN rail mounting eases use in factory automation and intelligent condition monitoring, and product longevity is guaranteed for 15 years.
