Process and visualize data with SiteWise Edge and open-source tools - AWS IoT SiteWise
Deployment optionsWind farm example overviewRequirements for open-source integrationsSecurity considerationsOther considerationsTroubleshooting open-source integrations

Process and visualize data with SiteWise Edge and open-source tools

Configure AWS IoT SiteWise Edge MQTT-enabled gateways with open-source tools for local processing and visualization to enhance your industrial data management capabilities.

With SiteWise Edge, you can create a local data processing pipeline using external, open-source tools. Use Node-RED® to store time-series data with InfluxDB®, and monitor operations through Grafana® dashboards.

Node-RED processes and transforms your data flows, while InfluxDB provides time-series data storage. Grafana displays your real-time operational data. Use these tools with SiteWise Edge to synchronize data between your local environment and the AWS Cloud, giving you both immediate local insights and long-term cloud-based analytics capabilities.

Note

Node-RED®, InfluxDB®, and Grafana® are not vendors or suppliers for SiteWise Edge.

A diagram that shows a few data sources and the turbine simulator connecting to the EMQX Broker to publish. Then the EMQX broker subscribes to the AWS IoT SiteWise Gateway and Node-RED. Node-RED feeds into InfluxDB, and then Influx DB into the Grafana Dashboard.
Note

In this guide, we're using the open-source version of Grafana for SiteWise Edge as opposed to the Amazon Managed Grafana service.

Deployment options

You can deploy this solution using one of two approaches. With a Microsoft Windows manual setup, you control component configuration and integration with your infrastructure. With Linux, you can use Docker to deploy pre-configured components in containers.

Choose the method that meets your operational requirements.

Wind farm example overview

This guide uses a wind farm example to demonstrate how you can monitor wind speed for a turbine on a wind farm. This practical scenario illustrates common industrial monitoring needs where both local and cloud-based visibility are valuable for operational efficiency.

With this integration, you can:

  • Collect data from industrial equipment using an AWS IoT SiteWise Edge gateway

  • Process data locally with Node-RED, InfluxDB, and Grafana

  • Store data locally using InfluxDB

  • Monitor data in real time using Grafana dashboards

Throughout this guide, we use the example of a windfarm. We use Node-RED to simulate a turbine that generates wind speed data. Node-RED translates the data payload, publishes the data to the SiteWise Edge MQTT broker, subscribes to receive data from the broker, and stores the data locally in InfluxDB. This approach ensures that all of the operational data is available both locally for immediate access and in the cloud for further analytics. By implementing this pattern, you gain resilience against network disruptions while maintaining the ability to perform advanced analytics in the AWS Cloud. Grafana connects to InfluxDB for local monitoring, providing operators with real-time visibility into metrics without cloud dependencies. A SiteWise Edge MQTT-enabled gateway connects to the same MQTT broker to send data to AWS IoT SiteWise, creating a bridge between your edge operations and cloud-based services.

You can use your own data and configurations to create a similar workflow tailored to your specific industrial requirements, whether you're monitoring manufacturing equipment, utility infrastructure, or other industrial assets.

Requirements for open-source integrations

Before implementing open-source integrations with SiteWise Edge, ensure your environment meets the necessary requirements.

Security considerations

We recommend that you encrypt all communications between components, especially when accessing interfaces from non-local networks. Implement proper access controls for each component and follow AWS best practices for AWS IoT SiteWise Edge gateway configuration and AWS account security.

Development environment

This guide demonstrates Node-RED, InfluxDB, and Grafana running and accessed locally on a gateway host. For production deployments that require external access, implement security measures including TLS encryption, authentication, and authorization. Follow each application's security best practices.

Third-party software

This solution uses third-party software not maintained by AWS, including InfluxDB, Node-RED, Grafana, and the node-red-contrib-influxdb plugin. Before deployment, ensure these components comply with your organization's security requirements, compliance standards, and governance policies.

Important

This guide references and uses third-party software not owned or maintained by AWS. Before implementation, ensure that all components meet your security, compliance, and governance requirements. Keep all software updated with the latest security patches and follow best practices for securing your edge deployment.

InfluxDB, Node-RED, Grafana are not vendors or suppliers for SiteWise Edge.

Other considerations

Consider these additional factors when implementing open-source integrations with SiteWise Edge.

  • Use the latest versions of all services, tools, and components.

  • Filter and aggregate data locally before cloud transmission to reduce AWS IoT SiteWise data ingestion costs. Configure appropriate data retention periods in InfluxDB and properly size your gateway hardware. For more information, see AWS IoT SiteWise pricing.

  • Implement regular backup procedures for all data.

  • Monitor resource usage on your gateway and configure appropriate resource limits for each component. Implement data retention policies in InfluxDB to manage disk usage.

Troubleshooting open-source integrations

For more information on troubleshooting topics related to open source integrations for SiteWise Edge gateways, see Troubleshooting open-source integrations at the Edge.