Sierra Monitor’s FieldPoP device cloud IIoT uses remote connectivity to improve comfort, productivity

Sierra Monitor, provider of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions that connect and protect high-value infrastructure assets, recently announced that Lencore, vendor of comfort and safety solutions to modern commercial workplaces will use the FieldPoP device cloud as a foundation for its cloud strategy.

Lencore, based out of Woodbury, New York, offers sound masking along with emergency notification solutions to modern workplaces as to make them more productive and safe.

FieldPoP is a-cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) “freemium” offering. FieldPoP works with Sierra Monitor’s FieldServer IIoT family of protocol gateways, routers, and explorers. Customers that use any FieldServer product are eligible to set up an account on and take advantage of FieldPoP. If users are looking to connect industrial devices or systems to the cloud, look no further than the FieldServer IIoT gateway and the companion FieldPoP device cloud.

The Sierra Monitor’s own Sentry IT Controllers for gas monitoring and remediation use an embedded FieldServer IIoT Gateway called Sentry InSite to connect to FieldPoP and allow for remote connectivity by facility managers and service providers.

Each installation consists of a head-end controller that networks with input sources like microphones, telephones, music systems, fire alarm systems and public emergency notification systems, and output devices such as speakers, visual indicators, and paging horns distributed across the facility.

Modern workspaces are moving towards open and flexible environments, but the need for collaboration must be balanced with the employees’ need to focus on individual tasks. Additionally, shared and open workspaces must not compromise safety.

Typically, the head-end controller is accessed, managed, and supported by the installer and the facility manager locally within the facility. However, Lencore is introducing a “FieldPoP-Enabled” connector in their next-generation head-end controller that will automatically and securely register and connect the controller to the FieldPoP device cloud over the facility’s Internet connection, thereby creating a virtual instance of the physical controller. Facility managers, installers, and Lencore support professionals will be able to remotely interact with their assigned systems through the FieldPoP device cloud.

The benefits of secure remote connectivity are manifold. Individual employees can make changes to their personal spaces, security personnel can use it to send critical messages, and facility managers can make configuration changes and perform preventive maintenance upgrades remotely.

Unlike many device clouds that insist that all field data be sent to the cloud and that all intelligence reside in the cloud, the FieldServer – FieldPoP architecture is one that supports distributed control and recognizes that some applications are better run in the field. Some in the industry also refer to such local applications as “fog” applications to distinguish them from applications that run in the cloud.

With this architectural philosophy that recognizes the importance of local applications; FieldPoP provides users a method to access these local applications through the cloud, no matter where they might be physically located.

The FieldServer Graphical User Interface (FS -GUI) which runs on all FieldServer products allows users to check status and diagnostics including such information as network settings, connection status, node information, map descriptors, and error messages. In addition to information about the FieldServer product itself, the FS-GUI also sheds light on the status and health of the devices connected to it.

“Commercial office spaces are being redesigned due to generational and attitudinal shifts in work culture,” said Jonathan Leonard, President of Lencore. “Our products are enabling this transition, and cloud-enabling our system using FieldPoP is a key step in our innovation roadmap.”

“We are working with more than 20 OEMs in our beta and proof-of-concept program to understand customer use cases and to prepare FieldPoP for commercial deployment,” said Varun Nagaraj, CEO of Sierra Monitor. “I am pleased to see our program starting to bear fruit, with several customers including Lencore deciding to IIoT-Empower their solutions with our FieldServer gateway and FieldPoP device cloud.”

 


IoT Innovator Newsletter

Get the latest updates and industry news in your inbox! Enter your email address and name below to be the first to know.

Name