Connect the Edge: Introducing the Hera 604 router

Delivering value on the frontline

For any IoT deployment, the edge is where it all happens. This is where users and customers interact with your solution to access and benefit from your products or services. It’s where data originates, and where the enablement that IoT delivers – to whoever your target market or users may be – manifests its value.

Looked at another way, the edge is the frontline. With multiple factors in play – a widespread sensor ecosystem, data security, connection reliability – seamless, continuous service is mission critical, whatever your goals, ensuring it for your IoT estate, and guaranteeing it for your customers. The pinpoint of focus in all this is the router. It’s the connection between devices, between the edge and the core, data and insight, customers and your brand.

No weak link in any chain, anywhere

One slip on the frontline can erode customer confidence. In today’s technology age, people expect and demand faultless service, particularly from technologically-powered machines.

A problem at the point of purchase or point of use can result in the customer or user looking elsewhere. Once they do, and they find a reliable alternative – which only has to function properly the first time they try it – the relationship is broken. The customer is conceivably lost forever.

It may sound like a worst-case scenario, and it may never come to that. Better than hoping that it will not, however, is planning that it cannot; that where anything can go wrong, you have anticipated for it in the planning of your project; you have ensured, step-by-step through your project planning, best-in-class device design, and advanced connectivity with greater than 99% availability.

From edge to cloud

The Hera 604 router, from Eseye, enables you to deliver confidently on your customer promise, harnessing data to drive a superior customer experience.

The Hera 604 is a router with more than just routing capabilities. It is an embedded application edge gateway device.

Standard and custom apps can be deployed on the Hera 604 and customized to pre-process, store and publish your customer data at the edge, while publishing the desired data to the cloud.

It enables you to:

• Provide remote serial data access
• Collect data from a Modbus-enabled control panel
• Publish data to the Cloud
• Analyze serial data flows in real-time
• Log data
• Reconcile transactions to enable detection
• Generate anomaly alerts in real-time

With over 15 years’ experience in the IoT industry, delivering more than 1,000 IoT projects for customers, we’ve learned the hard lessons and know the pitfalls to watch out for.

Over-the-air (OTA) definition: In IoT, OTA refers to the wireless transmission of software, firmware, or configuration updates to IoT devices, enabling remote maintenance and upgrades without the need for physical access.

Connectivity matters

Three principal considerations must be addressed in establishing a robust and reliable localized infrastructure at the IoT point of delivery:

Reliable Connectivity

Routers are prerequisites for stationary IoT devices, such as coffee dispensing
machines; devices and machines that need continuous access to high-speed, secure, and reliable connectivity. They can also be used on smart portable devices. Connectivity needs to be highly resilient and work globally wherever the device is deployed.

Security

The threat of cyberattacks is a reality for any network and any IoT ecosystem. It is
combatted by cybersecurity measures not just for the physical device, but also for applications and the connectivity between devices and external systems.

Maintenance & Management

To minimize maintenance requirements, a robust device ensures increased longevity and lower costs.

Predictive maintenance can be undertaken via remote access to vital
data; identifying potential problems and scheduling timely maintenance to reduce downtime. It enables rapid response diagnosis and swift corrections of malfunctions from either the operator or the support team.

Consistent performance

The many environments in which your IoT deployment will operate are unlikely to be uniform. Offering a truly local service implies that your connected devices and sensors will be subjected to local variations in operating conditions. Yet to tailor each implementation to individual requirements is a less-than-feasible business model; both commercially and operationally. Consistent performance is vital. It can be easier than you may think to ensure it.

Always ready for action

A full lifecycle of design, prototyping, integration, validation, testing and certification services to help you get device connectivity and design right the first time.

The optimum approach is to standardize the implementation to meet all extremes and conditions, ready to contend with the worst-case scenario (something going wrong) and deliver service continuity (as close to zero downtime as technologically possible). Once again, look to the router. Better still; depend on it.

A reliable, resilient connectivity solution provides the highest possible levels of coverage and availability, ensuring high uptime for your devices, low maintenance, and continuous delivery of the best possible customer experience.

Location | Location | Location

The Eseye approach

The importance of location is relevant in every business with a customer face. It is more important in IoT deployments, where that face doesn’t take human form. The success of the function, when located at the edge, is dependent in equal measure on connectivity and specialist hardware.

Since 2007, Eseye has been at the forefront of developing technology that enables the IoT to function anywhere. Our Hera 604 router fulfills a pivotal role in this development, integrated into thousands of devices all over the world.

The Eseye Hera 604 out-of-the-box router

Adaptable for a variety of use cases, the Hera 604 router aggregates multiple sensors, different units, and data points. Adopted by companies like Costa Express and Gilbarco Veeder Root, Eseye’s high-speed Hera 604 router is a managed M2M-Grade AnyNet 3G/4G Ethernet/Wi-Fi router that works seamlessly in conjunction with our embedded multi- IMSI AnyNet+ eSIM to provide highly resilient worldwide cellular connectivity.

The Eseye AnyNet+ eSIM

An eUICC compliant, embedded multi-IMSI AnyNet+ eSIM enables automatic mobile connectivity to deliver near 100% connectivity uptime, across 190 countries. With zero-touch management and advanced security features including private APN and VPN connections, the AnyNet+ eSIM reduces both the risk and TCO of your global IoT deployment.

Tough | Secure | Plug and Play

Quick start for faster value

When your decision is made to rollout out your proposition to the field, there’s no time to waste. Rapid deployment drives faster time to value. The Eseye 604 router comes pre-configured for your application. Our Service Delivery and Customer Success teams work with you to build the outof- the-box configuration. This configuration is then installed as the factory default for all units Eseye delivers, ensuring the best-out ofthe- box experience and almost eliminating the requirement for configuration during installation.

With Eseye managed services, connected equipment can be monitored, accessed, and reconfigured, over-the-air, without the need for physical intervention on site.

• Tough: Durable and compact, the Hera 604 router comes housed in a rugged aluminium casing – built to last.
• Plug and Play: Its direct mounting makes installation easy. All Eseye’s specialist IoT hardware comes embedded and precertified with our AnyNet+ eSIM technology and associated Connectivity Management service.
• Secure: The Hera 604 is encryption capable, adhering to Eseye’s strictest standards of quality assurance. Data security is assured, along with connection reliability and continuation of service.

Costa Express

Eseye’s Hera 604 router combined with our multi-IMSI AnyNet+ SIM have enabled Costa Express to deploy their vending machines anywhere in the world and achieve phenomenal business growth:

• Eseye’s Hera 604 router aggregates over 90 sensors from the machine
• AnyNet+ multi-IMSI eSIM technology provides dynamic over-the-air network switching,
  supported by Eseye’s proactive IoT management service
• Costa Express machines have near 100% global connectivity
• An eUICC compliant, embedded multi-IMSI AnyNet+ eSIM enables automatic
  mobile connectivity to deliver near 100% connectivity uptime, across 190 countries.
• Ability to deploy firmware updates to routers over-the-air when new
• functionality is developed and made available.
• Real-time telemetry supports continual operational monitoring at sites.
• Seamless integration between Eseye devices and the IoT Device Management Platform
  enables proactive monitoring of connectivity services.

The four cornerstones of reliability

Meeting every in-field challenge, and ensuring near 100% cellular connectivity uptime globally, the Hera 604 router with embedded Eseye AnyNet+ eSIM card is easy to maintain; remotely monitored, accessed, and reconfigured when required. It ensures connectivity in even the most connectivity-challenged places such as underground carparks or shopping zones, or remotely positioned petrol stations and services areas.

The Hera 604 embodies the spirit of the IoT –global reach, consistency, and continuity

This is technology you can rely on – built from experience and established on four solid cornerstones of reliability worldwide cellular connectivity.

Hardware built to last

The Hera 604 enables you to future-proof your IoT project. It comes with over-the-air switching as standard and can be deployed in the field with minimum intervention or maintenance, with firmware updates installed over-the-air.

• Wired interfaces: 10/100/1000 Mb/s Ethernet autosensing connectors for computers, video cameras, and sensors – ports can be enabled to act as either a local area network or a wide area network link to the internet with cellular configured as a backup.
• Wireless interfaces: There is an option for the Hera 604 to be specified with a Wireless LAN (WLAN) capability to allow computers and telemetry devices to be wirelessly connected.
• Adaptability: Antennas can be fitted to suit the mechanical constraints of the machine in which the Hera 604 is installed and the environment within which it will be used. Eseye provides a range of antennas for this purpose.

Global cellular connectivity (3G/4G)

Using Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM for near 100% cellular connectivity uptime globally, the Hera 604 delivers a higher level of availability than any single MNO proprietary solution or standard eUICC solution from other IoT connectivity providers.

Through the Eseye AnyNet Federation – over 700 network partners collectively providing the localization profiles needed around the world – you can benefit from localization without requiring the migration of the SIM management to a local MNO or having to deal with permanent roaming issues.

• Multi-IMSI: Eseye’s unique multi-IMSI SIM technology, developed in close collaboration with two of the three major SIM card manufacturers, is fully eUICC compliant and allows for dynamic and seamless switching between network profiles.
• Natively integrated with the cloud: Seamless provisioning of data
  from your devices to any of the major cloud providers, gaining fast, simple and secure IoT deployment on a global scale.
• Automatic service provider switching: Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM contains multiple Tier 1 MNO multi-IMSI bootstraps and Step2 profiles. Customized algorithms within the SIM card dynamically select the right profile to deliver the best service. You can also update the SIM post-deployment with the correct profile (IMSI) for whatever location it is deployed in. Coupled with our proprietary Infinity IoT Platform™, we can automatically switch between different.

Security

The Hera 604 puts an end to sleepless nights worrying about what threats may be lingering in the furthest corners of your IoT estate.

• Embedded security: IP filtering, stateful inspection firewall, NAT/NAPT, denial of service (DOS) protection.
• Physical protection: Tamper-proof; Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM is embedded into the
  Hera 604 router.

Diagnostics and maintenance

The Health Monitor application in the Hera 604 router continually checks that a connection is performing as expected. It automatically detects any changes in the performance of a connection and alters the connectivity preferences to enable seamlessly self-managing failover. The Health Monitor can be configured as required:

• General Settings: Detecting failed system polls on WAN interface restart or router reboot, failed interface tests, Ping requests, and DNS requests, and selecting the best WAN interface via a dropdown menu.
• Settings for each WAN interface: Providing editable and read-only information on priority, interface, IP address, DNS, and other actionable features. You can also apply overrides foreach WAN interface.

Deployment support

Eseye offers dedicated deployment management and monitoring, as well as ongoing technical support once your devices are in the field.

Plan to succeed

Ensuring easy and reliable in-field deployment, and continuous cellular connectivity which won’t let you down, is far more complex than many imagine. It’s also the most important phase of all. It is not a case of simply integrating or installing a SIM card. To do so is to invite problems straight in through the front door, which should be an exclusive point of entry for connectivity, not an open house for failure.

Eseye’s specialist deployment team closely monitors devices once deployed to ensure a successful lifetime deployment. Connectivity is not only managed but optimized to achieve the highest uptime available. Eseye’s unique combination of services is based on end-to-end expertise, from device design, optimizing devices for deployment in the field, through to global connectivity with our AnyNet+ eSIM, hosting multiple IMSI profiles with access to over 700 mobile networks. Success for any IoT deployment is driven by full attention to both device design and connectivity – not as individual parts of a project plan, but as integrated elements of a holistic solution.

No other provider in the IoT industry brings it all together as Eseye can and does for over 2000 visionary companies around the world, serving over two million connected devices in 190 countries, through our eight global operating regions.

Global support

Through our global support desk, Eseye provides operational support to our customers and their internal teams. Our highly experienced team works closely with our customers to ensure swift resolutions to any issues – whether switching networks or helping to get the device working again. All support calls are logged and fully reported on our system, whether they are received by phone, email, or through our customer portal, Infinity IoT Platform™.

Key Features | Hera 604

Simple, reliable, and rugged global connectivity for your IoT devices.

This is IoT edge hardware as it should be. Eseye offers estate management services and
customized application hosting, and onboard health monitoring to maximize uptime.
What’s more, the Hera 604 can come embedded with the cloud service agent built-in – allowing you to seamlessly provision data to your cloud environment.

• Small and compact for easy integration
• Built to resist temperature changes and non-condensing humidity.
• Access and management for all 3G/4G cellular networks globally
• Standard and custom apps can be deployed on the Hera 604 and customized t pre-process, store and publish your customer data at the edge, while publishing the desired data to the cloud.
• Triple-SIM router including onboard embedded AnyNet+ Multi-IMSI eSIM
• Highly adaptable with different communications options including cellular,
  Wi-Fi, and Ethernet
• 4 Gigabit ports and optional 802.11ac Wi-Fi
• Management Provisioning via TR.069, LWM2M, Telnet, SSH, CLI, HTTP, HTTPS
  or OTA USSD/SMS/IP
• Configurable Connectivity & Service Availability Health Monitoring Agent
• Tunnelling & VPNs using IPSEC / GRE
• VLAN support
• Embedded security with IP filtering, stateful inspection firewall, NAT/NAPT, denial of service (DOS) protection
• Available on HaaS basis (MOQ applies)