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Devices ​

What is this? ​

A device is a single Linux machine running the Dataplicity agent and registered to your account. Each device has a unique identity, online/offline status, and a set of properties you can view and manage from the dashboard.

Why does it matter after devices ship? ​

Once devices leave your lab, you need to know which physical unit is which, whether it is reachable, and what customer or site it belongs to. The device record is the anchor for everything else - remote access, logs, monitors, and support history.

How does it work in Dataplicity? ​

  1. Install the agent on a Linux device using your account's install command
  2. The device appears in your dashboard with a generated name and serial identifier
  3. The agent maintains an outbound HTTPS connection and reports online status
  4. You can rename the device, add tags, view properties, and access it remotely

When should I use it? ​

  • Every Linux device you want to manage through Dataplicity needs the agent installed
  • Use device properties and tags to distinguish units in a fleet
  • Use device-level logs and monitors for diagnostics on a specific unit

Example workflow ​

A vendor ships 50 gateway devices to customer sites. Each device runs the agent during factory imaging. When a support ticket arrives, the team searches by customer tag, finds the device, checks its online status, reviews recent logs, and opens a remote shell - all from the device record.