Help requested with iot core

[MiLaak]

In Node-Red, what would be easiest way to send commands or configurations to IoT Devices?

There is node.js example in https://cloud.google.com/iot/docs/how-tos/commands -> API -> Node.js

But it seems to take quite few steps to take it in use if running .js code in Node-Red which is running in Docker image.

[kolban-google]

Let me start looking at what kinds of things this package may wish to add for Node-RED GCP IoT support. If you could post back with as many example use cases or stories as you can think of, that would help.

[MiLaak]

Hi,

I'm running Node-Red in custom docker image in the same GCP project where IoT Core is running. There are couple of iot devices are connected to Iot Core.

GUI for is done with Node Red Dashboard. My use case is such that I want to send command and/or configuration (string containing json blob) to my IoT Devices from Node Red.

Not sure if I was able to describe this as useful story or use case... Let me know if more details needed.

[kolban-google]

Reviewing the spec of GCP IoT ... I see that the logical content of a command sent to a device is:

• projectId
• cloudRegion
• registryId
• deviceId
• payload

For command processing, I'm imagining a new GCP IoT node "IoT Command" that would take these parameters and make the command call. Would this be in-line with your thinking? This would be the Node-RED equivalent of https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/iot/devices/commands

For configuration processing, similar story. I'm imagining a new GCP IoT node "IoT Configuration" that would take these parameters and make a configuration update call.

• projectId
• cloudRegion
• registryId
• deviceId
• payload

This would be the Node-RED equivalent of https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/iot/devices/configs/update

I'll be delighted to work on the Node-RED/GCP side of the story. I'm hoping that you can guide me on the "requirements" aspect. That way the nodes can deliver exactly what you want.

[MiLaak]

I'm not either too experienced with IoT Core but for now I'm using following commands to do the job from the Cloud Shell:

gcloud iot devices configs update --project=$PROJECT_NAME \ --region=$PROJECT_REGION \ --registry=$REGISTRY_NAME \ --device=$DEVICE_ID1 \ --config-data="configuration data"

gcloud iot devices commands send --project=$PROJECT_NAME \ --region=$PROJECT_REGION \ --registry=$REGISTRY_NAME \ --device=$DEVICE_ID1 \ --command-data="command data"

Some wishes:

• It would be great if all kind of authentication is done in background and no need to do it in node red.
• Project name and region could be found from env. E.g. if VM is running on same project and region where IoT Core is then no need to configure those in node red.
• support also --subfolder option

E.g. it would be user friendly to just define registry, device and the data to be sent. Optional/automatically detected parameters would be project and region.

[kolban-google]

Perfect response. THANK you for that. I'll get started on it straight away. I think I can accommodate all the requests. If you wish, email me at kolban@google.com and we can chit chat privately ... this will become useful if you are willing to take builds to test before we publish to github for all.

[kolban-google]

A couple of new nodes have been built and added to the collection. They are being tested with the requester and not yet released.

[kolban-google]

The code has now been published as part of 0.0.15. Waiting from validation from requester.

[MiLaak]

Everything works as requested. Thanks for support!

[kolban-google]

TY for raising the request. Closing the issue as complete. Re-open or create a new one as needed.